The times., 1898-07-21
CUBA'S STARVING CITIES
Spanish DeSerterS Bring Stories
of Famine Stricken Towns.
EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE
Warships Now I'm the Harbor of
Havana-FOrtificati at the En-
Irance-Spanish Mail Steamer
sRnto Domingo Burned by Shells
From American Cruisers.

New York, July 20-The Herald's cor
respondent, in a dispatch dated ION
Board the United States Monitor Terror,
of Havana. July j.. says:
While cruising of the entrance to Ha-
Vana Harbor at daybreak this morning
the Terror picked up a small boat IN
which were three deserters from the
Spanish gunboat Aguila, which is inside
the harbor. They had rowed out % us
under cover Of darkness and during a
heavy rain.
They were Jose Fernandez. Antonio
Gonzalez anz Antonio capelastegen.
They brought with them their arms and
considerable ammunition. and told Us
many interesting things aoJut the effect
OF the blockade.
According TO their story the price of
rice in Havana now is 20 cents pound.
and there is only one shop where il is
sold. The supply viii DE gone in a week.
There are no potatoes in the city and
other vegetables are very scarce and
very dear. Beans cannot be had at any
price. Meat is 30 cents pound. Bread
IN small quantities Is sold at d price be-
yond the reach OF the common people
The loaf that is issued 10 the soldiers.
which weighs less than a pound, can be
bought in some places for 80 cents. There
are no crackers IN the city.
Fowl are in reach OF the wealthy at
s. each.
The three deserters told me that Carde-
mas. Matanzas, and Cicufuegos are starry
ing. and cannot hold out more than
week.
These are the warships that are actu-
ally in Havana harbor: The frst-class
cruise. Alfonso XII, second-class cruis-
ers Marques de Ia Ensenada, Conde de
Venadita and Infanta Isabel; torpedo
boats Marques de Molins. Martin Alonzo
Pinzou. Vicente YaneZ Piuzon. and NueVa
Espana. gunbOats; AgUila and fiecna
transport boat Legaspi. The merchant
ships Wilma and Madrileno. belonging 10
the company of Sierra, from Bilb0a, the
Julia COsme Herrera, Aviies, Rita, and
several sailing vessels are also there.
About the fortifcations the deserters
told long story. but the officers Of the
feet do not think they have told OF all
the defenses.
The entrance 20 Havana, they say Is
fortified on the beach Of FL ChiyO with
two cannon of 30 centimeters. TWO Of 81
Inilimeters. NOrdenfeld style and some
old cannon Of smaller caliber in the
Aforro are two cannon Of Z centimeters.
two rapid-fre guns. two Of p centmeters.
old style. and others OF smaller ealiber-
At La Punta there are TWO cannon OF -
Sentimeters. Nordenfeld style, and many
others Of older style. Besides the battery
of La Reina- which is very strongly for
titled. there IS that Of Santa Clara, with
TWO cannon Of 81 centimeters, ard that OF
La Chorrera- At the entrance of ii
AIorro thirteen torpedoes have been
placed.
In the night Of June "A at 12:39 the mail
steamships Santo Domingo and Monte
Video left Havana for Vera Cruz 10 get
q load Of provisions On july Z The san
10 Domingo, when between Punta Carca
and Cape San Antonio. was stuck IN the
mud, and was pursued by American sh3ps.
which threw shells on her and burned
her
The deserters say that Norwegian
boat left Sagua Ia Grsnde with crowd
of passengers and loaded with tobacco
bound for Europe.
Gen. Linares and Colonies Ordonez and
Escari0. they told me. are slowly recOy-
ering from their wounds.
"A letter has been received from Cien-
fuegos IN which IL is said that II with n
eight days provisions are not obtained
the city VIII have 10 surrender 10 the
Americans.
Commodore Howell has gone 70 Nuev!-
tas with the san Francisco and Capt
Ludlow, Of the Terror, is in charge Of
the blockade.