The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-09
mr.. TRACY SEEMS DISCREET.
He Refuses Information of the
ChiIian Affair.
The General Belief IL That the Cruiser
Charleston VIII be Sent In Pursuit of
the Itata--An Preparations Point
That Way, While Positive Information
of the Sort is Claimed in Frisco.

WASHINGTON, May Especial The
policy of the government with respect
to the escaped Gillian vessel Itata is
still an official secret. Secretary Tracy
this morning refused to discuss tho mat
ter at ALL Officers whose business it is
to transmit orders to our naval vessels
are almost as uncommunicative. There
can be no doubt of the fact that the
government is extremely anxious to ex-
hibit all possible zeal in an effort to re-
capture the vessel so as to evade any
unpleasant consequences that might
arise through presentation .of a claim
for damages on behalf of the CHILEAN
government. Naval officers are very
sceptical of the ability of our ships to
recapture the Itata under the circum-
stances attending her flight.
1t is not possible to get definite
or authentic answer to the question:
"Will the Charleston be sent after the
Itata?" All the information vouc,i-
safed is that the Charleston two weeks
ago was ordered to coal and get ready
for sea at the earliest moment. For
malities attending President Harrison's
reception at San Francisco necessarily
delayed these preparations, but it is
understood that they are now actively
under way. Single-handeds even the
fleet Charleston. would have great diff
Guilty in catching the Itata. The South
American vessel may be 500 miles ahead
of the Charleston when the latter starts
on her chase, and the variation of a
point or two of the compass would soon
separate the two vessels by many
leagues, so that the Charleston might
pass the ltata without knowing it On
this account it is probable that if the
Navy Department is readily satisfied OF
it's right to seize a CHILEAN vessel on high
seas and is determined to do so. it must
rely largely on United States vessels
South. So far, it is said no move has
been made in that direction, but the de-
partmont may at any moment cable to
Admiral Mccain, who is on tho Gillian
coast with the Pensacola and Baltimore,
and to Admiral brown, who is on the
San francisco somewhere off Peru, to
cndeavor to head off the runaway
a San francisco story printed this
morning to the effect that Balsed as'
armed transport, Imperiale, is lowering
oil the coast OF California to capture the
ltata, is said at the Navy Department
| to be without foundation, for Admiral
McCanns last report showed that q
month ago the 1mperiale was shut off in
Valparaiso harbor by an insurgent fleet
and 1T would be manifestly impossible
for her to have reached California since
then.
CALIFORNIA VIEW OF IT.
SAN FRANCISCO, May ESPECIAL T.
The Alta California has positive in
formation thatthe United States steamer
| Charleston will sail for San Diego to day
in persuit of the Gillian ship ltata.
Secretary Tracy tclegraphed special
orders yesterday, and the Charleston at
once left Ware Island anchoring off
San Francisco. Instead of taking her
usual anchorage she went behind Goat
Island out of sight.
Her ostensible purpose in coming
down is to go outside and try her guns
Officers and men have been ordered to
be on board at O'clock this morning.