batteries, and quite a large force is concentrated there for the defence
of the city.

Little, if any, news comes from the blockading squadron off the north
coast of Cuba; there are, from time to time, reports of engagements and
the landing of troops; but official news has not yet been given out,
and for this we must wait until the Government deems it advisable to
publish it. Several regiments have been embarked at Mobile, and by this
time are supposed to be off the coast of Cuba; they started in high
spirits, and there was a great deal of enthusiasm on the part of the
people who saw them start. They have probably gone by way of Tampa, and
been joined there by the other transports.

A great quantity of ammunition and supplies will be sent with the
troops, so that they may not suffer from lack of material to make the
invasion successful.

One of our New York papers publishes a letter, written by a young girl
in Havana to a friend in New York; it gives an excellent idea as to the
true state of affairs in Cuba. Among other things, she says:

"Our fisherman brought in some papers from New York, and what a lot of
lies they contain! My father and all the other officials say that we
have food here for five months--flour, codfish, beans, and
groceries--all brought down from New York, and salted meat from
Montevideo. . . .

"Pa says that if you Americans had attacked Havana when you declared war
it would have surrendered in five hours, but that it is now fortified so
that it is strong as Gibraltar. You know, they built a great big