The record-union., 1898-06-19
Starvation Facing the Spanish
Troops in Eastern Cuba.
The Commanding General Admits He Has
Only Enough Provisions TO Last
Until the End of the
Month.

CAMP M'CALLA, OUTER HARBOR
OF GUANTANAMO, June II, noon.
per the Associated Press dispatch boat
Wanda, via Kingston (Jamaica), June
Is, S:45 a. m. Copyright, 1898 by the
Associated Press).-The following inter-
cepted report from the Spanish mill
tary commander at Guantanamo was
taken from the body of an unfortunate
messenger who attempted to pass the
Cuban lines, 1t gives the official Span
ish version of the attack of the Amer
lean fleet in the capture OF the outer
harbor of Guantanamo week ago,
and discloSeS the fact that starvation
is facing the Spanish troops in East
ern Cuba. This is verified by extracts,
already telegraphed, taken from a re-
cent issue of Il newspaper of Santiago
de Cuba, and from the fact that a
number of Spanish regular soldiers
have surrendered to Captain McCalla.
offering as a reason for doing so the
necessity of obtaining food The LETT
ter reads
Caimanera, June 13.-To the Com
manding General of the Military Di-
vision Of Santiago de Cuba: At dawn on
Sunday seven ships appeared before
the port of Caimanera and fired grape
shot and all kinds of projectiles on the
Playa del Este and the Cayo Tor un-
til they set fire to the forts of Playa
del Este, burning the houses of the
pilots, which We're occupied by a de-
tachment of American marines.
The cannonading continued with
more or less intensity until o'clock
in the afternoon. As the Playa del
Este had only two muZzle-loading guns
and sand intrenchments the detach-
ment could do nothing before six ships
firing on them from all sides, and they
retired into Managua and to Cuzzo
Hill, where they remain to-day, maxi
ing sallies on the beach. From that
day the ships occupied Punta Caracoles.
observing the movements of ships
war transports, variable number OF
armed ships other vessels of war and
armed merchant ships. The total is
never less than four have also taken
the Enanto passes, and the vigilant
gunboat Magnet is ready to fall on
them when damage can be done
remain in Caimanera, and will only
leave when / think it necessary
have not been able to antagonize he
American ships with rifle fire. Forts
Sandoval and Cayo Toro fired their
pieces of artillery, but their effective-
ness was interfered with by the short
ness of their range, or when the ships
retired to the center oe the channel
and took up . position in the middle
OF the bay. Sandoval has not over
seven rounds Of armor-piercing pro-
jectiles, and Caimanera battery did not
fire, reserving it's fire until the ships
entered the channel which is where it's
guns reach. 1 am told that the insur-
gent forces at Baracoa have come down
to Signabos, being apparently greatly
pleased at noting the American squad
ron has taken possession of the outer
bay, as if for a base of operations. the
American ships having anchored as IL
in one of their own ports.
Since Saturday the Americans have
cut the cables. W0lcn are at the en-
trance and the center of the harbor,
and l have not been able to repair
them, but they have not again molested
me, except with two cannon shots on
Monday. 1t appears from the work
which is being done that the Americans
are preparing to plant the harbor with
mines or to place their ships SO as to
disembark troops at Playa del Este,
their favorite place If this turns out
to be the case, and that 1 have been
the first to call your attention to it. I
would suggest that some of our ves-
sells should come here. The members
of the fire brigade are in good spirits.
/ am continuing to serve out half
rations of everything, and in that way
shall be able to reach to the end of
the month only, especially in bread. I
have no flour of any kind, as l have
previously stated, and / have no way
of getting any, as there has been no
grain here for some time past, We
are equally short of Quinine in the
hospitals However, / have taken pos
session of the private drug stores, and
will have enough till the end of the
month. On Saturday we had only
twenty wounded. AT Craigo MORO tho
cable-house was riddled with shell. but
it still stands. and if the Americans
abandon the port, which doubt. every
thing possible will be done to re-estab-
lish communication. to which end I
have everything ready.
81 (Continued on Twelfth Pagel