The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-03-18

mohs were frequent. and an attack was
actually made upon the American Con-
sulatc at Barcelona. whicl! prompted
the Spanish autEor.tirS to close the
universities in the latter city as we'll
as at Madrid and CadiZ. American
flags were burned and trampled under
foot. and the utmost vigilance was nee
essary to prevent attacks upon the
consuates. But these aspcrities were
soitened 10y the extremely conciliatory
policy o. Prime Minister Canovas de
/ Castillo. who was evidently desirous of
! peaccable solution of all difficulties
through friendly negotiations, but who
was nevertheless most firm and clear
in his official statement of SPANS posi-
tion towards Cuba, and with reference
to the suggested offers Of meditation
| by the United States
Captain-General Weyler arrived in
Cuba early in February, but before
this time the insurgents had entered
the westernmost province OF the island,
Pinar-tlel- Rio. and had established one
of their centres OF op,rat!oi within 90
miles of Havana. Several garrisoned
towns near the borders of HAVANA
province surrendered to Gen. Gomez;
villages were burned, and portion of
| the sugar-canc crop was destroyed.
The tobacco crop was also destroyed 4
little later, it being the purpose of the
revolutionists to deprive Spain of rev
cnue, and also to bring Il commercial
pressure to bear upon the United
States by the scarcity of Cuban sngar
and tobacco. Railroad tracks were
torn up near Havana, and cars and
bridges burned. Maceo, with rein
iorcemcnt from the eastern provinces,
was fastening to Join Gomez in the
west, and Spanish force Of | 200 men
WAS caught between Maceo's advance
guard and Gomez's rear guard, and
| would have been annihilatcd but for
the appearance OF ofreintorccments which
| also prevented the union of the main
forces of the Cuban generals.
Gen Weyler on his arrival had issued
proclamation in which he practically
established martial law in all the towns
held 10y the Spanish, and much more
vigorous measures, both with reference
to the rebels and non-combatants, were
instituted. There were many rumors
of acts of cruelty on the part of the
Spaniards. which were invariably de-
MED by them, but in the village of
Punta Bravo, near Havana, several I'M
armed and unresisting men were killed
by Spanish troops, and clear evid nee
of the affair was secured by the lives
LEGATIONS Of a newspaper correspondent
and his interpreter, both of whom were
arrested by the Spaniards to prevent a
narration of the facts-but their release
soon followed. There were also rumors
of midnight executions of captured
rebels at the Cahanas fortress, Havana,
which reports, however, the Spaniards
also vigorously denied, and rigorous
censorship was exercised to rr"vAnt
any news from leaving the island,
less favorable to the government.
Thus far it was claimed that the war
had cost 500, 900, 900, and an estimate
Of the opposing land forces gave the
government over 100000 and the iE-
surgents over 10000, a majority of the
latter being cavalry, and fairly well
armed Both Gomez and Maceo were
lowering about the province Of Havana,
engaging in frcquelt sklrmishes, dc
stroying villages, crops, railroads and
bridges On March 18th Il Spanish
column was defeated in Pinar-del-Ri
province in dashing cavalry attack
by Maceo's men, and 4 few days later
Gomez captured the city of,Santa Clara,
the sixth in size in the province, but
evacuated it, after $ curing Il large
amount of supp.i,s and ammunition.
On the other hand, a strong rebel camp
and a hospital in the Santa Clara dis
trict were captured 10y the government
forces few days later. About this
time also, the steamship Bermuda,
bearing Gen. Garcia with reinforce
mcnts and Il large amount of munitions
OF war for the revOlutionists, was sIc-
| ccssfu!ly landed on the coast of Cuba,
| and the steamer Three Frienls from
Tampa, Fla, with officers and men,
and an important cargo Of arms and
ammunition was also landed.
The resolutions, as finally passed by
both branches of the United States
Congress, declared that in the opinion
Of Congress condition of public war
existed between Spain and the govern
mcnt proclaimed, and for some time
maintained, by force of arms by the
people of Cuba, and that the United
States should maintain Il strict neutral
ity between the contendng powers,
according to each the rights Of belllgcr-
ents in the ports and territories Of the
United States, and that the friendly
offices of the United States sEolld be
offered by the President to the Spanish
government for the rcco ynition Of the
independence of Cuba. This resolu-
ton was not binding upon the Presi-
dent, but simply an invitation for him