The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-12

Official Information Shows the Situation to be as Frightful, if Not More So, Than That of Unofficial Reports Previously Pub1ished-No End of Starvation and Death-Letter From Gomez-The Maine Disaster.
 Washington, April 1.-The consular correspondence with regard to the sit uatiop in Cuba, which was transmitted to congress to-day, was prepared in re- sponse to a resolution of inquiry adopted by both the house and senate. The correspondence was prepared for transmission to congress just before the blowing up of the Maine and in- cludes communications up to April 1. It covers the communications of Con- sul General Lee at Havana, Consul McGarr at Cienfuegos, Consul Brice at Matanzas, Consul Hyatt at Santiago de Cuba and Consul Barker at Sagua la Grande. The communications deal
 
 largely with the distress and suffering which exists in all the districts. Gen. eral Lee reports quite fully upon the decrees of the government with regard to autonomy and other political phases of the situation. In preparing the cor respondence for transmission to con- gress considerable portions of the inn portant communications, and especial ly those marked confidential, are omit ted. The resolutions to which they are the response in each instance asked only for such correspondence as it was deemed compatible with the public in- terest to make public.
 General Lees Correspondence.
 General Lees correspondence runs over the period from November IT, 1897, to April 1, 1898. Much of the cor respondence is of confidential nature and some of the important communi- cations excerpts only are given. The period of the correspondence after the blowing up of the Maine contains ref erence to that event. The first dis patch of General Lee contains General Blanco's order, under date of November 13 repeating, or rather mod flying, General Weyler's order of con- centration which has heretofore been published by the press. This order was made shortly after General Lee returned to Havana from the United States last fall. General Lee in this communication also enclosed the proc lamation of J. M. Rodriguez, major general in charge of the western de- partment of the Cuban military oper- ations, addressed to the Cuban people and informing them of the firm reso- 1ution'' of the insurgent army to con- tinue fighting till the attainment of absolute independence. It was on Mo- vember 23 that Consul General Lee made his first report to the department of state on the condition of affairs in Cuba. It is as follows:
 Habana, Nov. g, 1897.
 Sir have the honor to briefly sub- init a statement of what appears to be the present condition of affairs in this island:
 First-The insurgents will not accept autonomy.
 Second-A large majority of Spanish subjects who have commercial and business interests and own property here, will not accept autonomy, but prefer annexation to the United States rather than an independent republic or genuine autonomy under the Span ish flag.
 Third-The Spanish authorities are sincere in doing all in their power to encourage, protect and promote the grinding the sugar. The grinding sea- son commences in December.
 Fourth-The insurgent leaders have given instructions to prevent grinding, wherever it can be done, because by diminishing the export of sugar the Spanish government revenues are de- creased. It will be very difficult for the Spanish authorities to prevent cane burning because one man can start a fire at night which will burn hun- dreds of acres, just as a single indi- vidual can light prairie by throwing a single match into the dry grass.
 Fifth--I am confident that Generals Blanco and Pando, his chief of staff, as well as Dr. Congosto, the secretary general, with all of whom I have had conversations, are perfectly conscien- tious in their desire to relieve the dis tress of those suffering from the effects of Weyler's recommendation order, but unfortunately they have not the means to carry out such benevolent purposes In this city matters are assuming bet ter shape under charitable committees etc. Large numbers are now cared for and fed by private subscriptions I witnessed many terrible scenes and saw some die while I was present. am told General Blanco will give S100,- 900 to the relief fund.
 November 27 General Lee set to the department the communications of two gentlemen whose names he says are suppressed for obvious reasons, but whom he knows personally as standing high in the community, concerning the condition in Los Fosos (the ditches) iI Havana. The communication says