The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-19

rnidable enough In their day. bua which
are now stripped Of all weapons and are
used simply as government warehouses
and barracks.
On the EASTERN shore OF the haroor rise
the walls of tho stupendous fortress
known as La Cabana. They run from the
southern sallyport Of the MORO 10 the
| village Of Of Casa Blanca in an unbroken
palisade Of gray and white stone. en-
| iivened here and there with spatters Of
brilliant red. The Cabana is nothing now
but prison. II Is not even the rud!ment
Of a fort, like the Moro.
IS A DEATH HOUSE.
La Cabana is a death house. where the
| Spaniard shoots his victim In the back
without trial, and which reeks with the
steam of human blood The Cabana orig
| lnally mounted hundreds Of terrible guns,
| Today It has naught but a saluting bat
terry and FIVE small rifles What artillery
| power this obsolete fort can command
may be judged from the fast that its off,
! GERS were only able after superhuman e.
forts to return the national salute Of
twenty-one guns made by the Maine.
Then the Spaniards could return but
nineteen struggling shots.
The modern war works of Havana are
well known to the war department OF the
United States. The most efficient of these
Is the Playa del Chivo sand battery.
This is built on the seacoast proper. near
~ east of the Moro. An American naval
expert who recently examined this work
pronounced It the only construction in
Havana IN which the least glinmer of
establishment had been shown. There
were mounted two fine 12-inch Krupp
rifles. But these guns have no protection
whatever save that which is given them
by the long but low paraphet of sand.
Half a mile further on IS another battery
similar to this, but which Is as yet I'M
finished This battery mounts four S-inch
guns and few small mortars.
COULD BE EASILY CAPTURED.
These two batteries could be easily cap
tured on the flank and taken by troops
to be landed on the naked little harbor
of Cojimar, which lies three miles east
ward Of Havana. On the heights to the
rear of the Playa del Chivo battery are
located several large magazines of pow
der which are utterly exposed to the fire
of ships.
To the west of the harbor extends
long chain of batteries which runs from
La Punta along the shore 10 the mouth Of
the Almendares river, at which there is
another sheltered landing place. This has
no protection other than the ancient cas-
tie of Carmelo, which was erected in 1909,
and which is the Oldest European build
ing in the new world. An armed force
landed here could march along the river
and capture battery after battery on the
way. Other works are the Reina battery,
armed with obso lete ordnance; the Santa
Clara battery, with two 1O-inch Krupp
guns, and a fewother insignificant works
that are totally inefficient. Bearing in
mind these facts concerning the defenses
of Havana, the suggested plans of the
war department for the taking Of Havana
indicate that our naval and war depart
ments are thoroughly informed about the
conditions prevailing In the Cuban CAPT
tai
HQ WATTACK WILL BE MADE.
It is proposed TO make joint naval and
military attack on the city when the hour
has struck for work. The feet will move
at once on Havana, holding the straits
The two departments, thus working to-
gether, can throw a body OF soldiers |
safely into the Pinar del Rio province,
and there troops can proceed at once to |
the city and attack it from the land side. |
This plan also involves the union of the |
armies of Garcia and Gomez. Indeed. the |
American soldiers will find their task Of /
driving the Spaniard from the soil of |
Spain an altogether too easy one
So much for the military Havana In |
times OF peace much more interesting |
matter is social Havana The town, as |
abs already been said. is unique. Tt is not !
Spanish. II is not oriental, It is not Euro
pean, nor does it at all resemble anything
In the United States II is Cuban The
bay ordinarily, Is one Of the most wildly
beautiful sights to be cen anywhere
Humboldt's description OF the approaches
to Havana fails 70 DO II Justice and that
distinguished craverer admits that the
picture is indescrtbabie, Cuba and Ha-
vana have ways and wards that are all
their own.
SLAVES TO PRECEDENT.
Havana is mystery 70 the European
and the American. The question. Why
do you do this and 90 you thatY'' IS al
ways answered with, I'VE have always
done so; what else would you have US
1o?" Why the farmers use q crooked
stick 10 plow with. why ladies So IN their
carriages while the dry goods clerks
bring out rolls ot cloth for them 20 in
spect; why dark women and even black
women powder their faces ur2til they look
as = they had been daubed with four;
vhy houses are built 20 a line within two
fest 81 the curling. 50 that PEDESTRIANS
cannot walk two abreast; why the houses
are ali painted 81 whatever vivid color
,leases the owner most: WHY Al urearth-
y ciangor q bells drives sleep from the
,tty at daybreak: why 70 one evr keeps
IN appointment land never apologies for
Re oTensa}. are questions that Hayz1ssA
Ind Cu5ans 60 no, explain o. attempt 70
explain.
hot DURING MIDDAY.
The almost equatorial sun beats down .
ipoa the streets with terrific heat during
he cay. and none BIT business people au5
s.57S people are eeea du-.ns he early
nd middle day When the sun sinks.
However. the lazy Inhabitants turn CIT,
nd re re Of me c.ghs : he lively life
2 Havana Then ne military os13 plays
2 the park and ire senoTas end seuorstas
re seen, vzA the :Evzraole rnant,ua- =
:, che!r glory Havana girls as seldom
eer abroad with yLe-r sNes-&=4-cs. &C
ven re crowds u tie pa-N. although uet
iest O.: society IN town. = ve-y 5e-o-ozs-
,ourtship 5 not long drawn oUs. sid ssr-
z;lcus are few. Havana has q aopUfz-
ion q ancse soe.coA TEs c5ty las aoe
uie- &oss Q. tha men s-s worthless azs
iss. pate6- They lounge n cafes Aaa iook