Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-28

los who were by order OF General wey-
Ter brought into the city are now being
driven into the country at the point of
the bayonet, there TO starve to death,
IS they are doing by the score.
A blockade of a month will produce
results too terrible to contemplate.
Trying to Leave the City.
All this and much more was told your
correspondent from the deck of the
English vagrant steamer Luciline by
Mr.. John Rolffe. an Englshman. and
until recently engineer of the floating
Srydock in Havana harbor.
The Luciline came out past MORO
sastc just at dusk and after most
exciting incident was held up by the
ilagship New York, being allowed to
continue on her way to Bermuda and
Philadelphia after giving Il satisfactory
account of herself.
An officer was sent from the New
York to inspect the Englishman's log,
and In the meantime the Dewey ranged
alongside.
From Mr.. Rolffe 1t was learned that
The Lucjlirc was the last neutral boat
In Havana harbor, and had he been able
to furnish accommodations Captain
Tucker could have brought out 1000
safety seekers instead of the $50 he had
aboard.
The Luclline will first touch at Bcr-
nuda, and Will then proceed to Philadel-
phia, where most of her passengers will
be discharged. In conversation with me
Mr.. Rolffe said:
when Consul General Lee left Ea-
vana the general impression was that
war was imminent. Then as the days
went by and morning followed morning
without the appears nee Of the American
squadron Off MORO word was passed
around that the Yankees were afraid.
and the whole incident was treated as
an object of scorn.
"The presidents ultimatum brought
them to realization of their danger,
and at the first sight of the American
wnrships the city went into panic,
which has increased hourly.
Have Expected I,ombmriment.
"Just why the bombardment has not
already been ordered they are at a loss
to know.
People hourly expect to hear shells
ihreklng over the city. Foreigners, es-
pecially the foreign consuls, have at
tempted to allay the fears of the popu-
lace, but the Spanish authorities APP
parently are anxious to increase the
public panic, hoping that great many
will go into the country
while the people generally are filled
With fear, the soldiers, both regular and
volunteers, are full of enthusiasm for
war, and / have no doubt that hard
lighting must precede the capture of
Havana.
"Of course no approach to the bat
.eries has been allowed for some time,
out every one knows that work on the
smbankments and the like has been
rushed with feverish haste.
In the storehouses of Havana there
$ more food than the public knows of,
and many private families have sup
plies enough on hand to last for months.
out the rank and file of the people have
40 stores of course, and for week the
pinch has been felt.
when the fleet appeared outside the
.ity of Havana, the price of food and
provisions went up with a rush.
Saturday morning, 1 understand, the
price had been doubled, and canned
Foods, being not perishable, are selling
Ut fabulous prices.
Hardly an hour passes without the
.ity of Havana being thrown into
renzy of panic by some evil rumor.
This morning heavy guns were heard
10 the westward, and apparently in an
instant the report had been flashed from
La Punta to Machina that an attack
upon the shore batteries had beer
| opened.
"The city of Havana is simply over
| run by regiments OF soldiers brought In
from the surrounding country, and ar
American army marching upon Havana
would tomorrow morning meet an arm
ed and trained force of not less than
$4,000 men, including volunteers, who
promise to remain loyal to Spain to the
| end"