The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-30

Mercer, Nebraska; White, North Caro-
lima; Mudd, Maryland; Sulloway, New
Hampshire; Knox and Lawrence, Mas
sachusetts; Johnson, North Dakota;
Brownlow, Tennessee; Colson, Ken
lucky: Brown. Ohio; Ellis, Oregon; JOY
and Pierce. Missouri Hicks, Kirkpatrick,
Arnold and Brumm, Pennsylvania.
THINE HAVANA IMPROBABLE.
Havana. via Key West, Ma, March
29.-It is impossible TO explain or I'M
derstand the serene confidence of the
civil. military and naval officials here,
who believing war with the United
States is imminent, declare Havana is
impregnable They are pleased to attri-
butte this '.impregnabIity'' TO what they
term the concentration of "a heavy
crossfirea referring to the number Of
heavy guns "a few twelve inch guns and
and majority eight and ten inch gunsl
mounted along the horseshoe curve of
the shore. above and below the narrow
entrance of the harbor.
As to the food supply, for which no
apparent provision has been made, the
Spanish officers have nothing to say.
puU tItt IoDillSit tiiGi1IidHls. bdHhClo stAiN
other prominent people here are not so
confident nor are they so reticent. Such
people aver that il Havana is attacked
or blockaded and no stores are provided
to feed the beseiged, the soldiers and
residents will be the first to rebel, even
to the extent Of blowing up the palace
itself. Everybody recognizes that there
is no food in the country districts, and
it is generally admitted that the insar-
gents will keep the troops outside busy
in case of hostilities between Spain and
the United States.
Probably not any deep interest was
felt in Sundays elections for delegates
to the Cortes in Madrid, in view Of the
graver matters occupying public atten-
ton. The election, however. was as
farcical as it was supposed it would be.
In MANY of the districts of Havana six
bona fide votes were cast out of hun
dreds which were eligible. In one pro-
vince in the interior. with total of
over 1000 qualified votes. the number of
votes poled was 30. The government
denies these statements. and the censor
refuses to allow them to be sent direct
over the wires: but all the local papers
indicate the facts plainly, intimating that
the ballot boxes were stuffed TO repletion
with unvoted tickets.
TT is also said openly here that Cap
tain General Blanco and the Autono.
mist secretaries should resign Mt once,
il being claimed that it is useless for
them to wait for the local elections of
April "A to %. when. it is asserted, the
tactics of Sunday last will lie repeated.
The relief train carving supplies 20
towns in Havana province. which left
the city this morning at O'clock was
wrecked about II o'clock. twenty-one
miles outside of Havana, between
Sienaga and Bejucal No one was hurt.
TALK OF RIOT AT HAVANA.
Key West, Fla, March 29.--All of the
divers of the United States Navy, who
have been at work on the wreck of the
battle ship Maine returned from Havana
on board the Bache. Capt. Chadwick. u.
:. n, who went to Havana to inves.
tigate the feasibility of urther wrecking
work on the Maine, was also a passen-
ger on the. iBache. 1t is believed Cap
tain Chadwick finds the owrk to ne inn
practicable.
The officers Of the Bache and Man
grove say everything is outwardly calm
at Havana but that the talk Of an anti
American demonstration and riot con
tinues
Rear Admiral Sicard's appearance be-
fore the Medical Examining Board, il
leaked out to-day, was ordered by the
Navy Department. 1t was by no means
in accordance with his personal wishes,
nor, as was generally understood at the
time, the result Of his own application.
In fact the Navy Department. ordered
him point blank to have the Board of
retirement appointed indicated its com.
position and ordered him to appear be-
fore it,
Provisions for the Cubans which arri.
we'd here two weeks ago still lie in the
naval station for want of authority to
ship them to Cuba. The authorities to-
day asked permission to ilse the survey
boat Bache for this purpose, but no an
swer has yet been received. The 0riei-
nal program was to send this shipment
by the Fern. but the ARRANGEMENTS were
! broken by the sudden call of that vessel
to Havana.
The torpedo boats tonight made IL
minnie attack ON the flagship New
| York, and the battle ship Indiana, the
! largest number Of such boats ever EN-
ployed in the United States Navy in an
evolution of this kind participating.
The Montgomery sailed tonight for
Hampton Roads. Commander McCal.a
of the Marblehead, returned from Tampa
to-day His special mission was devo.ed
to the coaling facilities at that port.
The Iowa arrived tonight from the
Dry Tortugas, after coaling.
MORE TAUNTS FROM MADRID.
Madrid. March 29.-The semi-official
Ell Liberal, says:
''The report on The Maine contains no
grave statement Therefore Presidet
Mckinley viii not Use that pretext for
declaring war, but will use the relief Of
the Cubans'
El. Liberal adds:
! I'VE believe the Spanish government
| will never tolerate n foreign nation. in
the guise of philanthropy. invading our
! territory, for it would be followed by the