The Portland daily press., 1898-05-21
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BEYOND THE BLOCKADE.
How onr Neishbors at Havana Are Faring
These Days.

Havana, May 9, via Vera Cruz, Mexico.
MAY 1a-Tbe weight Of the blockade is
being felt here.
Business is almost at a complete stand
still and there is hardly any movement
in the streets, which have sort OF holl-
day appearance.
The parks are almost deserted ana there
are yery few people to be seen on the
Plaza dc Armas at night, although one
band plays there and everything posslnie
IS done to keep up the splrlts ol 'ho poo'
pie.
There is feverish desire to leave the
island and over 5000 people are booked az
the Office of the consignees OF the flenoh
steamer Lafayette, which leaves mere To-
day for Vera Cruz, Mexico, with tnls
letter, which will be posted at that poTp'
In fact, al, actual panic now preYalls.
The grim earnsstness Of thelAmerica9s Is
steadily forcing itself upon the minds OF
even the most hot-headed Spanish officers,
though the latter are, working vigorous
ly at the Notifications which have been
considerably strengthened and improved
since the war began.
Many families without means are striy-
from more fortunate people. in order 10
be able to pay their passage money,
There is considerable feeling against
| the men who are DESTROYS of leaving the
| city. ,svs3f
| There has been no disorder, however, in
| this city, or in the provinces, SO far az
known, though it is true people here are
| entirely ignorant of what is transpiring
at Santiago de Cuba, no mail having
| been received from thera for some time
past and the cable being in the hands of
the government and almost exclusively
devoted to furthering the military opera
lions, which are about limited to evacu-
! ing the Spanish forces at or about the
large cities.
1t Is reported here that Santa Cruz
del sur on the south coast of the prov
ince of Puerto Principe, has fallen into
the hands Of the insurgents.
The officers OF the Spanish gunboat
Cuba Espanola have reached Sanoti Spir-
titus, province of Santa Glars. by land and
are on their way to Tunas and from there
by coasting steamer to Cienfueros.
One report has 1t that the commander
OF the Cuba Espanola burned or blew up
hls vesse! In order to save it from fall
ing into the hands of the insurgents. An
other version Of the affair says the gun
boat may havo been captured by the in
surgents.
Confirmation has been received here of
the reports that the Spanish troops have
evacuated Jiguani and Bayamo in the
| province of Santiago de Cuba, and that
they have been occupied by the insur
gents. So
The spaniards say the troops destroyed
those two towns before leaving them,
but this is not believed to BIZ true.
The troops from those places retreated
upon Manzanillo and some Of them have
| reached other coasts towns, by this time
Although the prices of provisions here
| are very high it is calculated that there
is food enough obtainable to last about
siderable stores were laid In before the
blockade and no provisions are allowed
to be sent from here to the interior
towns.
Eggs cost 10 cents each. A glass of
milk costs 30 to s5 cents and the size OF
the loaf Of bread has been reduced one
half. This. however, was done before the
blockade began.
There are thousands Of men from the
cigar, tobacco and other factories out Of
work, and the authorities are employing
as many of them as possible to work on
the Notifications.
The number of men idle Is matter
which causes the authorities considerable
anxiety. sH
Then, again, people here ere looking
forward with considerable apprehension
to the eventful triumph OF the Insurgents,
as 1t is believed they will wreak terrible
vengeance upon the Spaniards.
The bulks of the Spaniards, however,
arc filled with warlike enthusiasm and
are looking forward with confidence to
an eventful triumph over the Americans
The Spanish officers say all the strategic
points about the coast have been occu-
| pied by troops and that 1t will be difficult
co effect landings. The Spanish officers
say all the strategic points about the coast
have been occupied by troops and that
| it will be difficult to effect landings.
The Pals, organ of the Autonomist par
ty, says great misery prevails at Matan-
zas and at CarGenas and other towns on
| account OF the scarcity of provisions, and
the paper adds that the country people
are now in q worse condition than they
ever were before.
tentionally circulated by the Spanish
officials here, for their own purposes and
the tales OF Spanish repulses of American
forces come In at almost regular intervals
and from nearly every point about the
| bockaded portion OF the coast, to say
nothing OF the stories of brilliant Span
reached here from abroad,
| OF course. the greatest interest is tax
en- here in the approaching meeting be-
tween the Spanish and American fleets in
| these waters.
| The hee6 from Spain is expected at al
most any moment. is being constantly
watched for and day aud night signals
are ready to guide it safely into the har-
Dor. 1t is expected that the result of the
battle will decide the war in favor of the
United States or Spain, and it is impos-
sible to make the Spaniards doubt the
eventual triumph of the yellow and red
| flag of their country
The French steamer La Fayette arrived
here from Key Vest on Saturday morn.
ing (May y, and commenced unloading
her cargo and allowed her passengers 10
come on shore. When nearly ali the car
go had been taken ashore, the French
consul and the consignee Of the La Fa-
yette, received dispatches from the French
ambassador at Washington saying a COM
promise arrangement had been arrived
at with the United States government,
by which the La Fayette had been al
lowed to enter Havana harbor; but with
the understanding that her cargo and pas.
sengers were not to be landed.
ThereupoHs the French consul and con-
slgnee conferred with Captain General
Blanco and LATER with tho members Of the
! colonial government with the result that
/ MO nIt To h9