OTHER ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, 30 April 1898, Page 2

OTHER ITEMS.

The Spanish Budget provides for a naval credit of 90,000,009 pesetas and the issue of bonds for 100,000,. 000.

Tbe Standard states that hopeless confusion prevails at Washington in War Department, and the country is demanding that greater vigour be shown.

BOMBARDMENT OF MATANZA.

Three American war-ships bom barded Matanzas with a view to preventing the construction of earthworks. The bombardment lasted nearly an hour. Much damage was done.

Tbe shore batteries replied, but the warships were not touched. Naval experts declare the protected cruisers belonging to Admiral Dnvey's pquadron, which recently left Hongkong for the Phillipines, are superio-r to the Spanish cruisers, though tho Spaniards have a moro nnmerous fleet.

BOMBARDMENT OF HAVANA. The cruisers New York (8,200 tons, 17,401 horsepower, 21 knots, 484 men), Puritan (6,060 tons, 8700 horse-power, 12*4 knots, 220 men), and tbe Cincinnati (8,188 tons, 10,---000 horse-power, 19 knots, 295 men), „ bombarded the forts at tbe mouth oftjL Havana Harbor on Thursday . Three hundred shots were fired, doing great execution. The earthworks were demolished, some of the guns dismantled, and mnny pf the Spanish garrison killed. Tbe Spaniards fired twenty-five shots in return, but did no damage. Tbe discipline and markmanship of tbe American gunners was excellent, to The New York Herald reports that two thousand marines and sailors will be landed at Cuba on Saturday, aud will act in conjunction with nineteen thousand. insurgents. Assisted by the fleet they will make a combined attack on Havana.