New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-16

MOST OF THEM, TT IS SAID. HAVE
STARVED.
ROBBED OF THEIR SUPPLIES. THEY HAVE
BEEN DRIVEN TO THE BARREN LANDS
BETWEEN SPANISH AND CUBAN LINES.
IL

BEEN DRIVEN TO THE BARREN LANDS
BETWEEN SPANISH AND CUBAN LINES.
Copyright. isps. The Associated PsessJ
Key West. Fla. May 15.-The conditions in
Havana. resulting from the blockade, are being
gradually brought out by Information obtained
from fishing smacks and other small vessels
captured Of the coast. Affairs n Havana now
appear 10 be worse than at any time since the
Wcylcr regime. The fishermen who at first
brayed the blockade for the high price which
fsh brought In Havana now the risk not
Tor money but FOR the food which they obtain
nom ~. sea 4 number - these men have been
captured AZ different times hy various vessels
OF the blockading feet. nearly all of them being
released after having been questioned by our
officers. They agree In picturing the state OF
things at Havana being pitltu in the ex-
trcfne.
The Associated Press dspatch-boat. Kate
Spencer has accumulated all tho facts obtain
able along the bockading line. the latest news
coming through two captures made by the gun
boat Machias The Machias has just returned
here for the first time since the blockade
opened. making the longest continuous service
OF any blockading vessel of Cuba.
BREAD BETTER THAN MONEY.
The Machlas caught two fishing boats or Ha-
vana tust before her return here. The Amer-
cans offered the fishermen money for part Of
their catch, as the fish were needed on board.
but the fishermen demurred at taking money.
saying they preferred to have bread. and adding
that they were desperately hungry.
When asked about the prevalence OF yellow
fever at Havana, the fishermen said there was
little sickness at the Cuban capital. but there
WAS much starvation. The reconcentrados were
nearly all dead or had been expelled from the
city 10 die IN the suburbs. This agrees with
other reports from Havana and Matanzas. to the
effect that the Spanish authorities. on the de-
parture Of the American consuls. seized all the
relief supplies and applied them to the use OF
the army The Spanards then drove the recon-
centrados into the desolatcd sections Of the
country between the coast towns and the In
s,rrent lines the regions described by Senator
Proctor and others as being too barren and
desolate to support grasshoppers
INSURGENTS WON'T RECEIVE THEM.
The Insurgents themselves have been chary
Of receiving reconcentrados, and hundreds or
the latter having no friends In the insurgent
carnps have been left to starve between the
lines. which they have done
Ahout Havana the situation is even worse.
Hundreds Of reconcentrados from Los f0sas.
the big reconcentrado barracks in Havana. were
too weak to walk out OF town. and fell in the
streets or died In the suburbs. where hooks OF
yultures "Weyler's chickens" as they are now
termed In Havana. have feasted on the bodies
In Matanzas this feature OF the situation Is
equally distressing , -,
rrbc fishermen who have been brought here
soon become reconcied to capture when means
food and decent treatment They say that II
~ hIock de continues much longer bread riots
,nust follow In all the large towns as rood Is
reserved exclusively for the army, thus FORCING
,anv nnen to enlist who would not otherwise
H. co Certain Of the most desperate or the
Snoniards threaten to burn Havana or blow
the city up I'm the event of the authorities decd-
iny IN capitulate to the American forces.