The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-28
SITUATION in HAVANA
CONSUL GEN. LEE HANDICAPPED IN
COLLECTING STATISTICS.
Spaniards Disappointed that McKin-
ley Will Not Take Maine Explo-
sion as Excuse for Action.

HAVANA, via Key West, March 27.-
Last night it was persistently stated on all
legged good authority that the palace off,
cials here had received a cipher dispatch
from Madrid which in effect said: Pre-
pare for war" 1t is not likely that any
thing so alarming or peremptory was re-
ceived, but it is pretty certain that intima-
ton was given that the time for evasion
or delay on the part of Spain was drawing
to close. There can be no question that
the policy of the United States in making
the destruction of the Maine merely a side
issue of the graver question of the con-
tinuance of inhumanity and property de-
struction on the island is a disagreeable
surprise to many high in office in Cuba
They had concluded that the dispute as to
the origin of the explosion would be indef-
initely prolonged, and finally open the way
for new investigation, in which Germany
Italy or some other European power would
take part Many of the best informed
Spaniards are free to say that American in
terference on humanitarian grounds would
be bound to carry with it the passive SYM
pathy, if not the active, of all civilized
nations since the fact as to local condi-
tions are no longer in doubt in any Cabinet
in Christendom.
Close on the heels of dispatch to Consul
General Lee from Washington, asking data
as to the number and condition of the re-
concentrates, and also the length of time
necessary to feed them, comes the official
announcement of the issuance of an order
TO all the alcaldes, the civil governors and
the cuban relief committee, not to give the
information asked by the central commit
tee, but to refer all queries to Governor
General Blanco, who approves the order 1t
seems to have been decided on after knowl-
edge OF the grounds adopted by the United
States as the basis for Intervention. 1t is
also asserted that such queries are to be
answered by saying that the Cuban govern
ment is caring for its own poor, but this
is not yet verified and in the face of the
facts seems absurd.
Wheh the MangroVe arrived yesterday the
chleI custom house officer at the port of
havana sent on board a uniformed inspec-
tor According to the Mangrove officers
the inspector was particularly officious in
his examination of the vessel, opening even
the food lockers and acting as if he sus-
pected The MangroVe of being a filibuster
Consul General Lee was communicated with
and the inspector was removed in "a hurry
in response to General Lees earnest and
The governments explanation was that all
vessels, not men-of-war, must be boarded
by customs officers. The Mangrove, the ex-
planation continued. is not a man-of-war,
but a lighthouse tender. 1t is certain that
no customs officer was ordered on board
the Mangrove while the ship served as the
headquarters of the court of inquiry during
its sessions here, and it seems probable that
the annoying incident is the fault of the
customs department solely. without any
sanction by the palace officials.
1t is reported that the Cercle Militar,
well-known military club on the Prado
where there is gambling for high stakes in
full blast from p. m. until o'clock the
next morning, has demanded the resignation
Of about fifty members born I'm Cuba. If
this be true, storm of protest is sure to
follow. since many Cuban officers of high
families are members of the club