Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-07
THE FEELING Ar HAVANA.
The Spanish Uneasy and Making Preparations
for the Expected Trouble.

ma Ndiiti. y Id htN west. + Ia. March
S.-As the conviction becomes settled
that the court al inquiry Will decide
That there was a mine explosion under
the Maine, decision among American
naval officers ana civilians here is
prevalent as H. he Warlika measures
which ii IS believed the United States
government viii adopt in ease the
question Of the payment of indemnity
by Spain is oVerruled. 4 ma iority be-
licVp that American troops Will he
landed at some point east of Havana
and the insurgents communicated with
that the Spanish soldiery will be de-
feated on captured in detail and that
in the meantime a fleet of United
states vessels viii blockade. if not
lombard Havana No one seems 10
doubt that The reduction Of this city
would be comparatively easy. Four -
inch guns two west and two east If
! The city-are the only ones that ara
! considered dagerous. These are not
likei y To be Well served. while their
emplacements are not modern
That some Spaniards are of the opin-
ion that an attack on Havana will be
made is believed to be shown by the
I
the Vizcaya. This correspondent has
the best naval authority for the state
ment that the Nizcaya is in a constant
state of readiness for emergencies and
that packet boats are on the alert da,
and night inside the harhor and out
side. 1t is pointed out that thu, men Of
war NiZcaya and -Almirante Oquendo
might be caught in a blockade and fail
| an easy prey TO a United States fleet
The cruiser Alfonso XII is without boil
ers and would be of no account.
All this discussion of the prOba bility
! of war among the Americans and Span
iards proves nothing and only shows
tn" state of feeling here.
The conduct of the Spanish divers
who are investigating the wreck of the
Maine is mystery. Thus far they
| have not been down ; hours in the ag-
| gregate and show no disposition to
| make thorough inquiry. 1t is inn
| possible to learn the truth fully regard
! ing the purpose of the Spanish court of
| inquiry, but it is generally believed
| that The divers We're sent down for
| forms sake only and that a report will
i be made in accordance with instruc-
! tions from Madrid. 1t may be that the
| Spanish divers have discovered that
| the whole port side of the Maine for
! ward is gone and having so reported.
| further examination is deemed unnec-
| esSiry. The work of our own divers.
| hence forward is bound to be SLOW
owing to the ponderous weights to be
moved and the safety clamps. nuts and
| rivetS which must be cut.
| Senator Proctor is likely 10 make a
| speech in the Senate on his return that
| will have great weight in determining the
much affected by the suffering that he
| found in MatanzaS and highly indignant
at what he calls the ''inhumanity of the
course pursued During visit to Ar
| tcmiSa he saw 10000 of reconcentrados.
who refused to beg, though starving.
They We're evidently of the class accus-
toned to make their own living and I'M
willing to become pauperS. He saw
thousands of acres of the best tobacco
and banana lands in the world reduced to
! waste. with trochas and garrisons at
every village and cross road His drivers
pointing TO the mountains 10 miles away
/ said: There are plenty of insurgents
camps there that the Spanish have never
discovered.
The work of distribution of American
relief under Miss Cara Barton.
Mr. E.lwell and their assistants
is. in Senator Proctors Judgment
carefully and effectively carried on. The
demand is far in excess of the sunply
The supplies expected at Matanzas ana
SaSua la Gran lie. to be brought by Ameri-
can cruisers, viii afford unspoallable re-
lief
Now that the Almirante Oqucndo and
Niscaya are lying in the harbor. he
Spaniards eXultins declare that the city
is safe. and it is given out officially in thS
newspapers that the new arri,Hl is Of
the same size. armament and is connie.
mcnt as the NiZCaNa.
The Mangrore, With the United States
naval court of Inquiry on board :1rrlveu