Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-05
THE CHASED TRANSPORT.
She Hid from the American Cruisers q
Tocopilla.

She Hid from the American Cruisers at
Tocopilla.
New YORK, June 5.-The Herald
prints the following special:
IQUIQUE, Chill, June 3.-The excite
ment and rejoicing recently caused here
by the news that the United States
cruiser Charleston had arrived at Callao,
without having so much rs caught sight
of the insurgent transport Itata were as
nothing compared to the situation and
enthusiasm created Wednesday when
word was received that the Itata had ar
rived at Tocopilla.
Immediately upon hearing this well
come intelligence the insurgent authori-
ties sent back orders to the commander
of the Itata to lose no time in coming on
to this port. 1t is therefore believed that
the Itata will arrive here Ftiday. An
ovation awaits her, her captain and her
crew. The pursuit of the transport by
the cruiser Charleston has been naturally
followed with the keenest interest by
the inhabitants of this town. The dis
patch of the Itata's commander was
very brief. We shall have to await her
arrival here to learn the details of her
famous run from San Diego, Cal.
| am informed, however, that the
commander of the Itata reports that he
did not see any trace of his pursuer. It
is generally believed here that the Itata
made a transfer of her arms and am
munition to the Esmeralda off the Mex
ican coast. While this rlmor prevails
it lacks confirmation. Nothing, ap-
parently, is said about it in the report of
the Itatas captain to his superiors. 1t
is not thought likely, however, that the
insurgents would order the Itata here if
she had the arms and ammunition still
on board 1t may be that she has
already discharged her cargo at TOGO
pilla.
At any rate, if she has got rid of it in
any way by transfer to the Esmeralda
or by landing it on the Chill coast, it
may be that her being ordered here is in
accordance with the report already sent
out that the insurgents intend to turn
her over to the United States govern
ment in order that the question of viola
ton of the neutrality laws may be fully
tested in the Federal courts of your
country. Whatever action is taken the
skill of the Itatas commander in reach
ing here in safety, despite the great
efforts put forth by the United States
government to recapture her on the high
seas, is the subject of praise on every
hand.
Tocopilla is a little over 100 miles
south of Iquique and is in the north
western part of the province of Ataca-
ma. A few miles southeast of Tocopilla
is Cobija, with population of some
5000 inhabitants and some eighty miles
south is Antofagasta. Cobija is a rail
way terminus. All around Tocopilla
are desert plains and arid hills. 1t is
Just the spot for the wideawake captain
of the Itata to run in his vessel.
The nearness of Cobija would enable
him to reach an important railroad cen
ter if necessary, while in the small port
of Tocopilla no one would expect to find
the Itata. 1t would seem that the Itata's
commander was fully apprised from
source, doubtless the Esmeralda, as
already reported, that a sharp chase
after the Itata was being maintained
and that it was best to make for some
small port in the insurgent territory and
to steer clear of Iquique, where the
United States cruisers were collecting.
The shrewd captain of the transport
therefore has come as near to the danger
line at Tocopilla as he deemed it safe to
do. Now that his superiors have order
ed him to return, all responsibility is
taken off his shoulders. 1t is not he who
surrenders his ship, If it is to be surren-
dered, but the insurgent authorities.
Tocopilla is about 300 miles north of the
port of Caldera, where the Blanco En-
calada was sunk, and is one of the ports
closed by President Balmaceda's decree
of May 4.