The herald., 1898-04-12
CUBAN CONSULAR CORRESPONDENCE

application for the presence Of one or more
> warships in Havana harbor, and had ad.
yised Americans who had wives and chill
dren not to send them away, at least for the
present.
81 still think" continued Mr.. Lee, that
two warships at least should be at Key
West prepared to move at short notice. and
that more of them should be at Dry Tor
tugas, and that coaling station should be
established there. Such proceedings
would seem to be in line with that pru-
dence and foresight necessary to afford
safety to Americans residing on the island
and to their properties"
Under date Of December 18th, General
Lee sent a communication to the depart
ment recommending measures for relief of
the reconcentrados. In the portion given
out General Lee says:
81 see no effect Of the governmental dis
tribution to the reconcentrados. I am in
formed that only $125OO In Spanish silver
has been dedicated to the Havana province
out of the 100000 said to have been set
aside for the purpose of relieving them on
the island. and that reports from all parts
OF the province show that fifty per cent
| have already died and that many Of these
left will die, and most of these are wo-
men and children.
"I am informed that an order has been
issued in some parts of the islands sus-
pending the disposition to reconcentrados
| The condition of those people is simply
terrible"
| December IS, came the following:
"Sir-I have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report: The contest for and against
/ autonomy is most unequal. For 1t there
are five or six of the head officers at the
palace. and twenty or thirty persons here
| in the city.
Against it, first there are the insurgents,
with or without arms, and the Cuban noS-
comba tants; second, the great mass OF the
Spaniards, bearing or not bearing arms,
the latter desiring, If there must be
change, annexation to the United States.
Indeed. there is the greatest apthy con-
cerning autonomy in any form. No one
asks what it will be- or when or how 1t will
come. do not see how it can even be put
into operation by force, because as long
as the insurgents decline to accept it, so
ions the Spanish authorities say, the war
must continue"
Thousands Starving
Ou december II, GeIeTdl Lee sent du-
other communication, that the total num-
ber of reconcentrados in Havana province
will reach 10000, and that the death rate
from starvation alone will be over so per
cent. For the relief of these people, he
says, s12, 500 in silver had been set aside, $50
that if every dollar appropriated reached
them the distribution will amount to about
Ii cents to a person, which, OF course,
would be rapidly exhausted and as I can
hear of no further succor being offered. it is
easy to perceive what little practical relief
has taken place in the condition of these
poor people"
On December 20, General Lee makes
the first communication about the new
scheme of autonomy. He says that he
has been informed that the authorities are
engaged in forming an autonomistic cabi-
net arrangir1 for the members to take the
required oath on January l, and ''also for
an election thirty days thereafter"
MY present information is most of the
spaniards will refrain from voting, and
nearly all the Cubans.
The feeling in Havana, and I hear In
other parts of the island, is strong against
it. The Cuban desiring an Independent
republic and the Spaniards preferring an
nexation to the United States rather than
autonomy.
January -, 10, IA and Is, General Lee
seat brief cablegram to the state depart
ment with regard to the rioting and the
demonstrations against autonomy and
Blanco and the four newspaper offices.
January IA, he said some of the rioters
threatened to go to the United States con-
sulate"
"Ships," he said, "are not needed. bu:
may be later. If Americans are in dam
ger, ships should move promptly for Ha-
vana Uncertainty and excitement wide
spread"
The rioting ceased the next day, and Gen.
eral Lee reported all quiet.
The Maine Disaster
The consular correspondence in part was
devoted to the Maine disaster, and in this
part of the correspondence some importan.
and interesting points are developed. The
correspondence consists largely of cable
grams exchanged by Assistant Secretary of
State Day and Consul Genetal Lee. The
first of the kilograms Is dated in Havana,
January 70, and relates to the riots which
were then occurring In the city
This and the subsequent telegryms upon
the same subject have been published.
either in whole or in part. On January "a
General Lee was notified by the state de-
partment that the Maine was to call al
Havana In a day or two. and was directed
to make arrangements for an interchange
of friendly calls between office0s and au-
thorities.
Under the same date General Lee ad |
vised a postponement of the Names visit |
for six or seven days, so that the excite |
ment might abate. Later in the same Gay
Mr.. Lee was advised that the Maine would
arrive in Havana the next day, and was
asked to cooperate with the authorities
for her friendly visit.
Wiring the state department the next
day, General Lee informed the state de-
partment that the Spanish authorities pro-
fessed to think the United States had an
ulterior purpose in sending the ship, saying
it will obstruct autonomy, produce excite |
ment and probably demonstration. Ask
that it is not done until can get instruc-
tions from Madrid, and say that if for
friendly motives, as claimed, delay unim-
portant.
The kilograms from January 25th to Feb
ruary 4th relate entirely to the reception of
the Maine and the exchange of visits be-
tween her officers and the naval and civil
authorities in Havana.
On February 4th Assistant Secretary
Day informed General Lee that the secre-
tary of the navy thought it imprudent, for
sanitary reasons, to keep the Maine long in
Havana. He asked if some vessels should
1,n l. oil lo i