The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-21

Key West, Fla, June 20.-S:lo Il. IN.
A vessel arrived here from the block
ade this morning and reported all quiet
along the line. She brought an officer
of the Cuban army and pilot, who
are carrying important dispatches to
Senior Estrada Palma, of the Cuban
Junta, from General Alexandra Rodri-
guez, the insurgent commander of Ha-
vana Province.
The Cubans were taken on board on
Saturday last from an auxiliary gun
boat, which had picked them up. The
messengers of General Rodriguez gave a
very interesting account of their expe-
riences. After leaving the insurgents
camp. they made their way into the
city of Havana, spent several days there,
proceeded to one of the small inlets
in the neighborhood, stole small boat
and rowed out to sea in the hope of
coming across an American vessel. They
were three days in the boat before they
were picked up.
The Cubans report that there are no
supplies of rice maize, potatoes or eggs
in Havana. Flour, they say. costs fifty
cents per pound and the army has been
placed on half rations. The messen-
gers class as false that vessels have
succeeded in entering Havana with sup-
plies They assert that since the block
do fIGh
sells have entered the harbor and that
no food whatever is received from Glen
fuegos
The Cubans confirm the reports that
work on the defences of Havana is pro-
ceeding steadily. Two lines ofstorpedoes
extend across the mouth of the harbor,
which is said to he further protected by
two automobile torpedoes, one at each
side, dischargeable by pressing a button.
The Spanish vessels in Havana harbor
are the Conde de Venadito, Nueya Els
pana, Vincente, Yanez Pinzen and Al
forso XII. No other gunboats or con-
yerted tugs are in port.
An auxiliary gunboat off Cardenas ha
been visited by Cuban officer from
the shore who reported that place to be
effectively beseiged by the insurgents on
land and by the warships in front. He
made the statement that in two weeks
time the whole population Of Cardenas
will be starving. He described the peo-
pie as living on palm buds and dog meat,
which, he claimed, is considered a deli
cacy.
The Cubans also report that lard is
selling at 30 cents, rice at 20, beans at
% and meat at 10 cents per pound, and
all are scarce, and they say that all
horses of private families, stores and
livery stables have been confiscated by
order of General Arolas, the military
governor of Havana, for the use of the
troops.
There is hardly any traffic in the
streets of Havana and groups of more
than two persons are not allowed to lott
or on street corners. The street railway
company, whose cars are drawn by
horses, are obliged to run a car every
hour instead of every five minutes as
heretofore. as the horses of the COM
pany have been taken by the govern
ment.
The trocha from Guanabacoa, Paula
Viyora and Managua to Puerto de le
Cherrera. thickly studded with forts and
round houses, protects the approaches to
Havana. The new batteries which have
been built Just east of Moro Castle are
known as No. | and No. 4, the latter
being closest to MORO. No. 4 has
three Ordonez 11-inch guns, mounted,
and No. 1, has one gun mounted and two
guns ready to be placed in position. OF
the same calibre. Two other new bat
teries have been constructed on either
side Of the mouth Of the river Almenda-
rez, west of Santa Clara. and the Reina
batteries are also provided with heavy
ordnance.
IT is also reported that there are 5000
armed Cubans in Havana province. pit
ted against 10000 well eauipped Span.
iards.
The health of the Cubans in Havana
province is excellent. Their camp is sit.
uated at Zenea. The vessel which ar.
rived here to-day has been patrolling a
regular beat off the Cuban coast "iust
like n policeman" going back and fortl
during the day and night. Sometime,
she saw Spanish troops moving about
but on the whole, the blockade was I'M
eventfu.
The tug NJ. Moran, arrived this morn
ing from Progresso. She belongs to tn,
Ward Line and reports that the rumo
10 the effect that cargoes are leavin;
ProgreSso for the isle of Pines is un
true. But she admits that scbooners ar
rive there with Cubans aboard.
The coal in Isle de Mnieres the can
tain of the Moran says. belongs to tn
Mexican Colonization Company, and h