The record-union., 1897-07-09

| HAVANA, July s. - Captain-Gen-
eral Weyler has at last decided it wise
to evacuate Bayamo. He has already
ordered the inhabitants to betake
themselves to ManzaniIlo, and has
asked the War Department in Spain
to authorize the withdrawal of troops
and the burning of the town. The eX-
penses of maintaining the garrison
there has always been heavy, and one
for which the end gained did not JUS
tify it. Much sickness prevails among
the troops in Santiago Province, and
the rebels are SO active in that district
and the roads are in such an impass-
able state that the strain on the Span
ish forces of holding the town is too
| severe. Columns of men and thous-
ands of dollars might have been saved
to Spain and no strategic advantage
lost had Bayamo been given up a year
ago.
About the time Weyler was making
his warlike speech at San Diego de
Cuba a circular was issued from the
headquarters of the revolutionary army
calling on every insurgent at work in
the country or in towns to come out
and take up arms. The circular stated
that the rebels had plenty of rifles and
ammunition to supply volunteers. Gu
ban sympathizers We're also told to be
| ready to cooperate in case the insur-
gents attacked their towns. Calixto
| Garcia and Torres Were to look after
| Eastern Cuba. They were directed to
spare all the men they could, and those
under Lacret and Perez have already
| crossed the Jaruco- Moron trocha and
are now we'll into Santa Clara.
n;,,t Of h ;,,41
to mobilize is Matanzas. At the pres
ent moment there are four or five rebel
chiefs with considerable bodies of men
in the Province of Cienfuegos. It is not
possible to state accurately how many
mea tl1s@ 4fsae4gents win be able to mus
ter in Matanzas, but a fair estimate is
5000. There may be added for aggres-
sive purposes the 1000 rebels under
Castillo in Havana Province and $500
under Ducass in Pinar del Rio. The in
surgents are looking out for the land
ing of artillery along the coast of Ma
tanzas.
The Spanish army has never been so
weakened by sickness before. An Off
cial estimate of the number of Spanish
soldiers in hospitals throughout the
land is 1900 Not long ago the Lu-
chano battalion marched to the front
LOO strong; to-day the battalion num-
bers $50 men.
DR.. Augustine CIemente Betancourr,
an American citizen, after years of in
carceration as a military prisoner in
Pinar del Rio, and in Cabanas Castle
as a political suspect, has been liber-
ated and ordered to leave the island,
no proofs to substantiate the charges
against him having been found.
The Spanish authorities here have
picked out the Cubans from among the
Competitor prisoners and will give
them separate trials. General Lee
stated that if Spain makes any dis
tinction in the cases of the Cubans he
will be bound to interfere.
The trial of Manuel Fernandez Cha
quielo by ordinary courtmartial has
been fixed for this week General Lee
has not received any notification that
the trial will take place. He has stated
that he will not interfere until sentence
has been passed. The United States.
he says will not permit the shooting
of Chaquielo.
complain of the neglect of Consul
General Lee, he not having visited
them personally for many months.
Their petition for aid from the relief
fund was not granted. Melton is espe-
cially in great need of clothes
An expedition of Cuban flibusters
from Florida is reported to have landed
on Sunday in Havana Province, at
the mouth of Juraco Bay. The Spanish
gunboat Reina Maria Christina which
was cruising about the coast, endeav-
ored to intercept the expedition but
without success.
When the cruiser arrived at the spot
and disembarked her marines they
were fired upon and driven to their
boats by a strong rebel force in am
bush. After d brief bombardment OF
the insurgents position the war ship
hurried to Havana for reinforcements.
When she returned the filibusters had
already left with their munitions and
supplies for Castillo's headquarters in
the Tapaste hills, closely pursed by
Fonsdevielas' Spanish column, which
had marched overland from Minas to
intercept their movements