The evening times., 1898-07-20
CUBk's sTlRVIhG CITIES
Spanish Deserters Bring Stories
Of Famine Stricken Towns.
EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE
Warships Now I'm the HarbOr OF
Observation-Disclosures at the En-
trance-Spanish Mail Steamer
Santo Domingo Burned by Shells
From American Cruisers.

New York, July 20.-The Heralds cor
respondent. in a dispatch dated ION
Board the United States Monitor Terror.
OFF Havana. July A. says:
While cruising off the entrance to Ha-
vana Harbor at daybreak this morning
the Terror picked up a small boat In
which were three deserters from the
Spanish gunboat Aguila. which Is inside
the harbor. They had rowed out 20 us
under cover Of darkness and during a
heavy rain.
They were Jose Fernandez, Antonio
Gonzalez and Antonio Capelastegen.
They brought with them their arms and
considerable ammunition, and told us
many interesting things aDout the effect
of the blockade.
According to their story the price OF
rice In Havana now is 20 cents pound.
and there Is only one shop where 1t is
sold. The supply will be gone in week.
There are no potatoes in the city. and
other vegetables are very scarce and
very dear. Beans cannot be had at any
price Meat Is 30 cents a pound. Bread
in small quantities Is sold at price be-
yond the reach of the common people.
The loaf that is issued to the soldiers.
bought in some places for 50 cents. There
are no crackers in the city.
Fowl are in reach of the wealthy at
81 each.
The three deserters told me that Carde-
mas. Matanzas, and Cienfuegos are starv-
ing, and cannot hold. out more than
week.
These are the warships that are actu-
ally in Havana harbor: The first-ciass
O.
ers Marques de la Ensenada. Conde de
Venadito, and Infanta Isabel: torpedo
boats Marques de Molins. Martin Alonzo
Pinzon, Vicente Yanez Pinzon, and Nueva
Espana; gunboats: Aguila and Flecha
transport boat Legaspi. The merchant
ships vivina and Madrileno. belonging TO
the company OF Sierra, from Bilboa, the
Julia Cosme Herrera. Aviles Rita. and
several sailing vessels are also there.
About the fortifications the deserters
told a long story. but the officers of the
feet do not think they have told OF all
the defenses.
The entrance to Havana. they say is
fortified on the beach of FL Chivo with
two cannon of 30 csntimeters, two of 81
milimeters, Nordenfeld style and some
old cannon of smaller caliber. In the
Moro are two cannon of L centimeters.
two rapId-fire guns. two OF "a centimeterS'
old style, and others of smaller caltber.
At La Punta there are two cannon OF ~
centimeters. Nordenfeld style. and many
others of older style. Besides the battery
of La Reina, which is very strongly for
titled, there is that of Santa Clara, with
two cannon of 81 centimeters. and that OF
La Chorrera AT the entrance of Ell
Moro thirteen torpedoes have been
placed.
In the night of June "a at l2:3O the maii
steamships Santo Domingo and Monte
video left Havana for Vera Cruz to get
a load of provisions. On July u the San
to Domingo, when between Punta Carda
and Cape San Antonio was stuck in the
mud, and was pursued by American ships.
which threw shells on her and burned
hc-.
The deserters say that a Norwegian
boat left Sagua la Grande with a crowd
Of passengers and loaded with tobacco.
bound for Europe.
Gen Linares and Coloneis Ordonez and
Escario. they told me. are slowly recov-
ering from their wounds.
A letter has been received from Cien-
fuegos in which it Is said that If within
eight days provisions are not obtained
the city will have to surrender to the
Americans.
Commodore Howell has gone to Nuevi-
tas with the San Francisco, and Capt.
Ludlow, of the Terror, is in charge OF
the blockade.