Mr. Olney to Mr. Dupuy de Lôme.

Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your information copy of a letter just received from Messrs. E. Atkins & Co.

Accept, etc.,

Richard Olney.
[Inclosure.]

Messrs. E. Atkins & Co. to Mr. Uhl.

Dear Sir: A cable this moment received from our Soledad property at Cienfuegos advises the further burning of eight caballerias of cane (266 acres) on the tenancy of Beal & Co.

As the scene of active operations is now far removed from our vicinity, and as this particular tenancy is without any protection by armed men, the sole object would seem to be that of wanton destruction of property.

Letters received yesterday from this same tenancy report the destruction by fire on the 16th, which was advised by cable, as amounting to some 1,500 tons of cane. A letter from our general manager at Soledad, also at hand yesterday, referring to his cable of destruction upon the 16th, reports losses of cane on other tenancies belonging to Soledad, at that date, as amounting to 4,400 tons in addition to the amount mentioned above.

We estimate the total amount of cane destroyed on our Soledad property up to the present date at about 40,000 tons.

Yours, etc.,

E. Atkins & Co.