The herald., 1898-01-24
THE WHITE
SQUADRON
Now Concentrated Off the
Key West Bar
WILD RUMORS ARE CURRENT
BUT INQUIRY FAILS TO SHOW
FOUNDATIONS
Insurgent Activity Increases, so Also
Does fractional Strife Among
The Spanish Forces
Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23-So far as
could be learned, the administration has
no advices from Havana today. Botf
the state and navy departments af
flrmed that nothing had been heard from
Gen. Lee and professed to look upon the
lack Of news as good sign.
On the other hand, the city was full OF
rumors, ranging in Importance from
the statement that the white squadron
had sailed from Key West to that o.
Gen. Lees being assassinated at Ha-
vana. Inquiry, however, failed to re-
veal any basis for sensational reports.
NEWS OF THE FLEET
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. pa
telegram from Key West says:
Admiral Sicard, with the battleships
New York, Indiana, Massachusetts
Iowa and Texas, arrived off the bar at
10 o'clock. The Maine, Montgomery and
Detroit, and the torpedo boats Gushing
and Dupont, went out and Joined thf
fleet. An important message was re-
ceived here at II o'clock for Admirai
Sicard and there is no way of transport
ing 1t to the fleet.
kilograms received from Havana last
night state that extra guards had beer
placed around Gen. Lees office for pro
lection. Circulars were distributed
around Havana calling on the volun-
teers for the protection of the American
colony. There is no news of an attempt
to assassinate Lee.
The fleet of battleships will sail for
Dry Tortugas tomorrow morning.
AFFAIRS AT HAVANA
HAVANA, via Key West, Jan. 23.-
Insurgents concealed behind the rail
road station at San Miguel, eight miles
from Havana, fired upon train, killing
several animals in one of the cars. An
other band entered the cultivated zone
of the town Of Las Vegas, near Havana
destroying all the huts and the crops
that had been planted.
Gen. Pando has sent Col. Domingo o:
Captain General Blanco's staff back tt
Spain under serious charges.
A private report from Puerto Principe
confirms the report that Gen. Castellano
has destroyed Esperanza, at the ex-
treme west of the Sierra Cubitas. the
headquarters of the insurgent govern
ment, which moved to Navajas, saving
documents and files. When the insur-
gents retired they left fifty-seven of
their number dead on the field and car
ried away their wounded. The govern
ment troops lost twenty-seven killed and
eighty-seven wounded.
Juan Masso, whose surrender was re-
Gently reported, is a nephew of Barto-
lomo Masso, president of the Cuban re-
public, not brother, as before stated.
1t is reported here that the governor of
Havana province, who is stockholdeI
in La Discussion, has secured subven-
tion of $3.50 monthly for that paper.
Additional troops are to be sent to the
province of Santiago de Cuba to carry
on the operations there.
The action of the government in
searching certain mail matter before al
lowing it to be delivered is considered
by persons we'll informed on the subject
a direct violation of the international
postal union treaty. Many persons, in
Guiding number of loyal Spaniards,
such as Senior Francisco de Los Santos
Guzman. ex-president of congress, and
others of social standing in the city.
make complaint of the non-delivery of
letters addressed to them. 1t is reported
that in consequence of the government s
action steps will be taken to expel Spain
from the postal union.
Endeavors have been made to induce
DR.. CABRERA to remain at Siguanez and to
obtain the surrender of the leaders Rego
and Monteaguado. 1t is said that s7O. ono
has been wired to Gen. Aguerre for the
surrender of Masso and his party.
The gunboat Galicia has captured q
schooner manned by four men, one of
whom stated upon being questioned,
that they had been engaged to assist in
the landing of provisions, ETC., from an
English vessel. The schooner was sight
ed by a gunboat six miles off the coast.
and the crew decided to surrender. The
of the schooner's crew who
made the above statement added that
the insurgents did not lack clothing, and
that he was ignorant of the fact that
they were short of ammunition.
Several of the local papers comment
upon the report of the surrender of Mas
so with ITO men, which number they de-
clare is exaggerated. FL Diario de Ia
Marina says that the papers which
preach loyalty most coldly print the
news without fiavoring the same, add
ing that El Liberal of Spain declares
that there are many Spanish who would
see with pleasure the failure of auton-
omy in order to avoid the triumph of
principles contrary to their own.
The Union Constitutional replies to
the Diario saying that the autonomists
brag of the surrender of Masso- and try
to credit autonomy as a sign of peace.
To prove the success of autonomy it is
necessary to obtain the surrender of this
real leaders with the greater masses of
their followers.
The cigar manufactures and the Of
fees of Ell Diario de la Marina and La
Discussion are still guarded day and
night.
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