The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-06
THE PEOPLE APATHETIC
BUT ARE PERFECTLY SURE OF
VICTORY
STARVATION is APPROACHING
Blanco Offers Remission of Duties to
Vessels Bringing Food Supplies.
Working Coal Mines
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
FORT WORTH, Tex, June 5-Every .
. day food becomes little scarcer and .
. prices a little higher in Havana, and .
. every day the people are brought Q
. little nearer starvation. But for the .
most part the people do not seem to .
. realize the danger of their situation. .
They seem apathetic and uncon- .
. cerned. Julio B. Rabal, sugar mer- .
chant who operates in Cuba, gave .
this summing up of the situation in .
Havana today. Mr.. Rabal was in Ha- .
. vana about twelve days ago. .
. 1.-THE aspect of things in Havana Is .
. not at all war-like. Not a shot Is .
heard from the blockading vessels, .
. and in the city everything is quiet .
. and peaceful. don't think there is .
. enough food in the city to last more .
. than thirty days longer, or forty days .
at the outside, and when it is ex- .
. hausted the people will be put to des- .
. peration. There seems to be no earth o
. ly chance for them to secure relief till .
the city is taken by the American .
forces. The people in Havana have Q
not the remotest idea of having to Q
. surrender. however. The way they .
cling to the belief that Spain will .
. finally vanquish the United States is Q
. really touching. They nonchalantly .
Q remark that as soon as their fleet gets .
to work their troubles will all be over .
. and the Yankees will be driven home .
like so many pigs" Q
. Mr.. Rabal thinks that this govern Z
. ment made a mistake in delaying the G
sending of an invading army to Cuba .
. so long. .
ut was suicidal mistake" he Q
said. "a large proportion of the troops .
who now embark for Cuba will be o
. going to a certain death, not from Q
swords or guns, but from disease .
. The naval force will be in no danger, .
for the coast of Cuba is salubrious all o
the year around, but from now on I'M Q
till next November the interior of the .
. island will be like a dea th-trap for the .
American troops" Q
"A Bid, for, Food Supplies.
HAVANA, June 5.--(Copyrighted, 1898, by
the Associated Press.) Crom a Spanish
Correspondent The council of secretaries
of the autonomist government has decided
not to allow the shipments of sugar tc
American ports, but will allow it to he
shipped to neutral ports in blockade run
ners which bring provisions, and can be
landed on any part of the island without
paying custom house duties. The council
also ordered the mining of coal, that has
been discovered near Guanajay, in this
province of Havana, which will be placed
at the disposal of Admiral Manterola.
The British steamer Myrtle Dene, which
Iso Co f,.,,
Key West by way of Cardenas, will leave
this week. carrying passengers and 14,oOt
sacks of sugar.
commission of the Cuban chamber has
formally rendered congratulations to the
commanders of the Spanish cruisers Condo
Venadito and Nueva Espana for the cour-
age they displayed in going out to meet
the ships of the squadron blockading Ha-
vana some time ago.
The city of Havana has founded an asy-
Tub for the reconcentrados, opening build
ing large enough to accommodate more
than 200, and Gen. Molina, military COM
mander at Matanzas, has made a donation
of 80 sacks of flour for children and ole
people in the Matanzas asylum.
Gen. Blanco has authorized the formation
in the province of Puerto Principe of a
regiment of 1000 natives. to fight against
the Americans. The military commander
at Santiago de Cuba has posted rewards
for two ensigns and a gunner who made
three shots that were seen to land on the
American warships during the lombard
ment.
On June LIST five American warships APP
peared off Caibarien. The military COM
mander ordered everybody to arms, and q
Spanish gunboat made ready to engage in
combat with one of the American warships,
but the Americans retired. The military
commander at San Nicholas, this province,
has issued an order calling on everybody to