The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-19
FAMINE MENACES EASTERN CUBA
At Guantanamo the Troops are Half Rations1here are
Provisions Only for the Remainder of June--AII Drug
Supplies Have Been Seized for the Use of the
Soldiers, and Few of Them Have
Surrendered to Obtain Food.
THE INTERCEPTED LETTER.
Showing Desperate State of Affairs al
Caimanera.

Showing Desperate State of Affairs at
Caimanera.
(Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.)
Camp McCalla, outer harbor of Guam
tanamo, Friday, June IL, tnoon), per the
Associated Press Dispatch Boat Wanda,
via Kingston, jamaica, Saturday, June
1S.-S:45 a. m.--The following inter-
cepted letter from the Spanish military
commander at Guantanamo was taken
from the body of an unfortunate mes
senger who attempted to pass the Cuban
lines. 1t gives the official Spanish YER
sion of the attack Qf the American fleet
in the capture of the outer harbor Of
Guantanamo u week ago and discloses
the fact that starvation is facing the
Spanish troops in Eastern Cuba. This is
verified by extracts already telegraphed,
taken from recent issue OF news
paper of Santiago de Cuba and from the
fact that Il number of Spanish regular
soldiers have surrendered to Captain
Mcralla, offering ms 4 reason for SO
doing the necessity Of obtaining food.
The letter reads:
.Caimancra, June 13.
.',Io the General Commanding the Mill
tary Division Of Santiago de Cuba:
At dawn on Saturday seven ships app
peared before the port of Caimanera and
threw shots and all kinds Of projectiles
into the forts or PLAYA del Este and the
Gayo Toro until they set FIRE to the fort
on the Playa del Este. burning the hous-
es of the pilots. which were occupied by
Il detachment of American Marines
THE cannonading with more or less
intensity continued until o'clock i'm the
afternoon. AS the Playa del Este had
only two muzzle-loading guns and sand
entrenchments, the detachment could do
nothing before six ships firing on them
from all sides, and they retired into
Managua. and to Cuzco Hill, where they
remain today.
From that day the soldiers occupied
Punta CaracOles, observing the move
ments of the ships which occupy all the
outer port with war transports. num-
ber of armed ships. other vessels of war
and armed merchant ships. The total
is not less than four.
Il have also taken the Fnanto PASSES
md the vigilant gunboat Magnie is here
ready to fall on them where damage
can be done. remain in Caimanera.
and will only leave when | think If
necessary. | have not been able TO an
tagonize the American ships with rifle
fire. Forts Sandoval and Cayo Toro
fired their pieces of artillery. but their
effectiveness was interfered with by the
shortness of the range or. when the
ships retired to the center of the chan.
mel and took up position in the mid
die of the bay. they would not have
stopped answering the fire. which the
enemies ships were keeping up with
impunity. Sandoval has not over seven
rounds of armor piercing proiectiles and
Caimanera battery did not fire. reserving
its fire until the ships entered the chan.
mel, which is where its guns reach.
SCARCITY or SUPPLIES.
II am told that the insurgent forces
mt Baracoa have come down to Signabos
being apparently greatly pleased
that the American squadron has
taken possession OF the outer bay as 4
base of operations, the American ships
having anchored as if in one of their
own ports.
''Since Saturday the Americans have
cut the cables which are at the entrance
and the centre of the harbor. and ]
have not been able to repair them. but
they have not again molested me. ok.
cept 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 tc
place their ships so as to disembark
troops at Playa Del Este. their favorite
place. If this turns out to be tho case
and that ! have been the first to cal
your attention to il. | would suggest
that some of our vessels should come
here. The members of the fire brigade
are in good spirits.
II am continuing to serve out halt
ra tions of every thing. and in that way
] shall he able to reach to the end OF
the month only. and especially in bread
have no -four of any kind as | have
previously said, and / have no way OF
getting any, us there has been no grain
here for some time past. We are
equally short of quinine in the hospitals
however, | have taken possession of the
private drug stores, and will have
enough until the end of the month. The
town is suffering from privation. Or
/, Saturday we had only two men wound
ed. At Craigo Moro the cable house
was ridded with shell, but it still
stands, and if the Americans abandon
the port. which / doubt, everything POI
| slble will be done to re-establish com
munication, to which end / have ever!
thing ready. To-day there is in the har
bor large armored vessel. the Ore
| gon. and seven more vessels, with