Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-14
LOOKS SQUALLY.
The Situation in Cuba Not
Pleasing to Uncle Sam.
General Lee Confirms Report that
100000 People Are Starving.
Misery and Suffering Reported from All Parts
Of the Island.

| Washington. Jan. 13.-Unitcd States
| Consul General Lee has reported to the
state department from Havana. under
date of yesterday, the facts connected
with the rioting there, yesterday.
| While the state department officials
10 not diVulGe the text of the dispatch,
| ii is stated that il corrobOrates gener-
ally the newspaper reports on the sub
| ject.
| According TO General Lees report.
| the disturbance had been quelled for
| the time being, but he was apprehcn-
| sive of another outbreak at any mo-
ment.
Nothing has been heard from the
consul general today, so it is assumed
! at the state department that the sit
! uation remains unchanged in Havana
/ General Lee did not ask to have a war
! ship sent to Havana. and in the opin-
| ion of the state department officials,
| that is sufficient reason for the as
| sumption that there is no reason for
sending one
The officials are evidently not appre-
| hensve of any trouble in the mmedi-
ate future that will require the forcl,ic
| Intervention of our government
! The disquieting feature of the situa-
| ton is the horrible condition of the
| poor in Cuba.
According To Gen. Lees advices- NJ
! less than 2000 people on the island
are in the last stages of restitution
and are wholly depe ndeht upon charity.
10 feed these people a 10 cent ration
per day would cost $40. 900 daily. which
| sum is double the amount so far re-
ceived in contributions during the past
| 10 days by the state department.
| In the opinion of General Lee no less
than 20 per cent. of these poor people
are surely doomed to death from
starvation and disease.
I'm such a state of affairs the exis-
tence Of any form of organized govern
ment is threatened and the autonomy
plans Of the Spanish government COM
mand little attention
The naval authorities here maintain
their serenity. Notwithstanding many ru-
mors Of radical action, such as the dis
| patch Of warships TO Havana and like
stories.
Secretary Long was asked whether any
Of the American ships had been ordered
t. be ready To sail for Havana.
lie replied that while ne could not dis
cUss the matter. he would say that he
20 The battleship Maine. now lying at
Key West.
Inquiry developed the fact that the
Names last orders were to go out for
target practice and upon falling in with
the North Atlantic squadron to. attach
herself.
Although there is no expectation at the
navy department of any trouble Just now
stil in case it should occur tne navy Is
more strongly represented in Florida and
West Indian waters than. 1t has been in
the past 10 years
At Key West is the sccond-class battle
ship Maine. at Jacksonville the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvus at St. Kits is the An
napolis and at Gaudaloupe the Will
minston.
The Detroit is on the way from Cape
Hayticn TO Key West. where she is now
due. The Marblchead is at Port Tampa,
Fla.
She suffered the injury of four men at
target practice. yesterday. She has been
wired 10 remain at Key West instead of
sailing Tor Navass;l. according to original
orders.
This naval force is made up. with one
exception, the Maine. of unarmored but
lightly protected cruisers and gunboats.
1t will be powerfully reinforced however.
in few days. by the North Atlantic
squadron. under Admiral Sicard. com
posed of heavily arrnored vessels. the
most powerful fleet that the United States
has had together in many years,
The vessels OF the squadron are now
distributed as follows: The flagship New
York and battleships Iowa and Indiana
at Hampton Roads. the battleships Mas
sachuS"tts and Texas at New York.
The former are to sail on the 18th for
Florida waters. while the last two are to
leave New York. Saturday and Sunday.
respcctivcly.falling in with and joining
the squadron on the Solithcr drill
grounds off the Chesapeake capes.
1t is authoritatively stated at the navy
department that this Southern movement
Of the squadron is in no degree attrbut-
able to troubles in Havana but that the
movement is part of the programme for
winter maneuvcrs of the squadron pre-
pared by the navy department months
ago. after consultation with Admiral
Sicard and Captain Taylor and duly an
nounced in the daily press at the time.
In support of this statement is issued
the following Itinerary of the squadron's
prepared long ago and not
{ hanged since in any respect:
'Ihc programme of exercises OF the
North Atlantic squadron during the win
Ter of 1s.N is follows:
Leave Hampton Roads Jan. u: pas
age to TortuGas four and half days,
january, ~: small arms target practice.
Jan. %, three days. to drill grounds, Jan.
q. two days: moving target practice. Jan.
70. six DAYS: squadron cVolutions. March
;, rine days. one Sunday intervening: re-
turn to Tortugas March 10; coalng six
workig days and one Sunday; squadron
evolutions Y working days and two Sun
days. April !: drill grounds to Hampton
Roads. four days. arriving there April 4.
Latet his afternoon. the first news OF
the day came to the state department
from United States Consul General Lee.
who telegraphed that everything was
very quiet in Havana, today. and that
here was no cause for apprehension or
trouble. Orders have been sent 10 the
Marblehead % proceed to Navassa. thus
lspoSing of the rumors that she would
be ordered 10 Cuba