The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-04-19

hE1 NESl, Fla., April 1O.-(New
York Herald Dispatch )-"You may
tell Mr.. Blanco for me that the Fern
is the last ship of the American navy
that will ever go out of Havana har-
Dor while the. Spanish flag flies over
MorIo."
This was the message that General
Lee sent back to General Blanco as he
steamed out of Havana harbor last
night. Lee was indignant at the in
suits heaped upon his head by the
Spanish officials and populace. He
had been snubbed at the palace by
General Blanco and affronted by DR..
Congosto. AS the Fern, bearing our
consular representative, left the har-
Dor there were cries of "Fuera!"
C"Begone") from thousands of lusty
throats, and Vice Consul Springer
made a gesture in reply which meant
1--WE will come again." and cried out
"Esperen volvernosl" C"Await our
return.)
When General Lee went TO the pal
ace yesterday he was accompanied by
the British Consul. Mr.. Gullon. who
was to take unwilling charge of the
American consulate. Mr.. Gullon is a
Spanish sympathizer and refused to
take charge until peremptorily order
ed to do so from London. General Lee
sent in his compliments to General
Blanco, with the request for an audi
ence. He was still Consul General.
and desired to say that he took leave
pending his return from the United
States.
Instead of General Blanco came Dr.
Congosto, with curt message that
the captain general did not desire to
see General Lee again. General Lee
was dumbfounded. Congosto bowed
and withdrew, leaving General Lee
boiling with Indignation.
Consul Gullon instead of leaving
with General Lee made an excuse that
he had TO see DIR. Congosto on per-
sonal matter and remained behind. AS
General Lee passed down the crowd
ed staircase Spanish subalterns and
attaches made fun of him, muttering
insults and crying "Fuera." 1t is the
duty of soldiers out of the palace,
when consular representative ap-
pears to stand at attention. AS Cen
eral Lee passed the soldiers remained
lounging about. So many threats had
been made and so gross had been the
insults that General Lee had decided
to remain no longer in Havana and
went on board the Fern Everything
had been done to protect American
interests. All the Consuls and Vice
Consuls were gathered in Cuba. All
persons desiring the protection of the
United States were given passage in
ships.
The steamer James II. Dudley,
which came in, was advised by Lee
not to unload, but to depart at once.
The oil steamer Almouth of Philadel-
phia had disregarded General Lees
advice and unloaded, and was lying
at the dock. Nothing could be done
for her. The Olivette was literally
loaded down with passengers. One
hundred went aboard the Evelyn,
tramp steamer. There were twenty
six on the Bache, and on the Fern
were General Lee and his staff and the
American newspaper correspondents.
Among the refugees were several
Englishmen. The English colony had
gone over the head of the British Con-
sui and demanded the protection of
NeHeTdl DldncO, tearing Indt uneN
would be taken for Americans and
killed
The Dudley was the first to sail;
then the Olivette left; then the Eve
lyn, Bache, and last of all the Fern.
Each boat wanted to be last. The
Bache's engineers had arranged to
plead breakdown and did it, and
General Lee had to peremptorily or
der the Bache to proceed. The harbor
was lined from Machina wharf to Nor
TO Castle on one side and to La Punta
on the other with thousands of spec
tators. Everybody whistled, as whis-
tling is a mark of derision, like hiss
ing in the United States.
AS the Fern passed the Alphonso
XII gun was trained on her and the
gun crew stood ready. General Lee
saw it and spoke of it. The gun was
swung around after the Fern had
passed. Above the whistling came the
cries of "Fuera!" accompanied by
insulting epithets. Back went the re-
ply from Vice Consul Springer, "Es-
peren volvernos!" Covering the rear
of the feet of the refugees the Fern
SweDt ont To sea and headnd for Kew