Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-15
A RUMORED ENGAGEMENT
The Cruiser Charleston Said
to Have Caught the
Itata
The Chilean Transport Re-
ported to Have Been
Blown to Pieces
The Pacific Squadron is Being
Concentrated in Chilean
Waters


City OF MeXic0Says that persistant ru
mors are In circulation there to the eifec
that the United States cruiser Charleston
overlook the Chilean vessel Itata on the
high seas and a naval engagement wa.
fonght, in which the latter was worsteC
and blown out Of the water.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 14-Rumors are
coming from the City of Mexico to the
effect that the cruiser Charleston had
overtaken the steamer Itata and had fired
upon that vessel, but are regarded here as
having no foundation.
The Charleston passed San Diego at
noon Monday. The run to Acapulco, the
nearest telegraph point below the Gull
OF California, is 300 miles, The Charles
ton was steamlng at the rate Of about
fifteen knots an hour and was seen to
move out Of her course to inspect passing
vessels, and even though pushed to the
highest point of sheed she could not reach
Acapulco before tomorrow.
Any ne ws Of her operations, therefore,
cou Id not be received through Mexican
sources before he arrival there tomorrow.
SAN FRANCISCO, May Alt was learned
last night that orders had been received
at Mare Island to have the wooden steam
cruiser Mohican ready for sea as fast as
possible, and the officers al Mare Island
ma Ike no secret Of the fact that she is
under orders to proceed to southern
waters as fast as steam and sail can drive
her.
Although IL is stated that the Mohican
Is going down to Central America to re-
lieYe the Ranger, now on that station,
still no one on board of her believes that
to be the case, as orders have been issued
for supply Of provisions far in excess of
her real needs and every pound Of coal
that can be taken on board of her will be
slowed away In her bunkers.
IL Is generally believed at Mare Island
that the government has decided to con
centrate as large fleet as possible In
Chilean waters, where 10 will remain
until the war there is over, and this be-
lief Is strengthened by the fact that the
Mohlcan Will carry quantity Of Shells
which can only be used by the
Charleston or San Francisco, and which
would not be sent down on her
II the vessel was going no farther south
than Central America. IL Is further
stated that the Pensacola is also on her
way to Chill Both the Pensacola and
Mohican have seen their best days, and
both are armed with old-fashiOned smooth
bore guns, which would make poor
showing against the modern ordinance
carried by the Chilean cruiser. Yet at
close quarters either would no doubt make
things very interesting for any Of the
Chilean fighting ships.
In spite Of all that can be done il Is be-
lieved that the Mohican will not be ready
to leave before Sunday at the earliest It
Is not known what ports she will touch at
on her way down, but, no doubt, she will
call at Acapulco, Panama and possibly at
Payta. The Mohican Is not a fast ship,
and, at her best speed, will take fifty days
10 reach Callao. without counting the DAYS
spent In the ports she will call at.
CITY OF MEXICO, May 1.-THE govern
ment has given strict orders to the port
authorities on the Pacific coast TO report
the appearance OF any Chilean or other
ships. The government has ordered the
gunboat Democratic at Acapulco to look
out for the Itata.
A private telegram has been received
announcing that fishing vessel yesterday
saw two vessels at sea off the coast going
at full speed. They were about four miles
distance, and so the fishermen were un-
able to distinguish them.
Rumors continue to be circulated that
the ltata has been sunk by the Charles
ton. The Itata is said TO have returned
the Charleston's fire, and to have been
blown to pieces by the cruisers guns. The
affair Is represented as occurring outside
the three mile limit, but the reports can
not be traced to an authentic source.
WASHINGTON, May l4-There Is no news
OF the Itata or Charleston at the navy de-
partment this morning. No crcdence Is
given TO the report that the Charleston
has sunk the Itata. In the first place IL Is
said the news OF such an event could only
be received through the arrival of the
Charleston at some port connected with
telegraph lines, which has not so far
occurred.
In the second place, nobody supposes
the ltata would resist the Charleston, for
she Is totally unprepared TO do so, and
even II she attempted IL, the Charleston
could easily subdue her without resortlng
to the extreme measure OF blowing her
out Of the water as II is rumored she has
done.