New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-07
NEWS FROM CUBA'S CAPITAL.
sPANIARDs HOPE TO REPEL INVASION
OF AMERICAN FORCES.

L ~.
of what is known here as the First Division OF
the snanish feet has considerably lishtened the
hearts Of the Spaniards. and the news has peen
received with great rejoicing.
The feeling Of satisfaction is all the more IN
tense as it is hoped the Spanish warships VIII
soon enter the harbor Of Havana, aner WHICH,
uniting with the Second Division OF the heet'
under Admiral Camara, 1t is believed the naVa'
forces OF Spain will attempt to strike oeois''e
blow at some part of the united S'a'e'' ~
least this is the view Of the situation taken ps
the Spanish authorities here.
Havana. and the rest Of the island OF CUBA
so far as heard from is officially pronounced 10
be entirely quiet No riots or other disturbances
are reported and the inhabitants profess theh-
selves 10 be longing for an encounter Win inc
forces OF the United States. Preparations io'
defence are being pushed night ana day. anu
work is going without ceasing on the io'''"-
cations all over the island.
The Spanish officials here assert that II 'oooo
men were needed to attack Havana by land and
sea when the war began at least l"''oV" H'e"
Will he required to attack the Cuban capitai
now in view OF the new and strengthened lolU-
ncations. and also because the so-called Guilt
walton zone has been extended To Elncon GAIA
barar and Bejucal which are inside OF the line
Of defences now This increase in the culti'ate'
area about Havana will. II is asserted, provide
the inhabitants with food for long time TO
come.
BUSINESS AT a STANDsTILL"
There are hardly any business transactions.
and the city looks very lonesome as there are
so few people on the streets. The famiies re-
main a. home except when the SOUND OF gun
fred from one OF the forts causes the people 10
rush to the windows or into the streets. IL
several shots are fired thousands rush 10 the
wharves and to San Lazaro- TO see II the
American feet Is approaching.
Although the streets are almost deserted GER
tain noints OF vantage are occupied by groups
of people from early morning until late AT night
This is particularly the case with La funta'
which is generally crowded from daybreak until
dark.
The Spaniards comment continually upon the
tactics Of the American feet and. naturally
they are very severe In their criticisms. for they
do not understand the method OF warfare adopt
ed Many Of them go so far as TO say the uh'teo
States Is not prepared for war. that no plans
have been decided upon. and that the authorizes
at Washington are not serious In the steps
taken.
The Standards are rejoicing greatly al the re-
ported small amount OF damage done by tho
TO be happy over the seeming delay which, they
assert is giving Spain the opportunity to pre-
mare to make a more vigorous defence than she
could otherwise have done. Indeed. the Spanish
military and naval authorities are beginning to
nurse the belief that the naval and military
power Of the United States has been exaggerated
by the newspapers. and that Spain is showing
herself able 10 fight such a giant as the United
States. This makes all classes Of Spaniards
here more warike and more enthusiastic in
making sacrifices in the work OF defence. whlch.
under other circumstances. would not have been
the case.
INACTIVITY OF INSURGENTS
No encounters between the Spanish troops and
the insurgents have been announced recently
and the offical reports only refer 10 insignificant
skirmishes in which the Spaniards, Of course.
were victorious
Railroad communication between the Province
OF Santa Clara and the provinces or Matanzas
and Havana has been interrupted several
times and the trains are sometimes twenty-four
hours overdue on account OF the blowing up Oh
culverts by the insurgents. Twice within the
last ten days culverts have been destroyed with
dynamite in one case near M!nas. six miles
from Havana and in the other case near Guines'
The telegraph lines are working well, ana the
insurgents in this province are svirg re" Signs
Of life. In fact. were It not that the city is
blockaded people would hardly know that war
was in progress This inactivity OF the insur-
gents in view Of the concentration Of the Span
ish troops In the coast towns. cannot be ac-
counted for by the Spanish commanders
The main point OF interest here at present is
az to when and where the American troops Will
try to land In Cuba. The Spaniards seem conf
dent Of being able TO repel anv invasion.
Provisions are becoming more scarce In Ha-
yana and the prices Of all articles OF food are
doubling though very many families have LETT
Havana and large numbers Of houses are 10 iet
Everybody seems TO be trying to reduce ex-
peases giving up their houses or apartments
and moving into single rooms. To such an ex-
tent has this been carried on that now you oiteh
find ten or twelve persons living In a single
room In spite Of this tho rents OF houses nave
increased especially in the case of the smaller
houses Nearly all the houses about the pay
and along the scashore. from La Punta TO san
Lazaro, and the suburbs Of Nodado and Carmelo
are unoccuped. their former occupants having
moved 10 FL Cerro, Jesus del Monte and 10 the
outskirts OF the city. being In fear OF the pom
bardment OF Havana by the American feet
STATE OF sEMI-DARKNEss.
There is stil considerable coal in Havana. The
gas company is using very little coal at present.
as only the absolutely necessary lights are used.
Therefore, only about one-quarter Of the num-
Der OF street lamps are In use. All the stores
and business houses are without gasngh'. and
the state OF semi-darkness into which the streets
are thrown gives Havana quite a weird appear
ance at night. but II saves coal
The number OF unemployed people Increases
every day Thousands II laborers OF all classes
are without employment The commercial
houses have been compelled to reduce wages 80
per cent, as a rule and many OF them are not
paying any wages at all, but are giving clean
clothes and food to their employees as the price
of their labor
The Spanish on rials have discovered In the
house of the English nurse. Sister Mary WILDER
force who attended the sick and wounded sur
vivors of the United States battle-ship Maine in
the hospitals. a considerable quantity Of Amer