The evening times., 1898-05-16
NEW GUNS MOUNTED.
DlancO Has Been Strengthening the
Forts mt Havana.

New York, May I6.-One of the passen-
gers who came up from n Cuban port on
the British steamship Strathdee gives
some interesting particulars of the con-
dition of affairs in and around Havana
where he has lived for many years.
Several powerful guns have been recent
ly mounted in the Santa Clara and La
Reina batteries, and all the forts have
been much improved by having immense
heaps of sand placed around them for the
purpose Of smothering the explosion of
Shells
The land side of Havana has been en-
tirely girted with earth and sand forti-
fications. and this work is still being
pushed forward with the greatest energy.
In the city of Havana there are about
10000 regulars and 10000 volunteers
Much sickness prevails among the troops
and many houses have been seized by the
authorities and converted into hospitals
Malaria and yellow fever is prevalent
In all there must be at least $1,000 Span
ish and volunteer troops, of all arms in
Cuba.
The rebels are now endeavoring to
maintain a better organization, having re-
ceived some arms and provisions from the
United States. With the exception of
those landed by the Montseratt about
two weeks at Cienfuegos. there have been
no fresh arrivals of Spanish soldiers The
Montseratt brought over 1000 artillery
men, with complete batteries and ammu-
milton. Spanish soldiers are now con-
hned to the towns, and for that reason
no battles have been fought with the in
surgents. and the hospitals contain few
wounded men.
All gayety has departed from Havana
The city is especially gloomy at night
because the military authorities have for
hidden the brilliant lighting of the
streets and the people keep their houses
dark for fear they should be spied upon
from without.
Large numbers of Cubans have left the
city to join the insurgents.
The condition of the reconcentrados Is
unutterably pitiful. Every ounce of pro-
visions sent from this country for them
has been appropriated by the Spaniards
All the American stores and warehouses
throughout the island have been seized
and their contents transferred to the mill
tary magazines. In cases where these
storehouses were placed under the pro-
lection of British consuls the doors were
burst in, without even the formality of a
demand for the keys.
The Spaniards have also appropriated
to their own use all the stores, including
medicines of the hospitals furnished by
Americans. The only exception made
was In the cases of the Red Cross hospi-
tails.
In the orphan asylum founded by Miss
Clara Barton. in Havana, there are now
$50 children. and all reports that the
Spaniards had killed the children and
taken the stores are false. At this asy-
lum there is yet food and money enough
to carry on the work for four months.
The premises are carefully guarded by
Spanish soldiers. This institution, after
Miss Barton left Havana, had the follow
ing Inscription painted over the entrance.
Lee Orphan Asylum and Sanitarium.
General Blanco ordered the word Lee
stricken out. No one is permitted to
mention that name.
Another Red Cross Hospital In Havana
has been treated with equal -considcra-
ton and the house that Miss Bartin oc-
cupied Is still guarded by Spanish SOL
diers.