The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-14
CHASING TIE ITATA.
Nature of Captain Remy'S Sealed
Instructions.

The sensational dispatches from Acapulco
and the City of Mexico, which appeared ex-
clusiyely in yesterdays issue of The CALL,
were the subject of general comment
throughout the day in every part of the city.
On the water front especially the correct
ness of the information contained In them
was freely criticized, and it was the car
census of opinion that if any cruiser is fol-
lowing in the wake of the Itata it Is her
convoy, the Esmeralda.
In support of their theory the nautical
gentlemen figured out that the Charleston
would be doing well on such trip in ma k
ing a 15-knot record, and, taking that for a
basis of calculation, she could not reach
Acapulco before Friday evening. II the
ltata and her convoy are there then 1t is
impossible to predict what may happen but
the retired mariners want to be put on rec
ord as believing that in case of conflict
CalifOrnia'S first built cruiser will render a
good account of herself. Indeed, so frm is
their faith in American pluck that they will
feel personally aggrieved unless an Oppor-
tunity is afforded the Charles ton for brush
with the Saucy Chileans.
LIKELIHOOD OF GRATIFICATIoN.
In this they are likely to be gIatified, If
the late Eastern dispatches can be relied
upon. According to them Captain Remy
was instructed to capture the Itata at all
hazard and return her to San Diego. His
instructions even outlined the CharlestOn's
course, directing her after leaving San Diego
to steer along the coast in a straight line so
as to pass close to PaYta, the most prom
inent point Of land on the Peruvian coast,
some miles north of Iquique. This does
away with the idea that the Charleston VIII
will give the Itata a stern chase off toward
the Hawaiian Islands-the direction in
which she started-and thence toward Chile.
A well-knoWn admiralty lawyer, on being
interviewed regarding the legal points in
volved in the contemplated seizure OF the
Itata, said substantially that lowing that
the Itata did not take on arms or munitions
Of war Of any sort within the jurisdiction OF
the United States, her case IS unlike that OF
the British sealerS. which cOOlly ran away
with the officers placed IN chargs of them.
The sealers were only private vessels, owned
by private individuals.
Of course, the United States does not
recognize in its attempt to seize the Itata
that she HIS any legal standing or that she
represents any regularly constituted Govern
ment. Taking that view of The case she is,
of course, only a private vessel, a Drivateer,
if you please. But, as a matter of fact, she
is invested with a sort of dignity by reason
Of the standing which the Congressional
faction mas managed to maintain in its con-
test with Balmaceda,
IN THE SERVICE OF A PARTY.
"She is in reality in the service of party
which is very likelv to be soon at the head
Of affairs in Chile" said the speaker, =" so
the offcnse is graveT against the dignity Of
the United States than the similar defiance
of our authority by the Canadian sealerS
was.
This touches only one phase of the case.
The United States Government has a some
what complex set of considerations in view
Of thi, business. / hope that the ltata sue
ceeds in reaching Mexican or some other
jurisdiction, and so may eyade the United
States cruisers. l don't believe that the
United States Government wants her, or
would know what to do with her if she was
already captured.
We may not catch her, but it is business
to chase her. 1t is business for Us to main
tain amity with all the world. Especially
after the experience we had in the Alabama
case we are bound to show TO the world that
we intend to be neutral and that we do not
mean to have our neutrality laws violated
with impunity."