The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-21
HAVANA FIXED TO DIE HARD.
NEW GUNS UP AND NEW TORPE-
DOES IN HARBOR,

Two Lines of Explosives Placed
Across the Mouth of the Bay-onIy
Three GunbOats in the HarhOr.
Cubans Besiegins Cnrdenas on
Shore and American Warships in
Front-PeOpIe win BE Starving
in Two Weeks-FOOd High ana
Scarce Mt Havana.
Key West, Fla, June 20, Sis a. ma
vessel arrived here from the blockade this
morning and reported all quiet along the
line.
She brought an officer of the Cuban
army, and a pilot, who are carrying i'm
portant dispatches to Senor Estrada
Palma of the Cuban junta from Gen. Al
exandra Rodriguez, the insurgent COM
mander of Havana province.
The Cubans were taken on board Sat
urday last from an auxiliary gunboat,
which had picked them up.
The messengers of Gen. Rodriguez give
a very interesting account of their ex-
periences.
After leaving the insurgent camp they
made their way into the city of Havana,
spent several days there, proceeded to
one of the small inlets in the neighbor-
hood, stole a small boat and rowed out to
sea in the hope of coming across an
American vessel. They were three days
in the boat before they were picked up.
The Cubans report that there are no
supplies of rice, maize, potatoes or eggs
in Havana.
Flour, they say, costs so cents per pound,
and the army has been placed on half ra-
tions.
The messengers class as false the re-
ports that vessels have succeeded in enter
ing Havana with supplies. They assert
that since the blockade began only three
small fishing vessels have entered the
harbor, and that no food whatever is re-
ceived from Cienfuegos.
The Cubans confirm the reports that
work on the defenses of Havana is pro-
ceeding steadily. Two lines of torpedoes
extend across the mouth of the harbor,
which is said to be further protected by
two automobile torpedoes, one at each
side, dischargeable by pressing button.
The Spanish vessels in EaVana harbor
are the Conde de Venadito, Neuva Espana,
Vincente Yanez Pinzon and Alfonso XII,
the last named being used as a hospital
snip. No other gunboats or converted
tugs are in port
An auxiliary gunboat off Cardenas has
been visited by a Cuban officer from the
shore, who reported that place to be ef
fectiVely besieged by the insurgents on
land and by the warships in front. He
made the statement that in two weeks
time the whole population of Cardenas
will be starving. He described the people
as living on palm buds and dog meat
which, he claimed, Is considered a deli
cacy.
The Cubans also report that hard is sell
ing al 50 cents, rice at 20 cents, beans at
IS cents and meat at 70 cents per pound,
and all are scarce, and they say that all
horses of private families, stores and livery
stables have been confscated by order of
Gen. Arolas, the military governor of Ha-
Yana for the use of the troops.
There Is hardly any traffic in the streets
of Havana, and groups of more than two
persons are not allowed to loiter on street
corners.
The street railway company, whose cars
are drawn by horses, are obliged to run
car every hour instead of every five
minutes, rs heretofore, as the horses of
the company have been taken by the gov
ernment.
The trocha from Guanabacoa, Paula vi
vora and Managua, to Puerto de le Cher
houses, protects the approaches 10 Ha-
Vana
The new batteries which have been built
just east of Moro castle, are known as
No. l and No. T. the latter being closest
to Moro. No. has three Ordoflez 11-inch
guns mounted, and No ! has one gun
mounted, and two guns ready to be
placed in position, of The same caliber.
Two other new batteries have been con-
structed on either side Of the mouth Of
the river Almendarez, west of Santa Clara
and the Reina batteries are also provided
with heavy ordnance.
1t Is also reported that there are $500
armed Cubans in Havana province pitted
against $1,000 well-equipDed Spaniards
The health of the Cubans in Havana
province is excellent. Their camp is Sit
uated at Zenea.
The vessel which arrived here to-day has
been patrolling a regular beat off the Cu-
ban coast, Just like a policeman" going
back and forth during the day and night
Sometimes she saw Spanish troops NOV
ing about, but on the whole The blockade
was uneventful.
The tug NJ. Moran arrived this morn
ing from Progresso. She belongs TO the
Ward Line, and reports that the runoor
to the effect that cargoes are leavina
Progresso for the Isle Of Pines Is untrue
But she admits that schooners arrive
there with Cubans aboard
The coal IN lsla de Mujeres, the cabtain
of the Moran says, belongs to the Mexican
Colonization Company, and he adds tba.
there is only 400 tons there. He dis.
credits the report of its being a Spanish
coal station.
GOOD GUNNEHs AT HAVANA.
MORO Castle Wiring Benvy sheIIs NJ