The San Francisco call., 1898-03-24
STAINS INQUIRY STILL GOES ON Blanco Objects to Blow ing Up the Wreck
 of the Maine. There Is Great Activity in Com pleting the Defenses of
 Havana. Miss Barton Suddenly Announces That She Will Abandon Re-
 lief Work in Cuba.
Copyrighted, 1898. by James Gordon Bennett

Copyrighted. 1898. by James Gordon Bennett
 HAVANA, March 23.-It will not be possible to begin the use of dynamite to expedite the disintegrating of the Maine wreck until after the Spanish divers have finished the work now be- ing done for the Spanish Board of 1n- quiry.
 In reply to Captain Sigsbee's request for permission to begin the use of dynamite tomorrow he received this morning a most courteous but firm re- fusal in a note from Captain General Blanco. The Captain General pointed out in diplomatic language the advisa- bility of permitting the Maine's bottom to be undisturbed by dynamite. at least until after the conclusion of the span ish inquiry now pending.
 The report of the American Court of Inquiry having now been finished, it would appear indiscreet for the Ameri- can officers by the nasty use of dyna- mite to expose themselves to the pos sibIe charge of destroying the evidence on which their conclusions were based. Sigsbee sees the force of this sugges- tion and will not press the matter, at least until the Spanish inquiry is fin iShed.
 Captain Sigsbee and all the other officers of the Maine now here, except Lieutenant Commander Wainwright, will probably be ordered north next Saturday. MT. Wainwright will con- tinue in charge of the wreck of the Maine, directing the work of the wrecking company. Captain Sigsbee is very anxious to get away and rarely comes ashore now. Those who will probably leave here with him are Chief Paymaster Ray, Surgeon Henneberger and Naval. Cadets Holden and Clu- veriuS.
 General Blanco just now seems de- termined to demonstrate to the Volun- teers that they are no longer a power has no desire to curry favor with them Yesterday Blanco appointed to a high position under the colonial Gov ernment Luis Capdevila, young lad whose only claim upon the Government is the long standing enmity existing between his family and the volunteers. His father, Frederico Capdevila, was attorney for the medical students who were shot in the massacre of lStl. lie fought bravely to save the lives or those boys and never ceased to regard their execution as murder. His son refused to join the volunteers orgai1- Zation, which was responsible for the execution of the students, and for that reason his appointment to office at this time is significant
 Senor Dolz. autonomist leader and Secretary of Public Works under the Colonial Government, is responsible for Capdevila's appointment and he IS ac- cordingly the object of bitter hatred among the conservatives.
 Feverish haste is displayed by those having charge of the. coast defense work in the neighborhood of Havana. Large forces of men are at dork on the entertainments about the new batteries, which have been installed at Venedao. A drive along the shore road yesterday demonstrated that the Government Is not misleading itself regarding peace, neither is it wasting any time.
 In addition to those at work upon the defenses, forces of men were busy making ready ammunition for any emergency. Visitors are strictly barred from entering any of the reservations, and all along the shore road sentries are posted who closely Scrutinize all passers-by, and those who appear too curious are promptly turned back.
 In Morro Castle it Is said that there is great activity, too, and that large forces of men are at work, though just what they are doing is secret which has not yet reached the public. An officer of the American navy recently told me that there are good reasons for believing Morro contains a number of masked batteries of heavy guns, whose presence will some day be dis closed, by breaking through port holes, this work having been completed eX- cept for a few inches of stone on the outer surface, which was left to conceal the guns from the curious eyes of those entering the harbor.
 As predicted in previous dispatches to the Herald, Miss Clara Barton has withdrawn from relief work in Cuba, and though she says she may return it is known that the Red Cross has practically given up the field. This condition of affairs is the result of sev- eral weeks of friction between Miss Barton and those in America who have directed the work of relieving the re- concentrates. This friction was trans ferred to Havana with the coming of Louis Klopsch the third member of the committee appointed by President Mckinley, the other members being former Mayor Charles A. Schieren of Brooklyn and Stephen Barton.
 When MT. klopSch arrived in Havana two weeks ago he says he found the relief work at standstill because of the incompetency of some of Miss Bar tons assistants. Some provisions were decaying in the warehouses while the starving continued to Starve and die.
 Miss Barton admitted that this con- ditfon existed to a certain extent, but declared 1t was the result of the inter- ference of the Spanish officials and was not due to the negligence of any one connected with the Red Cross work
 Nevertheless, several stormy inter- views took place between Miss Barton and MT. Klopsch, the former seemins to think that because of the contribu- tion of $1O,000 made by the committee of which he was a member he could attempt undue interference. Twice Miss Barton rendered in return check for $10000, saying she would be relieved of the responsibility 1t implied, and each time MT. Klopsch refused.
 To-day matters came to crisis when Miss Barton suddenly announced that business affairs necessitated her immediate return to Washington ana she would sail on the Olivette this af- ternoon, taking Dr. Eagan with her. This news astonished all concerned in the relief work, but she would not be