The herald., 1898-03-03
WILL HE CUT HIM LOOSE

Maine disaster, so far as is known. but of
course his followers regard the affair as
due to Spanish treachery.
The fight in Puerto Principe, already an
nounced by cable, was probably one of the
hottest since the opening of the trouble.
1t Is thought when the facts are known
the reverse will be Spanish rather than Gu
ban. This is believed here among the
Spanish themselves and the official reports
ADMIT greater losses on the part of the gov
ernment troops than in any engagement
of the war. The insurgents could not have
had 5000 men engaged, as the Spanish Off
cial accounts represent. Probably they
had 1000 or under.
The insurgents continue to burn cane
fields and destroy plantations wherever the
owners fail to pay taxes to President
Masso's government. They loot cattle
from under the very walls of Matanzas,
Cienfuegos and other cities.
Today it is reported from apparently re-
liable sources that General Calixto Garcia
is in Santa Clara province with 5000 men.
Early on the morning of the 18th two dy-
Mantle bombs exploded on the railway line
near Holguin and 200 yards of track were
destroyed.
Senator Proctor does not seem in the
least nervous over his trip into the interior
III he intends to see one or more of the
prominent insurgents he does not say So
LII tAloy do III dlI OlIeF IldIJeTS, ne Keeps
his own counsel and observes closely.
ENGLISH COMMENT
LONDON, March 3.-The Daily Tele-
graph says editorially this morning: No
sane American could believe that the Span
ish government had any hand in exploding
the Maine and vindictive damages could
only be demanded on the ground that
Spain was guilty of connivance, or that the
Havana authorities were negligent beyond
the hOrder line Of crirnin alitv
Neither of these hypothesis does it seem
possible to sustain. While, therefore 1t is
quite unlikely that war will arise through
the Maine disaster, the situation is still far
from reassuring, in the face of America S
projected proposal to purchase Cuba.
"The United States will have every town
on the Spanish coast blown to atoms, 1
am ready to wager, a month after the be-
ginning of hostilities," said William Allan,
M. p, to the New York Worlds corre-
spondent.
Mr.. Allan represents the Gateshead di-
vision in the house of commons, is one of
the largest shipbuilders on the Tyne and is
an acknowledged authority on naval ques-
tions.
The World correspondent had asked him
If there is any likelihood that Spain can
buy war vessels now building in English
yards from the government which ordered
them.
"It would not do Spain any good if she
could buy them," Mr.. Allan answered, "but
except those ordered by Japan there are
very few orders in the English yards from
foreign governments, and Japan won't sell.
II can't conceive why Chile should sell
ships to her ancient enemy to be used
against the United States, which helped
her so generously to her independence But
even should Chile or Brazil sell ships to
Spain, they would be of no use to her.
II have always expressed in the house of
commons, as you know, my admiration for
American warships. challenged our gov
ernment to test the new cruiser Powerful
by sending her across the Atlantic at full
speed as the United States government had
sent the Columbia, but our government de-
clined." ..a,ss