The herald., 1898-06-21
CLEAR, CONCISE REPORT
MANY OF BLANco's STORIES ARE
GROSS FALsEHooDs
CITY SHORT OF PROVISIONS
Something About the Defenses of the
Port Where Spain Will Make
Its Last Stand
Associated Press Special Wire

kEI WEST, June 20 S:15 ANA vessel
arrived here from the blockade this morn
ing and reported all quiet along the line.
She brought an officer of the Cuban army
and a pilot, who are carrying important
dispatches to Senior Estrada Palma of the
Cuban Junta. from Gen. Alexandra Rodri-
guez, the insurgent commander of Havana
province.
The Cubans were taken on board on Sat-
urday last from an auxiliary gunboat which
had picked them up. The messengers of
General Rodriguez gave very interesting
account of their experiences. After leaving
the insurgent camp they made their way
into the city of Havana, spent several days
there, proceeded to small inlet in the
neighborhood, stole small boat and rowed
out to sea in the hope of coming across an
American vessel. They were three days in
the boat before they were picked up. The
Cubans report that there are no supplies
of rice, maize, potatoes or eggs in Havana.
Flour. they say, costs so cents per pound
and the army has been placed on half ra-
tions.
The Cubans also report that lard is selling
at so cents, rice 20, beans at 20 and meat
at rs cents per pound and all are scarce
and they say that all horses of private
families, stores and livery stables have
been confiscated by order of General Aro-
las, the military government of Havana.
for the use of the troops. There is hardly
any traffic in the streets of Havana, and
groups of more than two persons are not
allowed to loiter on street corners. The
street railway company, whose cars are
drawn by horses, are obliged to run car
every hour, instead of every five minutes,
as heretofore, as the horses of the COM
pany have been taken by the government.
The messengers class as false the report
that vessels have succeeded in entering
Havana harbor with supplies. They assert
that since the blockade began only three
small fishing vessels have entered the har-
Dor, and tha. no food whatever Is received
from Cienfuegos.
The Cubans confirm the report that work
on the defenses of Havana is progressing
slowly. Two lines of torpedoes extend
across the mouth of the harbor, which is
said to be further protected by two auto
mobile torpedoes. one at each side, dis
chargeable by pressing button.
The trocha from Guanabacoa, Paula
virva and Mnergua, to Puente de La
Cherrerrea, which is thickly studded with
forts and round houses, protects the roads
to Havana.
Two new batteries. which have been built
just east of Moro Castle, are known as
Nos. / and 4, the latter being closest to
Moro. No. has three Ordnese 11-inch
guns mounted, and No. 1 has one gun
mounted and two guns ready to be placed
in position of the same caliber. Two other
batteries have been constructed on either
oft tIa rix A limo do
west of Santa Clara, and the Reina bat
teries are also provided with heavy ord
nance. It is also reported that there are
$500 armed Cubans in Havana province
pitted against $4,000 we'll equipped Span
iards.
The Spanish vessels in Havana harbor
are the Conde Venadito, Nueva Espana,
Vicente Yanez Pinson and Alfonso XII,
the last named being used as a hospital
ship. No other gunboats or converted
tugs are in port.
An auxiliary gunboat off Cardenas has
been visited by Cuban officer from the
shore, who reported that place to be effect
lively besieged by the insurgents on the
east and the warships in the front. He
made the statement that In two weeks the
whole population of Carderas would be
starving The Cuban officer has a wife and
family in Cardenas, and he is concerned for
their safety. He described the people as
living on palm buds and dog meat, which.
he claimed, is considered a dellcacy.
The vessel which arrived here today has
been patrolling regular beat off the Cuban
coast, "just like a policeman" going back
and forth during the day and night. Some
times she sees Spanish troops moving
about, but on the whole the blockade is
uneventful.
The health OF the Cubans in Havana
province is excellent. Their camp is situ-
ated at Zena.
The tug P. Moran arrived this morning
from Progresso. She belongs to the Ward
line and reports that the rumor to the ef-
feet that cargoes are leaving Progresso for
the Isle of Pines is untrue, but she admits
that schooners arrive there with Cubans
aboard.
The coal in Isla de Mujeros, the captain
of the Moran says, belongs to the Mexican
Colonization company, and he adds that
there is only 400 tons there. He discredits
the report of its being Spanish coal sta
| ton.