The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-12-01
EXIT OF MARSHAL BLANCO
SIGNAL FOR BITTER DENUNCTATI0N
 OFHIs CONDUCT.

Only Those Obliged to Out of Military
 Courtesy Went Near Him to Say Farc-
 well-Appcnred to Feel This Kcenly
 and Was Morose and silemt-NIadc
 Answernblc for the Destruction of
 Cervera's Fleet.
 Havana, via Key West, Fla, Nov. 30. The circumstances of Marshal Blan- co.'s departure, particularly the clam destine nature of his movements at an early hour this morning have furnished occasion for much gossip and for bit- ter vituperation as light is thrown upon his methods and conduct during the entire period of his captain generalship. The oft-repeated state- ment that he was not the popular officer among Spaniards gets confirmation from the fact that none of his fellow countrymen, prominent in civil. social or industrial circles, men, whose loyal- ty to Spain is above suspicion, went near him to say farewell.
 At the palace and on board the steamer he was met only by those whose official military duty it was to pay a tribute of respect and courtesy to the ex-governor general of the isl- and, but no personal friends were pres- ent to relieve the gloom and dullness of his last hours in Cuba. This he ap- peared to feel keenly, for he was morose and silent, showing visible signs of his disappointment and regret. His only outburst of feeling was when he em- braced General Ruberto, militay gover- nor of the Cabanas, an old and trusted friend. While clasping the younger of- ncer in his arms, Marshal Blanco seem- ed greatly affected. Now that he has gone tongues are loosened. He is open- " accused of weakness and lack of character
 In support of such charges it is pointed out that though he had 150oOo men at his disposal he withheld rein- forcements from Santiago, and that While deceiving the people by an- nouncements that General Pando had left for the eastern provinces at the head of a powerful army, no such movement was even contemplated, Pan do, instead, leaving secrely for a tour of Central America, ostensibly on a dip- lomatic mission, the exact import of Which has never been actually explain ed. Finally his countrymen make Blanco answerable for the destruction of Cervera's fleet, laying at his door a command that Admiral Ceryera should make a dash out of Santiago harbor. Those who pretend to know claim that Cervera answered that the loss of the fleet was inevitable and ask ed authority to land all his guns to mount them on the shore batteries, to man them with marines to abandon the vessels to make brilliant and, possibly victorious resistance by land. and as last resort, if the Americans took the city, % blow up the vessels thus sparing the lives of officers and crews who, if the squadron was sent out would go to certain sacrifice. Blan- co, it is asserted, acting on his own au- thority, answered curtly by reiterating his order to make a rally. His coun- trymen now wish 0 make him criminals ly responsible for the order that entail- ed this tremendous loss of life.
 By no means least in this list of charges is Blanco's recent decree trans- ferring all eases of prosecutions against members of the volunteer and regular- ly mobilized forces from military to civil tribunals. This has aroused the ire of the Spanish population and can be safely considered the keynote of their present reviling of Blanco. By the decree they claim that their broth- CTS are handed over for judgment to their natural enemies most of the judges now sitting in the island courts being Cubans There is no doubt that this provision may yet give rise to many serious troubles.