The herald., 1898-05-01
VOLUNTEERS IN CUBA
INCLUDE ALL MALES BETWEEN
FIFTEEN AND FIFTY
THAT is LAW AS PROCLAIMED
The Fact Is That Native Cubans Are
Seeking the Interior to Avoid
Forced Service
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. April o. via
steamer Remus, filed at Port Antonio, ia
maica, April 29.-Don Arsenzo Linares
Pombo, Commandant General of this di-
vision of Cuba, proclaimed four days ago
that every man between fifteen and fifty
years of age must enroll that night with
the volunteers for military service under
penalty of arrest and military trial and
death. Senior Chucho Manduley, Magis-
trate of the High Court of Santiago, and
known as an intense Spanish sympathizer,
one of the most prominent men in the
city. left for the camp of the Cuban Briga-
der General, Cahavellos. He was accom-
panied by several knsmen and his going
produced a vivid impression. The exodus
from the city has continued by night, the
Spaniards making no opposition, except
that a few men have been arrested as ex-
amples. Five thousand persons have left
for the country since the proclamation,
four-fifths being women and children
The Spanish soldiery now assume a
bullying attitude and threaten to kill every
Cuban man and to outrage every Cuban
woman left in the city when the blockade
begins When the American fleet appears
all the non-combatants will be expelled.
Though the Governor of the city, En-
rique Capdeles, has seized for the govern
ment all the large stores of food in pri-
vate houses. many shops still do business
with small stocks, the prices doubling
day by day. Monday, meat was forty
cents a pound; Tuesday, seventy cents,
and today it is dollar a pound. Other
prices in food today are: Rice. "a cents
Ia
Chickens are $3.50 apiece.
The Governor announced today to quiet
public alarm that ship loaded with
provisions was expected, but when, where
from and what her name is. nobody knows
The story is not believed. The Spanish
soldiers, especially the sick. are abomin-
ably fed. Fourteen hundred sick in the
military hospital here get nothing ex-
cept bean soup three times day, with an
ounce OF meat to a plate. One thousand
soldiers in San Luis Hospital have had
only salt fish this week, and conditions
are now so bad that the Spaniards would
almost rejoice to surrender after one good
fight.
The preparations for defense go forward.
A new battery has been erected at the
west harbor entrance, with four rapid-f1re
=
or twelve more rapid-fire, small caiiber
guns will be mounted on Moro and the
east side battery. The MORO fort has at
least fifty ancient brass cannon, marked
11b4. There are reports about torpedoes
in the channel and harbor, but they are
confusing. Preparations have certainly
been made to lay torpedoes but whether
it has been actually done is not known.
Strong floating mines are ready to be
placed. The Spaniards assemble nightly
in the chief streets yelling Long live
SPAIN and Death to the Yankees" The
military authorities seem to have little
control of the sodiery and the disorderly
elements. Spanish silver is at As per cent
premium. The bank notes issued by the
Government Bank at Havana are practice
ally worthless and sometimes pass Tor
from three to five cents on the dollar.
Cuban Consumption
WASHINGTON, April 50.-Secretary
Quesada Of the Cuban legation here said
today that General Blancos order con-
scripting Cubans between the ages of Is
and so in the Spanish army showed the
dire extremity to which the Spanish COM
mander was driven. Mr.. Quesada says
that up to this time the Spanish authori-
ties have not utilized the service of sin
gle Cuban company or regiment knowing
| that the Cubans were at heart devoted to
the cause Of Cuba and would take the first
opportunity to turn their arms against