The sun., 1898-03-10
MONTG oMERY AT HATINA.
Tho spaninrds nxpress Surprise at Capt. Com
verses viEiiance-The Board or unauiry
VIII Remain tn Havana Until Saturday.


Tho spaniards Express Surprise at Capt Com
verses viEiiance-The Board or Hnauirs
VIII Remain tn Havana Until Saturday.
HAVANA, March 9.-At o o'clock this evening
the Fern will sail for Key West, and will re-
turn with supplies for the starving reconcen-
trados. She will deliver these supplies at
several ports along the northern coast Of Cuba
The Montgomery entered port this morning,
and anchored in front OF La Machina. near
the wreck of the Maine and facing tho Spanish
cruiser vizcaya. Capt. Converse of the Mont
gomery, his officers. and crew spent several
hours this morning on deck looking at the
wrecked American battleship. They all said
that they had never before seen such complete
destruction.
There 10 much comment here over the ex-
traordinary precautions taken by Capt. Con-
verse of the Montgomery. The Spanish Off
cials consider them to be 'unexplainable." The
fact Is that q double guard is posted at vari-
Gus points on the cruiser. and every boat that
approaches her is stopped. II the persons in
the boat do not Immediately give the counter
sign, they are compelled to turn back.
The American Board Of inquiry will remain
in Havana until Saturday. Ensign Powelson
of tho Fern. an important witness. was Or
dered this morning to remain in Havana to aid
the board In its proceedings.
Your correspondent was informed this morn
ing that two residents of tho town Of Regla,
across the bay, were examined this afternoon
by tho Board of Inquiry, and their testimony is
considered to be of the utmost Importance They
witnessed the two explosions which destroyed
the Maine. At the time the catastrophe occurred
they were crossing the bay in o boat fronHavana
to Regla.
The American divere yesterday and to-day
brought from tho Maine several small objects
which were all sent to the Board of Inquiry.
IL is officially declared here to-day that If the
report Of the American Board Of Inquiry is con-
trary in its conclusions to the report of the
Spanish board, as everything seems to Indicate,
tho Spanish board will Immediately demand
the appointment Of o mixed commission to mako
q second investigation and reach the same con-
clusion.
The war feeling continues here. but La Union
Constitutional publiBhes Q despatch from
Madrid saying that the Primo Minister Of
Spain, Sefor Sagasta, has declared that he Is
disposed. on tho part Of Spain, to remove all
obstacles that may threaten the preservation Of
peace between his country and tho United
States.
Up to to-day the American committee for tho
relief Of the reconcentrados has distributed
7s, 900 rations of provisions to $4,000 starving
people In tho city of Havana and the neiGhbor-
ing town of Guanabacoa. Tho total rations al
ready distributed at the expense Of the United
States all over the islana is thus far Ale. 900,
and tho number of concentrates relieved Is
$4,000.
But tho misery 10 still intense and people arc
dying by hundreds every day. There arc no
words to describe the horrors Of the situation
and probably no case Of such terrible ravages
by.famine has over been recorded in any other
country.
Just now an official report has been received
of . terrible case at Santa Cruz del Norte. in
Havana province. and though the press censor
ship does not allow your correspondent to give
many details, here arc some of tho facts which
are allowed to be published:
Tho Mayor of the town of Santa Cruz reports
that he found yesterday among heaps Of gar
bage outside the town. roaming through the
streets, and lying in the shadow of Some ruined
houses, about $50 persons Of all ages, men. wo-
men, and children in ptiful state of starvation.
They all came from Casa Blanca, and most Of
them are women and children.
Tho Mayor. Senior Pno says that they came in
search Of dead dogs and cats to eat as the bodies
of these animals are thrown out of that place.
They were eating also the garbage and the rats
found by them near It, They are all naked
Several of them. finding the remains of the meal
u
of food thrown ON the ground.
The official report OF Sehor Pine adds that
among these persons he could see many with
their feet and hands half eaten by vermin and
that the majority Of them had lost all their
hair and were dying of starvation fever.
The official report also says that the Spanish
authorities had taken measures to relieve these
Door people. THE SUNS correspondent sent
word about tho discovery to Consul-General
La Discussion. an evening newspaper, asks to-
day where Is tho S5l 900 which the Governor.
for the relief OF ths reoonceutrados. Accord.
ing TO that newspaper the d money T has not been
aSs aon. Blanco in an editorial in behalf
OF the brothers Loran, who are sill In jail at
Pinar ar del RIO. although they were pardoned
but one died OF sickness and the two survivors,
Jaoobo and Juan, are now very Ill. La DIS
custom says tha. their release would be an act
With sener Leoncio ysrsta, already appoint.
ssb.d cd so RE sG% has
also been appoined 70 negotiate treaty OF COM
morce between tho United States and the Cuban
The Spanish Government has granted twenty.
four military decorations of tho fret GLASS and
isS residents who participated in the riots that
took place here In January last.
Is .na splenSid RECEPTION in thst
city to Miss Clara Barton.
THE FERN BACK AT KEY WEST.
WARRINGTON. March "a belated telegram
from Commander Converse OF the cruiser Mont
Havana at O'Clock this morning, was received
hy tho Navy Department this evening. The
contained no information about how the cruiser
was received.
the Rey West naval station reported the arrival
OF the transport Fern this afternoon. Her quick
passage from Havana. whore she was relieved
by the Montgomery. surprised the navy on
cialS who thought that considerable time would
be Consumed In transferring the wrecking
tus on the Fern TO some other vessel after
the Montgomery had anchored.
LssIIsas weekly, JaaEs, And the War scArei
Sec thess snterpriSing publications this week
- Idu