The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
NO FOOD REACHES CUBA
STRICT BLOCKADE is MAINTAINED
BY AMERICAN WAR SHIPS.
No Vessels with Supplies Now Land at
the Island of Pines-SantO Do
mingo Wreck Watched.

KEY WEST, Fla, Aug. 3-The report
that the Isle of Pines is furnishing food
supplies to Cuba is emphatically denied 1t
can be asserted on the strength of unques-
tionable authority that the island itself was
denuded OF its food resources a month ago,
and its own people are starving Neuva
Corona, its capital, noted for its salubrious
climate. especially as a consumptive cure,
is now used by the Spaniards for a military
hospital camp, and only wounded soldiers
are there Rich and poor from Havana have
been fiocking thither and as a natural con-
sequence yellow fever and smallpox have
followed and now rage to an alarming ex-
tent. This is because the poor
cannot procure medicines. and the
government supplies neither medicine
nor food. The unfortunate people
die in the streets. the authorities virtually
being compelled to bury them. The entire
island is under Captain General Blanco's
government. The residents declare that they
have never seen a steamer pass in since the
war began and only a few sloops and
schooners. This statement has been veri-
fled by information which came by the gun
boat Bancroft and the converted yacht
Eagle secured at an insurgent camp visited
by their commanders near by. The Ameri-
cans were told that nothing had attempted
to get in since the Eagle sank the Santo
Domingo. There is reason to believe, how
ever, that the steamer Villa Verde managed
to elude the blockade some time ago.
The insurgents in the province of Pinar
del Rio are we'll supplied with arms and
ammunition. thanks to many successful fill
clustering expeditions. They are now little
troubled by the Spanish forces, which are
hal IAI
two months ago there was a large Spanish
garrison, there is now only few men and
these make no attempt to pursue the insur-
gents as they formerly did, contenting
themselves with simply remaining at their
posts. The blockade of the ports west of
the Isle OF Pines is now so we'll main
tanned that not even a smack could get
through
The Eagle. which returned here tonight,
reports that on leaving the Isle of Pines
the Bancroft's launch had apparently scored
announcer victory, as 1t was towing out d
schooner from shore eight miles away.
captain sutherland, of the Eagle, is con-
1dent that two twelve-inch guns which were
IN the hold of the Santo Domingo when she
was sunk by his yacht can be saved, and he
thinks Wreckers should be sent down for
tnem When the Spanish steamer sank
these guns dropped to the bottom and so
long as the air does not reach them they
sights the wreck of the Santo Domingo once
every thirteen hours to prevent any at
tempt on the part of the enemy to get the
big guns. There is much interest here as
to the decision the prize courts will reach
in the case of the Santo Domingo, which,
with her guns and her enormous cargo of
food, was valued at close upon million
dollars. Had the Eagle succeeded in taxi
ing her .unharmed, there could have been
no question as to the legality of making her
a prize. but the Santo Domingo had on
board two five-inch guns, mounted primed
and trained, and 144 men, while the Eagle,
with a battery of only six-pounders and
only about a score of men, could not afford
to take the desperate chance of the big ship
escaping with her guns to Havana. So, for
what are called military reasons the San
to Domingo was destroyed After her de-
struction, however, the Eagles men boarded
her and took formal possession of her as a
prize of war. Herein lies a nice question
! for the determination of the courts.