The San Francisco call., 1898-03-07
LATEST TRICK
 OF SPANIARDS Making a Pretense of h. vestigating the Maine
 Disaster.
Divers Have Made Up Their Minds and No Longer
 Attempt to Work.
It Is Now Believed at Havana That the United States Will First
 Attack There.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

HAVANA, March s (via Key West, FIa.).-As the conviction becomes set tied that the Court of Inquiry will de- eide that there was a mine explosion under the Maine. discussion among American naval officers and civilians here is prevalent as to the warlke measures which it is believed the Unit ed States Government will adopt in case the question of the payment of indemnity by Spain is overruled. A majority believe that American troops will be landed at some port east of Havana and the insurgents communi- cated with, that the Spanish soldiery will be defeated or captured in detail, and that in the meantime a fleet of United States vessels will blockade, if not lombard Havana. No one seems to doubt that the reduction of this city would be comparatively easy. Four twelve-inch guns, two west and two east of the city, are the only ones that are considered dangerous. These are not likely to be well served, while their emplacements are not modern.
 That some Spaniards are of the opin- ion that an attack on Havana will be made, is believed to be shown by the abnormal activity displayed on board the ViZcaya. One correspondent has the best naval authority for the state ment that the Vizcaya is in a constant state of readiness for emergencies, and that picket boats are on the alert day and night inside the harbOr and out side the harbor at night.
 It Is pointed out that the men-of-war ViZcaya and Almirante Oquendo might ba iy, da fon prey to a United States feet The cruiser Alfonso XIII is without boilers, and would be of no account. All this discussion of the probability of war among the Americans and Spaniards proves nothing, and only shows the state of feeling here.
 The conduct of the Spanish divers who are Investigating the wreck of the Maine is a mystery. Thus far, they have not been down five hours in the aggregate, and they show no disposi- tion to make thorough inquiry.
 It is impossible to learn the truth fully regarding the purpose of the Spanish court of inquiry, but it is gen orally believed that the divers went down for forms sake only and that report will be made in accordance with instructions from Madrid It may be that the Spanish divers have dis covered that the whole port side of the Maine forward is gone, and, having so reported. further examination Is deemed unnecessary. The work of our own divers henceforward is bound to be slow, owing to the ponderous weights to be moved and the safety clamps, nuts and rivets that must be cut
 Senator Proctor Is likely to make a speech in the Senate on his return that will have great weight in determining the future policy of the United States. He is much affected by the suffering that he found in Matanzas and highly indignant at what he calls the 'inhu- manity of the course pursued"
 During a visit to Artemisa, this prov ince. he. saw thousands of reconcentra- dos who refused to beg, though starv- ing. They were evidently of a class accustomed to make theIr living and unwilling to become paupers. He saw thousands of acres of the best tobacco and banana lands in the world reduced to waste, with trochas and garrisons at every village and cross-road. His driver, pointing to the mountains miles away, said: There are plenty of in- surgent camps there that the Spanish have never discovered"
 The work of distribution of American relief under Miss Clara Barton, MT. El- we'll and their assistants is, in Senator Proctor's judgment, carefully and ef- fectiyely carried on. The demand is far in excess of the supply. The sup plies expected at Matanzas and Sagua la Grande, to be brought by American cruisers, will afford unspeakable relief.
 Now that the Almirante Oquendo and the Vizcaya are lying in the harbor the Spaniards exultingly declare that their city is safe, and it is given out officially in the newspapers that the new arrival is of the same size. armament ana as the Vizcaya.