The evening times., 1898-08-16
1 BRIEF VISIT TO HAVANA
American Newspaper Men Land
in the Unhappy City.
BLASco EXCUSES HIMSELF
Declines IN Interview With the
CaBlers-Pe0plc Ai.xiGus for Infor-
Bread for His Sick Wife-Party
Ccurtccusly Asked to Leave Town.

New York, Aug. 16.-Dispa.ches to the
Herald. dated Havana, August IA. say
that when the peace protocol was sign
ed Friday afternoon, the Herald at once
chartered the tug Moran. belonging to
the Ward ship line. to go to Havana and
return. The Treasury Department at
Washington had to be appealed to for
the United States consent to the vOy-
age This was received Saturday after
noon. and three hours later the lights Of
Key Wes. were sinking below the horf-
zon in the wake of the sturdy little tug.
as she passed Sand Key Light. bound
southwark.
The dispatc. continues as follows:
Just after daybreak we sighted the cloud
on the horizon that Subsequently devel-
oped into Cuba 1t was o'clock before
the Moran came to. fairly and squarely
in front of the gap which the Cuban
shore line makes between Morro Castle
and La Punta. Through that gap the
city of Havana spread OUT to the Bay
of Havana.
Havana harbor lay as unruff1ed as a
country millpond. Away over toward
Regla the French warship Fulton was at
anchor alongside of the Spanish transat-
lantic steamer Madr!dienia, undergoing
repairs. intended TO enable her to run the
blockade successfully. These two were
the only signs of life in the harbOr. The
picturesque boats that used TO fit about
the Bay of Havana are now tied up in
melancholy rows. with furled sails. at the
Machina wharf. The old pilots house on
La Caballeria is deserted. With the ex-
cep.ion CT Old Moro. there was nothing
about Havana harbor today that sug-
gested the faintest possibility of war.
On the contrary. 1t was a scene of most
| profound peace, but sad. deathly peace,
| that only war can make and keep. Near
| the mouth of the harbor and at the base
| of MORO right in the former track of
| incoming steamers. were a score or more
| of rowboats. In each of them were one
or two men fishing. Their appearance
indicated that, they belonged 10 the poor
| er class of the population, who had evil
| IDENTIFY taken advantage of the warshipS'
! departure to get few fish for their fami-
| lies in the hungry city.
| 1t was about quarter past nine this
| morning when the Moran sighted the
| Spanish flag flying above the Seguranca
| battery. A few minutes later the Spanish
| colors could easily be made out above
/
| buildings. just aften ten We were steam
ing in past Moro. and pilot coming to
| meet us in answer to our signal Mean
! while Morro had signaled our approach
| and a lieutenant sent from the castle
hailed us before the pilot could come
| aboard. instructing the Moran to anchor
outside the harbor while he communicat-
| ed with the captain of the port.
The lieutenant first informed US that
1t would be impossible for us to enter. as
| the port captain forbade ii, but We called
attention TO the Herald's flag, and in
| formed him We had been regularly clear
ed from Key West. and asked him to tell
the port captain of our purpose. The
| Moran moved out and lay of Moro in
| accordance with Instructions.
| While We were awaiting permission to
| enter the harbor Spanish flags began to
| creep up against the blue sky all over
| Havana. The Moran hung a large edi-
| ton of Old Glory over the stern. At the
foretop she ran up the long white and
| red pennant of the Herald.
In about a half hour We were boarded
| by handsome. genial, middle-aged man.
who informed us he was Bernado Garcia
| Verdugo, adjutant to the port captain.
| He was accompanied by the Herald's res
| ident correspondent. through whose cour-
| tesy we were enabled to send a brief dis
patch announcing the Moran's arrival.
His gig carried the Spanish flag, while
| that from Morro bore white handker-
| chief. Adjutant Verdugo said that when
our mission was explained to the port
captain he was willing that we should
| land, though he believed that great pre-
| cautions would be necessary.
| AS We entered the harbor and went on
up to an anchorage indicated about eoO
I- IsaII
every point of vantage and gaZed at us
| in almost mute amaZement. Havana ap-
parently began to realize that an Amer
lean tug had tumbled up from the Gulf
| and was quietly resting on the rippling
| water of the harbor. A dozen of Span
| ish soldiers appeared on the ramparts of
Morro and stared at the boat. They beck
oned their companions, and more came
running out. Mausers in hand, until the
walls were fairly alive with blue uni
formed men talking together excitedly and
| gesticulating.
| Over on the city side OF the harbor the
| people began to appear on the house tops
and at upper stcry windows. Groups
gathered on the steps of the wharves.
| Openings in the high sea wall near the
Moran were black with people. The
crowds increased until the wharves were
hidden with them. 1t was a silent crowd;
few waved handkerchiefs and hats ap-
parentfy by way of welcome Others
shook their fists and scowled, but by far
| the greater number only stared and
asked each other questions and stared
| again.
As we subsequently learned. Gen.
| Banco and the palace officials had kent
the people practically in ignorance that
any peace negotiations were in progress
| ~ C.l.ttt tr. hi
In a state of great surprise and doubt
Saturday night the people went to bed
In tne hungry blockaded city, with the
| gray warships in full blockade like
| hounds around hare tha. has been run
to cover. They awoke this morning to
nhd all changed. During the nighr the
oiockading squadron had suddenly wheel
not know. The Moran's arrival canned
the climax of doubt and uncertainty.
Adjutant Verd0go was extremely cour-
| teous and frequently apologized for the
keen manifestations of curiosity through
which we walked with him on landing.
AS We passed with him up O'Reilly Street
and across the Plaza de Armas the crowd
followed at our heels. some running
ahead to get a better view, only respect
for Adjutant ,Verduso preventing the
throngs from blocking our way. There
was a continuous murmur from the
crowd. sometimes reaching a high pitch
but we could detect nothing threatening
in the tones. which seemed rather those
| of wondering speculative curiosity than
OF anger or bitterness.
As we entered the palace of the cap
tain general the strongest odor of musk
greeted Us from the patio in the center OF
| the palace, where stands statue of Co
lumbus. Passing through the cool, dim
marble corridors and up a stairway