Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-30
REMARKABLE CONFIDENCE

shown by Spanish Onicials at Havana
Profess to Believe Their Port is Impre-
gnabIe-No Provisions for Feeding the
city.
Havana, via Key West, Fla, March
29-It is impossible to explain or I'M
derstand the serene confidence OF the
civil, military and naval officials here,
who, believing war with the United
States is imminent, declare Havana is
impregnable. They are pleased to at
tribute this "impregnability" to what
they term the concentration of a
heavy cross fire." referring to the num-
Der of heavy guns "a few twelve-inch
guns. and the majority eight and ten
inch guns) mounted along the horse
shoe curve of the shore, above ana
below the narrow entrance to the har-
bor When asked if they supposed
United States war vessels could enter
under such cross fire, the Spaniards
shrug their shoulders and smile as to
a grave question.
OF the food supply. for which no ap-
parent provision has been made, the
Spanish officers have nothing to say.
But the Spanish merchants, bankers
anu OlllCi piOlulAcn pCOPIC uCIC al .
not SO confident nor are they so reti-
cent. Such people aver that if ever
Havana is attacked or blockaded and
no stores are provided to feed the be-
sieged, the soldiers and residents win
be the first to rebel even to the extent
of blowing up the palace itself.
Everybody recognizes that there is no
food in the country districts, and it is
generally admitted that the insurgents
will keep the troops outside busy in
case Of hostilities between Spain and
the United States.
Probably not any deep interest was
felt in Sundays elections for delegates
to the cortes in Madrid, in view of
the graver matters occupying public
attention. The election, however, was
as farcical as it was showed it would
be. In many of the districts of Ha
vana not more than six bona fide votes
were cast out of hundreds who were
eligible. In one province in the in
terror, with total of over 1000 quail
tif1ed votes, the number of votes polled
was SO. The government denies these
statements and the censor refuses to
allow them to be sent direct over the
wire but all the local papers indicate
the facts plainly, indicating that the
ballot boxes were stuffed to repletion
with unvoted tickets.
1t is also said openly here that Cap
tain General Blanco and the autono-
mist secretaries should resign at once.
it being claimed that it is useless for
them to wait for the local elections Of
April "a to 26, when it is asserted the
tactics of Sunday will be repeated.
1t now appears that the results show
twenty-five autonomists and eight con-
sentative delegates were chosen, the
conservative candidates losing in Arte-
misa and Cardenas in spite of an agree
ment to the contrary entered into by
the government
Sunday was a day of much suppress
ed excitement among the Americans
here. Something strange seemed to be
in the air, while. to those whe were
not accustomed to reading similar stuff
in the yellow dodgers" calling for the
killing Of the American correspondents
at two in the afternoon it seemed full
of deadly portent. In fact, the day
was very quiet, policemen with their
rifles revolvers and swords being
much in evidence.
Every one fears great events Will
transpire in the United States without
the knowledge reaching the Americans
or the public in Havana. There is no
doubt the censorship is more rigid than
ever over both the incoming and out
going wires.