Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-07
HAVANA vA|NLY ELATED.
Two Spanish Fleets Were Expected to
Come to the City'S Relief.
Aid from the Fleets, It is Feared
Rioting May Begin at Any Time.
Tho Spaniards Affect to Believe
They Can Repel Any Invasion
Attempted by U. s. Troops.
Copyright, Associated Press }

at santiago dc CUBA or what is known
here as the first division Of the Spanish
feet, has considerably lightened the
hearts of the Standards, and the news
has been received with great rejoicing.
The feeling of satisfaction Is all the
more intense as it is hoped the Span
ish warships will soon enter the har-
Dor Of Havana, after which, uniting
with the second division of the fleet
under Admiral Camara, it is believed
the naval forces Of Spain will attempt
to strike decisive blow at some part
of the United States. At least, this
is the view of the situation taken by
the Spanish authorities here
Havana and the rest of the island of
Cuba SO far as heard from, is Off
cially announced to be entirely quiet.
No riots or other Disturbance are re-
ported to have occurred, and the in
habitants profess themselves to be
longing for an encounter with the
forces of the United States. Prepara-
tons for defense are being pushed
night and day, and work is going on
without ceasing on the Notifications
all over the island The Spanish Off
Gals here claim that if $4,000 men were
needed to attack Havana by land and
sea when the war broke out,
AT LEAST 100000 MEN
will be required to attack the Cuban
capital now, in view of the new and
strengthened Notifications and also be-
caYse the so-called cultivation zone"
has been extended to Rincon, Calabar-
ar, Bejucal, etc, which are inside of
the line of defenses now, it is claim
ed, making Havana a Spanish Sebas-
tcpol. This increase in the cultivated
area about Havana will, it il asserted,
support the inhabitants with food, al
though not with luxuries, for a long
time.
In spite Of the outwardly cheerful as
pect of affairs bitterly anxious feel
ings exist. People go so far as to
charge Senior Moret, the former minis
ter of the colonies of Spain, with be-
ing a traitor and having sold Cuba
to the United States This causes dis
content to prevail and if the Spanish
fleet does not arrive here before food
becomes really scarce, terrible rioting
may be reported.
There are hardly any business trans
actions and the city looks deserted,
there being few people on the streets.
The family remains at home, excepting
when the sound of gun fired from
one Of the forts causes the people to
rush to the windows or into the streets,
and if several shots are fired thous-
ands rush to the WharveS, to the vi
cinity of the bay and San Lazaro ave-
nue. to see if the American fleet is ap-
preaching Although the streets are
almost deserted certain points Of van
tage are occupied by groups OF people
from early morning until late at night.
This is particularly the case with La
PunIta, which is generally crowded
from daybreak until dark.
The Spaniards comment continually
upon the tactics Of the American fleet,
and, naturally, they are very severe
in their criticisms, for they do not UNI
derstand the method of warfare adopt
ed. Many of them go so far as to say
that the United States is not prepared
for war, that no plans have been de-
cided upon and that the authorities at
Washington are not serious in the steps
taken. Then, again, the Spaniards are
rejoicing greatly at the reported small
amount of damage done by the Amer
lean bombardments and they also pre-
tend to be happy over the seeming de-
lay which they claim is giving Spain
the opportunity to prepare
A MORE VIGOROUS DEFENSE
than otherwise could have been made.
Indeed, the Spanish military and naval
authorities are beginning to nurse
themselves with the belief that the
naval and military power of the United
States has been exaggerated by the
newspapers, and they are comforting
themselves with the idea that Spain
is showing herself able to fight such
a giant as the United States.
Advices from Caribbean and other
towns show that a scarcity OF pro-
visions exists, and Puerto Principe re-
ports that many families have let
the city for the country districts.
No recent encounters between the Span
ish troops and the insurgents have been
announced and the official reports only
refer to insignificant skirmishes, in which
the Spaniards, of course, have had the
advantage. Railroad communication be-
tween the province of Santa Clara and
the provinces of Matanzas and Havana
has been interrupted several times, and
the trains are sometimes "a hours over
verts by the insurgents. The damage.
however, was soon repaired. This has
happened in the province Of Havana.
Twice within the last ten days culverts
have been destroyed with dynamite, in
one case near Minas, six miles from Ha-
vana, and In other cases near Guines.
But 1t IS maintained there is no real
intArr,1ntion of railroad traffic. the tele-