The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-12

Later on the same day General Lee was notified 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 department that the l Spanish authoritis preferred to think the United States had an ulterior pur- pose in sending the ship.
 | Say it will obstruct autonomy, pro- duce excitement and most probably demonstration. Ask that it is not done ] until they can get instructions from Madrid and say that if for friendly motives, as claimed, delay unimport- | ant"
 | The telegrams from January 2b to 1 February relate merely to the recep- tion of the Maine and the exchange of visits between her officers and the civil and naval authorities in Havana. On February Assistant Secretary Day wired Consul General Lee that the sec retary thought it best, for sanitary reasons not to keep the Maine longer in Havana.
 / In reply General Lee said he thought there would be no danger to health. | Blowing Up of Maine.
 The next telegram of importance was sent by General Lee early on the morn 1 ing of February IS and announcing to the state department the destruction of the Maine. That telegram has been published. During the forty eight hours that followed General Lee kept the department informed of the incurrence | in chronological order. In dispatch of February IS, he said that the divers under Captain Sigsbee had made a cur ! sorry examination of the wreck and that i the Spanish government would like to unite with ours in having the bottom of the ship jointly examined.
 The next day Judge Day informed General Lee that this government had | already instituted an investigation of the disaster which would be conducted independently. He added, however:
 "This government will afford every facility 1t can to the Spanish authori- ties in whatever investigation they may see fit to make on their part"
 The first intimation of the cause of the explosion was given by General Lee on February g when he telegraphed: Copper cylinders ammunition found intact In the ten-inch forward maga- zine starboard side this morning. Seems | to show magazine not exploded. | Evidence beginning to prove that ex" plosion on port side by torpedo"
 General Lee informed the department on February 2S that arrangements had been completed for both governments to conduct independent investigations of the disaster, his correspondence with General Blanco being transmitted in full In concluding his letter to Bianco General Lee said: T am quite sure that neither government has any other object except to ascertain all the facts connected with the explosion of the Maine and that the great desire of both governments is to proceed harmonious ly with the work"
 At this point correspondence between General Lee and the state department concerning the Maine disaster abruptly terminates. as far as the report sub mitted to congress is concerned.
 There is one communication from Owen McGarr, consul at Cienfugues, under date of January 10th, informing the department that the sugar mills in his district had been grinding since the first of the month. He says the utmost vigilance is required to prevent the firing of the cane fields, and con cludes. The sugar crop is the sup port of all classes, and especially the laboring class, and should it be de- stroyed a famine would be inevitable" /"
 Brice on Starvation.
 The communications from MT. Brice, consul at Matanzas, humber only seven or eight, and most of them are brief The topic begins with the 17th of No vember last, and closes with the 8th of February, 1898. Probably the most striking feature of MT. Brice's compi- lations is a distinct article written on the 18th of January last, and devoted to Cuban destitution. Tn this he notes the receipt of a circular letter of the statement dated ten days before.
 This" he says, 'intimates 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. This consulate has been overwhelmed with people of all classes asking to be re- memhered when this relief comes"
 MT. Brice then gives number of facts Illustrating the suffering in the province He says there are in Matan- gas province aldne 90,000 people who are in actual starVating condition and re- quire food, clothing and medicines Continuing he says: Tn addition to the above are thousands of families of the better classes and formerly well to do who to-day are living on one meal day and that very scant. They have sold or pawned furniture, jewell ry, clothing, etc., to eke out an ex- istence until all is gone or nearly so. Too proud to beg, they suffer in silence and may die of starvation. The daugh- ter of former governor of this prov ince was seen begging on the streets I Gncognito) of this city. Many of these people call on me privately at my resi- dence asking and praying for Gods sake to be remembered when this re- lief comes from the United States. One has to be here, know and mingle with these people, to fully realize the terrible Restitution and misery existing in Cuba. It is to be hoped that this re- lief from the United States will come , quickly, for hundreds are dying daily of starvation. Conditions are dreadful and no relief is afforded by the Span ish authorities. In his first communi-