Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-13

MeX1CO C1iy, FGD. lZ-VMeXIcOsS CAp1- tai was torn asunder again today by shot and shell. It was not until 2 o'clock tonight that the fire in al quarters ceased.
 General Felix Diaz, in command o1 the rebel forces, fortified and en- trenched in and around the arsenal had held bis ground against the fed erals He had done more than this He has subjected the city to a more terrible bombardmeit than that ot yesterday. He had enlarged his zone of action and had sent forces against the national palace.
 Madero Still Optimistic.
 But tonight Madero was optimistic Throughout the bombardment and the almost continuous rattle of machine guns and rines. the president wen1 about his work Tn the palace appar- ently unperturbed- He took counse frequently with the finance minister Ernesto Madero. From time to time he was in conversation with Genera Huerta, the commander in chief, re- garding the plans Of attack. His cour- age was great his confidence remark able.
 Over at the arsenal General Diaz calmly directed the operations. He characterized them as solely defensive He, too, was optimistic.
 The number of dead and wounded cannot even be estimated. but 1t Is large. For two hours during the fore
 
 and shell at the lofty structures of the city, from the roofs Of which federal sharpshooters and machine gunmen had attempted to rake the insurgents In the trenches and behind the barri- rades of the arsenal.
 The shells from the heavy guns were we'll timed. the explosions throwing perhaps hundreds of thousands of bull lets into the roofs, effectually clearing for a time at least these buildings of the picked men from the federal troops.
 Some shells and not a few rifle bull lets reached the national palace, al- though none did serious damage, but 1t is not believed that Diaz seriously contemplates at the present time an attack on Madero's headquarters.
 Prisoners Released, Join Rebels.
 Madero has promised to make a combined assault on the rebels posi- tionS tomorrow. but the operations of reserve. On the first day of the battle it was the government forces that burned their powder. Today it was the rebels turn to be aggressive. Diaz brought forth heavier guns than he . had used before.
 Two threatening features of the day were the appearance in the outskirts of the city of Zapatistas who harrass- ed the government troops. and the re- lease from the Belem jail of several thousand prisoners. Some of the lat ter have joined the rebel ranks, but others are foot free and may turn to footing.
 Vain Protests of Diplomats.
 The American ambassador and the ministers of Great Britain, Germany and Spain made protests to both Ma dero and Diaz against the "barbarous and inhunan warfare but their pro- tests have been in vain. A brief arn1is- t1ce was arranged for visit of the f7T TT11ra a1+e kI,< SJ x@ 4I,1 rebel commander, but in general the continuity of the days operations was interrupted but slightly The staccato note of the machine guns was seldom silent and there was at no time long interval between the roars of the cannon
 American Embassy Safe.
 The British legation was under the &&eel fire for a time, but the, American embassy is considered to be in com parattvely safe district. On this ac- count, the women and children are be- Ing brought to that section and an American guard protects them. Dur ing a lul1 in the fighting, automobiles flying the white flag were sent to the various quarters of the city by the Americans, Germans and British for the purpose Of collecting the women and children of all nationalitfes and they will be housed in the buildings around the embassy.
 At S.30 tonight the firing had grown very light Only at rare intervals did the booming of a cannon remind the people that the conflict had not end ed.
 Liquor Causing Trouble
 In their positions the federal sol dfers are resting on their arms, and here and there are small squads giving trouble to their officers because of liquor, which makes them inclined to shoot without orders.
 As yet the native residents do not know that possibly American marines may be landed. as the news from Washington arrived too late for publi- cation.
 Owing to martial law and the en- forced refusal of the telegraph man agement to accept messages freely, no reliable information has been re- ceived here concerning the situation in other parts of Mexico, although fl is reported that disorders have broken out in Vera Cruz from which the cen- tral government is said to have drawn even the police to assist in crushing Diaz.
 White Flag Fired Upon.
 From early morning the sharp crack Of rifles or the crash Of cannon could be heard in some quarters of the city almost every minute of the day. some times close. sometimes for distant. The diplomatic representatives of four powers protested. and an armistice was arranged so that an envoy from tfrese diplomats could enter the rebel lines and confer with Dfaz But, douftiess owing to ffle inability of the federal commander to control all points on his lines. this envoy was fired upon ytae troops, although rid ing under a white flag.
 Diplomats Visit Madero.
 The American ambassador, Henry Lane Wilson the British minister, F. ". GtxeneA the German zn1nfstars Herz