The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-30
Great Rejoicing Over The
RepuIsing Fleet at N;
AN OPPOSITE ACCOUNT L
News Agency in Madrid Prevcn
liverlng the Real Story of the Battle
and the Oficials Twisted
1t Their Way.

Madrid April 29.-In official circles It Is
not believed that the Americans can affect
landing on the shores of MAtanzas lay.
as the bay is tull or torpedees
The reports cabled from Washington re.
specting the movements of the American
'triI and fleet are considered as intended
to hoodwink the Spanish government
- The latest dispatches from Havana says
1t was ;ke American waIship Montgomery
which went ashore off the coast of Pjnar
del Rio, and that she grounded on the
rocks near Colonados. According to these
dispatches three other warships succeeded
in floating here, but the Montgomery is
badly damaged.
There are great rejoicings in Havana at
what is described as 1.-THE American re-
pulses at Matanzas." 1t is not believed
that the United States warships will VEN
ture to attack Manila.
The Montgomery arrived at Key West
today from Hampton Roads conveying the
troop ship Panther. She has not been in
Cuban waters.
According to dispatches from Manila, the
Voz Espanola describes the port of Ma
nila as impregnable The paper asserts
that the forts at Maleton, Sud Malate, Mil
eta, Pasten, Mirallas and st. Lucia Pillar
bristle with guns.
To Take the Offensive
General Weyler in the senate today,
urged the government to take the offensive
against America. He justified his adminis-
tration in Cuba.
The ex-captain-general of Cuba apollo
gized for prolonging the debate, pleading
that he could not allow the opportunity to
pass of defending himself against criticism.
With much warmth and sternness he de-
Tended his political and military acts of
severity in Cuba, showing that he deemed
them vitality necessary.
He declared that had he been allowed six
months longer he would have entirely
crushed the insurrection and would have
realized the promise he made to Senor
Canovas del Castillo that by April, 1893,
he would be in position to offer him &c.
900 veterans to attack the United States.
Criticised Home Rule Policy
General Weyler severely criticised the
home rule policy in Cuba, and the time
selected for decreeing it, and he concluded
a passionate appeal for a display of ener-
gy, urging the government to take the
offensive vigorously on both land and sea,
as remaining on the defensive was little
as possible policy with such an enemy.
These declarations afforded Senior Moret.
secretary of the colonies, an opportunity
of avoiding a debate with General Weyler,
Senior Moret declaring that such course
would be unaQV1SdDle IT pTcScnt, anu WOulu
better be left for "a day whom statesmen
can find time for retrospective discds-
sions."
Mantanzas Did Not Suffer-
1t was officially announced today that
.the Notifications of Matanzas have not
suffered in spite of the hundreds of shells
fred by the American fleet, and not one
man was killed wounded thereby"
In official circles the stories of the bonn
bardment received via the United States
are read with shouts of derisve laughter
The Imparcial says "All the world
now knows that America tried to blum
Spain by war threats which she is unapie
to fulfill. America on being called shows
a wretchedly weak hand. Its real strength
is exactly known-five iron-clads, Two peit-
ed cruisers, three unbelted the fastest and
most powerful cruisers and twelve other
cruisers All the rest are theatrical su-
pers." =, -
Continuing the impartial says 1t regrets
Audat did not live, to write "Tartarin. Yam
kee Admiral based, 1t adds, on "Samp-
sons glorious eighteen minutes bombard-
ment of Matanzas which is said in the
official dispatches to have resulted in the
death of mule"
Made 1t I'll cir Own Way.
New York, April 29.-The correspondent
here of the Fabra News agency of Madrid
received notification from the cable COM
pany that the Spanish government would
not permit the delivery of his dispatches
about the hombardmcnt of Matanzas. This
would seem to explain the impression pre-
vai,ing among the newspapers and people
at Madrid that the American vessels were
compelled to retire, which information was
obtained through Spanish official version
of the bombardment