St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-20
THE CHARLEsToN's CHASE.
No News Whatever From the Chill
ian or American Craft.

No News Whatever From the Chill
ian or American Craft.
WASHINGTON, May 19.-Not word of
news of the Charleston or the Itata was
received at the navy department to-day.
A cablegram in cipher came from Ad-
miral Brown, aboard the San Fran
cisco, now at Iquique, Chilli,
which gave employment to the transla-
tors for some time; but Secretary Ira
cey declined to say what news it con-
tanned The secretary said tonight that
the commander of the Charleston could
seize the inSurgent steamer Itata in
Chilian waters, although he declined to
say whether or not she would
do so, in case the Itata
is not captured until she gets into those
waters. The movements of the Charles
ton are under the direct command of
Commodore McCann, now on the BaIti-
more at Iquique. He has large discre-
tGonary powers regarding the future
course of the Charleston, and on him
would probably devolve determina-
ton as to whether or not the Itata
should be seized in her own waters.
The navy department does not expect
any news from the Charleston before
she reaches Panama, which is about
four days from Acapulco, Mexico,
whence the vessel sailed Monday night.
NEW YORK, May ia special to the
Mail and Express from Acapulco says:
1t seems now certain that the Esmeralda
must have recourse to some desperate
means to secure coal, for coal she must
have if she is to get back to
Chill. 1t is announced to-day that the
Pacific Mail Steamship company
has ordered its agent here not
to sell the Esmeralda any coal under
any circumstances. This order was
communicated to the commander of the
Esmeralda, and it is now thought ex-
tremely probable that the Chilian will
coal by force. This is thought
the more probable, as it is
now almost certainly known
that the Esmeralda's captain is
now i'll command of the Itata, having
boarded her when the two vessels met
off this port Friday night. Should the
acting captain of the Esmeralda decide
to take coal by force, there is absolutely
nothing to prevent him from haul
ing his vessel alongside the
coal hulkS and taking what he
wants, for the forts are worth
less as against modern ordnance, and
the ESmeralda could, if molested, lay
Acapulco in ruins in half hour. The
mexican authorities Will hardly be
likely to offer any opposition to a power
full ship like the Esmeralda, and thus
bring a bombardment upon the town.
Neyerthelesstherei is intense excitement.
There is Discrimination on the part of
the officers of the Pacific Mail Steam
ship company to talk about the COM
pany's action touching the sale of coal
10 the Esmeralda. Vice President
Houston was not willing to state spe-
officially whether or not the cOmpany's
agent at Acapulco had been or
dered not to sell the Esmeralda coal.
He said, however. that the only other
stations along that coast where she
could get coal are San Diego and San
Francisco.
CITY OF MEXICO, via Galveston, Nav
ia dispatch from Acapulco SAYS that
the Esmeralda'S officers finished buying
provisions last night, and that it is
believed at Acapulco that the Esmer-
aida secretly loaded some coal and was
to receive more this morning outside
the harbor. Dispatches received here
from the Pacific coast seem to indicate
that the Itata is already far out of reach
of the United States warship Charleston.
From these dispatches it also appears
that the ltata passed outside of Aca-
pulco at noon Friday last, and that the
Charleston reached the port Saturday.