Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-07
HOW 70 ATTACK HAVANA.
Even Spaniards in the City Believe It Would be
an Easy Prey


Havana, March G. via Key West-As
the conviction becomes settled that
the court of inquiry will decide that
there was a mine explosion under the
Maine, discussion among American
naval officers and civilians here is prev
alent as to the warlike measures
which 1t is believed the United States
government will adopt in case the ques-
ton of the payment of indemnity by
Spain Is overruled.
A majority believe that American
troops will be landed at some port east
of Havana and the insurgents COM
municated with, that the Spanish
soldiers viii be defeated or captured in
detail, and that in the meantime Il
fleet of United States vessels Will
blockade II not lombard Havana. No
one seems to doubt that the reduction
of this city would be comparatively
easy. Four 12-lnch guns, two west and
two east of the city. are the only ones
that are considered dangerous. These
IRE not likely to he well served. while
their emplacements are not modern.
That some Spaniards are of the
opinion that an attack on Havana will
be made. is believed to be shown by
the abnormal activity displayed on
board the Vizcaya. The Associated
Press correspondent has the best naval
authority for the statement that the
Vizcaya IL In a constant state of readi-
ness for emergencies and that picket
boats are on the alert day and night in
side the harbor and outside the harbor
at night.
1t is pointed out that the men-of-war
Viscaya and Alnhrante Oquendo might
be caught I'm blockade and fall an
easy prey to a United States fleet The
cruiser Alfonzo XIII is without boilers
and would be of no account. All this
discussion of the probability of war
among the Americans and Spaniards
proves nothing. and only shows the
state of feeling here.
The conduct of the Spanish divers
who are investigating the wreck of the
Maine. Is mystery. Thus far. they
have not been down five hours in the
aggregate and they show no disposition
to make thorough inquiry. II is i'm
possible to learn the truth fully regard
Ing the purpose of the Spanish court
OF inquiry. but II Is generally believed
that the divers went down for FORMS
sake only and that a report will be
made In accordance with instructions
from Madrid. II may be that the
Spanish divers have discovered that the
whole port side OF the Maine forward
Is gone ana, having so reported, further
examination is deemed Unnecessary.
The work of our own divers hence
~ Wuiu Is DouHu " ne SLOW. OWING TO
the ponderous weights to be moved
and the safety clamps, nuts and rlyets
that must be cut.
Senator Proctor Is likely to make
speech In the Senate on his return
tina. will have great weight In determine
ing the future policy of the United
States. He is much affected ~ sf,e sur
fering that he found In Matanzas. and
highly Indignant at what he calls the
'lnhumanity of the course pursued"
During visit to Aretmlsa, this prov
ince, he saw thousands of reconcen-
trados who refused to beg. though
starving. They were evidently of a
class accustomed TO make their living
and unwilling to become paupers He
saw thousands of acres of the best
tobacco and banana lands in the world
reduced to waste, with trochas and gar
rlsons Mt every village and cross road.
HIS driver. pointing to the noun
tains miles away said: "There are
plenty of insurgent camps there that
the Spanish have never discovered"
The work OF distribution of American
relief under Miss Clara Barton, Mr.
Elwell and their assistants rs, In Senn-
tor Proctor's judgment carefully and
effectively cnrreld on. The demand IL
far In excess OF the supply The sun
plies expected at Matanzas and Sagua
In Grande, to be brought by American
cruisers. will afford unspenkable re-
lief,
Now that the Almirante Oquendo
and the ViZcava are lying in the har-
Dor. the Spnnlards exultingly declare
that their city IL safe. and II is given
out officially in the newspapers that the
new arrival Is of the same size. arma-
ment and complement as the Vizcaya.