The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-03
BANES TAKEN BY SPANISH.
Cuban Insurgents Driven from Their
Seaport.

1t Was Here thu Lanrada Landed an Ex.
pedition-How the Spanish Forces Wor
| the Victory.
Havana. via Key West, May l.-Banes
on the north coast of Nipe, Santiago De
Cuba, held hy General Calixto Gsroio
and his 6,0U0 Cubans ever since the
Laurada landed Ro1otf's expedition, has
heen recovered by the Spanish com bined
army and naval forces under General
Gomez Kuberto and Admiral Navarro.
The Spanish forces combined au Nine.
sisting of two oolu ms including 70O
marines, 400 navy and 1900 infantry, com
manded respectively by Lieut.. Col. Girls
| toval Munoz and Lieut.. Col. Ayala
! Both columns boarded the Spanish fleet
| under the command of Admiral Navarro.
The feet was protested by artillery
| landed under heavy fire from the in
surgent musketry at Ramon Peusimula,
off Banes. The Spanish lost during the
removal Of the troops one killed and IL
wounded. Meanwhile the marine forces
in the armed boats were sent to recon-
noitre at the entrance of the port. They
succeeded In removing three wire cables
and one torpedo. The Nueva Espana was
the first boat to enter the port of Banes.
The Ligera followed with Admiral Nav
AFRO. The Spanish columns then ati-
vanced, protected by fire from the Nueva
Espana, which mbarted the Insurgents,
ultimately capturing the Cuban fortifca-
tions with loss of forty men. Gun boats
then communicated with Santiago
D'Opico who. with fifty men commanded
an ironclad fort. Within this fort his
men had heriocally defended themselves
duriag 45 days siege. The fort was
constantly surrounded by the insurgents
who, however, failed to reach the strong
hood D'Opioo says that when the fiji
buster Laurada entered the port he sent
an armed boat with twenty men out in
the harbor. He claims that the Laurada
attempted to ram this boat and that the
men We're compelled to seek refuge in
nearby quay. The Laurada then psn-
oeeded to the interior of the harbor, land
ing the expedition.
Cuban Reforms" Discussed.
Havana, May 1.-The local newspapers
devoted their leading editorials yesterday
to the reforms that the government has
decided to put into effect in the provin-
ces of the island. Diaro de la Marina
and Ell Pals applaud the programme.
and say they believe it to be the best pos
s1ble political campaign of the natio nal
cause against the insurgents. The Union
CONSTITUTIONAL. which is the organ of
the Conservatives. deprecates the IMAM
guration of the reforms, but promises
that they will be obeyed and respected.
Ell Commercio, ultra Conservative, is
significantly silent. La Luchas treats
the matter in a sarcastic way, saying
that everybody. including Gen. Weyler.
is now reformiat. Dispatches from
Madrid state that Prime Minister Cano
vas del Castillo declared after the cabinet
council held Thursday. at which it was
decided to put the reforms into effect,
that General Weyler entirely agreed
With Gne government as to the AdViSa-
bility of putting the reforms into effect,
and has offered to enforce them.
Spanish Premier Denounced.
Madrid, May la sensation has been
produced by Don Francisco Silveta s
spesch before club here, in which he
theoretically denounced the policy of
Senior Canovas as unpatriotic and ruin
GUS to Spain. ''Such policy" he said,
"is leading to the disappearance of this
country as nation. Colonel Ciruieda
has arrived in Spain from Havana. To
his friends Colonel Cirujeda spoke bitter
ly of General Wsyler. Some of his utter
ances have been published by the oppo-
sition press. Cirujeda's friends declare
that he was victim of Weyler's envy
and luminosity, Weyler was very much
disappointed when Maceo crossed the
trooha from Marie. to Majana, entering
Havana province. although Ciruieda
obeyed all of Wey]er's orders. When
Maceo was killed the captain general was
angered by the praise lavished ON Cru
jeda by the Spapiards. He endeavored
to disgrace him. and gave him orders
which could only result in his defeat by