The San Francisco call., 1898-03-09
AW AITINC THE
 BIG CRUISER Much Interest at Havana Over the Coming of
 the Montgomery. Spanish Warships in the Har- bor Bunched and a Berth
 Made Vacant.
Now the Naval Court Of Inquiry Seems to Be Purposely Pro-
 longing the Investigation.
Copyrighted, 1898. by James Gordon Bennett

Copyrighted,
 HAVANA, March 8.-The arrival Of the cruiser Montgomery is awaited with much interest by Americans here. The Fern moved this afternoon rom the buoy where she had been previous ly moored, at point near the Alm1rante OQuendo, and took a berth near the op- posite side of the harbor. The Spanlsh cruiser Alfonso XII later in the day moved down to the anchorage vacated by the Fern, thus leaving the position recently held by the Alfonso XII free for the Montgomery on her arrival Practically the effect of these orders of the Spanish admiral is to bunch the Spanish ships together in the same sec tion of the harbor, and in immediate vicinity of the Maine wreck and Man grove, while the Montgomery Will He about half a mile further up from the mouth of the harbor.
 The Fern is all ready to sail as soon as the Montgomery arrives, and the ne- cessary transfer of diving apparatus and Captain Sigsbee's and Ensign PoW- elson's effects can be made 10 the cruiser. Ensign Powelson is a resu- | larIy attached officer Of the Fern, put | that vessel will sail on her mlsSlon oi mercy, to carry relief to Matanzas ana Sagua without Powelson, as the court | of Inquiry at present regdruS HIS eeA vices here as indispensable.
 CaDtain Sigsbee, Lieutenant-CoH- mander Wainwright and other officers | now chartered on the Fern, Who are detailed to duty in connection Wlth t1e l Maine wreck, will transfer tne1r heau- nnarters to the Montgomery. The Bache will return to coast survey duty oh wbich she was engaged before the eX- nlosion Bodies received hereafter are to he transported to Key West by the Plant line. A ao,, oon- tinued its examination ot ui'eIo ar,ir, ~ z, again gave considerable or the illor to close personal inspection or the l forUard nortion of the wreck. Chaplaln | Cbidwick boarded the wreck and dlV- inc floats. in company with Naval con structor Hoover and George Helins' lne ships carpenter to the MalIe. ,,o
 Powelson was not aboard the Mall .,roye to-day. but was continually con- | Suited on and around the wreck. III | contrast with the previous appearance | of great activity, the members oI liie court to-day went about the WorK III | leisurely manner, which reVlVeS the iili- pression formerly prevalent that lo use a sporting expression, they are again 1 snarring for wind, or rather for time, instead of following up their leads with | Ioore hard blows. There is no prospect now of the court finishing here before inc end of the week, and it may remain longer.
 AS vet I see no reason to modify the s+atenent cabled to the Herald week ar more ago that the public can hardly expect report on the cause of the Maine disaster before the latter part Of l this month.
 Captain Sigsbee has not communi- cated with Washington regarding his recall, but Is nevertheless anxious to wind up his work here and get away His health is gradually falling since
 the Maine's destruction and now that
 he is no longer sustained by excite
 ment he fears a collapse. His case IS
 not serious, but he seldom appears 1n the city now, feeling unable to get
 about. He remains aboard the Fern most of the time.
 The Diario de la Marina declares that Lieutenant Blandin talked so freely as
 10 make himself objectionable to Ma drid and Washington. The same news
 paper continues: It is to the interest of both Governments that the court of inquiry be explicit in Its findings, and for the court to say the explosion was
 due to an unknown cause will be un- l satisfactory It must say whether the
 explosion was due to external or in
 ternal causes. The same paper inti-
 mates that Spain may expect the
 United States to demand a heavy in- demnity.
 Several skirmishes are officially re- ported The scenes of the greatest activity are in mar del Rio, Havana Matanzas and Santa Clara provinces
 The most important engagement was on the estate of Managua, in Pinar del Rio, between the forces of the Spanish
 general Hernandez Velasco, and the Insurgents under Pino Guerra. The rebels were dispersed after a fierce at tack by the San Quintin battalion and civil guards. he rebel loss was heavy many wounded being carried from the field. The Spanish lost two killed and had ten wounded. including Captain Verdugo and Major Ripoles.
 General Ceballos and the Lealtad bat talion engaged Rafael Cardenas and Alfredo Lima at Majagual in Havana province, killing four rebels. They de . feated them again at Vigia Hill. The Spanish loss was small. General Gomez is reported to be moving slowly west | d