The Portland daily press., 1898-04-12
CONSUL REPORTS.
Continued from Second Page.

article written on the 18th of january last
and devoted to Cuban restitution. In this
he notes the receipt of a circular letter of
the State Department. dated ten days be-
fore 'This' he says eliminates that
help is to be extended by the United
States to the starving people of Cuba. "
The news of this relief has been known
he continues, for the past two weeks and
has extended all over the province.
Consul BARKER covers the conditions ex-
isting in Santa Clara province in num-
ber of communications beginning on the
goth of November, 1897, and closing on
the Gath of March last His letters con-
indeed the picture, even as drawn in the
plain language of official communication,
is revolving
The latter part of Mr.. Barker's corre-
spondenre. beginning with the 18th of
March, is devoted to a statement of the
relief labors and an estimate of the funds
required to continue this work.
On the 9th of March, Mr.. Barker in
creased his estimate as to the amount of
food necessary to keep life in the people
of the province. He said that fifty tons
were needed for that time and that the
distress was far greater than his former
reports had shown.
Mr. Barker adds that If five Thousand
dollars could be telegraphed to Consul
General Lee, blankets, cots. and medi-
oines could be purchased There In the
several towns adjacent and thus save
thousands who must die if compelled to
await the sending of the supplies from
the United States. In several places in
Mr.. Barker's letters, stars are inserted
showing that portions of these hove been
omitted. The omissions are places gener.
ally where he deals with the conditions OF
the leooneentrados.
Mr.. Hyatt's letter of January 8th IS
devoted to discussion of the question as
to whether the Cubans will accept
autonomy. Taking up the question ne
repeats some of the information given IN
a. previous letter as to the efforts mace on
the part of the Spanish officials to estap-
lish this system and to this adds: whole
sale removals of Spanish officers from
civil positions are made by sweeping orders
with instructions to till their places with
Cuban autonomjsts. A bout week since
there came an order dlsmlsslng every
employee of the custom house IN this clty
to take effect as soon as proper sutono-
mists could be found to fill their places.
ssaIn many cases where Cubans are an
ticipating the acceptance OF An office,
thew have sent to the field to ask per-
mission from insurgent officers. 1t will
De seen that the Cubans are moving very
slowly in accepting autonomy.
son the 31st of January, Mr. Hyatt de-
OF Captain General Blanco to Santiago.
He mentions conversation he had witt,
Col Marsh of Gen. Blanco's staff and
says that the latter, upon leaving him,
said to him: i shall be at all times
most happy to use whatever influence
NAV have with Gen. Blanco in securing
favorable resolution of any matters
that you may desire to present to him. ="
In this communication Mr. Hyatt men
tions the destruction of a railroad train
by dynamite bombs near Santiago at the
time of Gen. Blanco's visit, saying that
iC was believed that insurgents were re-
sponsible for the destruction because
they believed Gen. Blanco to be on he
train.
On February Is, Mr.. Hyatt reports the
| first arrival of relief from the United
States, which came in the form of medi-
| cine. The rations were issued in the
court attached to the consulate, the peo-
pie being admitted by the police through
carriage driveway.
ssAs write, ~ he says 1.-THE street is
blocked by the hungry throng for nearly
square above and below the entrance.
have requested the police to admit the
most delicate and feeble first, as many
of them are unable to stand very long in
such crowd"
He estimates that there are $4,000 peo-
pie in that city needing relief.
the previous Sunday to elect officers to
hold an election on the 9th of the same
month, Mr.. Hyatt says that no one seemed
to know anything about 1T until it was
over and the autonom SITS wonfthe cleo
ton. Mr.. Hyatt also states in this COM
munication that most OF the sugar estates
are now making sugar on small scale.
but there is no ground for faith in their
ability to go ahead. John Gova, vice
consul at Sagua Ia Grande, under Gate
of November II, 1897, says that an auto
nomist party in that district could not
exist.
The consular correspondence also in
part was devoted to the Maine disaster
and in this part OF the correspondence
some i'm portaut and interesting points are
developed. The correspondence consists
| largely of cablegrams exchanged by As
| sistant Secretary of State Day and Consul
| General Lee The first Of the kilograms
| is dated in Havana, January II, and re-
| lates to the riots which were then oecurr-
| ing In the city. This. and the subsequent
| kilograms on the same subject have been
| published either in whole or in part.
On January "a General Lee WIS notified
by the State Department the Maine would
call ut Havana in a day or two ard was
directed to make arrangements Tor an in
terchange of friendly calls between officers
and authorities.
| Under the same date General Lee ad.
vised postponement of the Maine 6
visit for six or seven days, that the ex-
cite,nent might abate.
| Later on the same day, General Lee
was notified that the Maine would arrive
in Havana the next day, was asked to CO.
operate with authorities for her friendly
visit, wiring the state Department the
next day General Lee informed the State
Department that the Spanish authorities
professed to think the United States had
an Interior purpose in sending the ship.
Say 1t will obstruct autonomy, produce
excitement and most probably demon.
stration. Ask that it is not done until
| they can get Instructions from Madrid
and say that il for friendly motives, as
claimed delay unimportant.
| The kilograms from January % to Feb
ruary 4 relate merely to the reception OF
| the Maine and the exchange OF visits be-
tween her officers and the civil an d naval
authorities in Havana.
| On February 4, Assistant Secretary Lay
| informed Consul General Lee that the
secretary OF the navy thought 1t lnpruoeht
| for sanitary reasons, to keep the Maine
| longer in Havana. He asked II me
vessel should be kept there all the time
| s,ra4 Il t,nc4 Tod Liz