Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-05-28
The Washington officials Refuse to
Say Anything Regarding
the Affair.
But the Charleston Has Started South
and Has Passed San
Diego.
It is Now Conceded that u Gillian
WarShip Accompanied
the Itata.

| deserters from the ltata who escaped from
that steamer at San Diego. 1t was at
first doubted that one of the most power
full of the Gillian war ships should go so
far from the Chilian coast at this juno
ture, but it is now definitely known that
the Esmeralda is in port at Acapulco on
the Mexico coast, which fact the navy
department at Washington was probably
fully advised of when orders we're is
sued to the Charleston. An effort to
keep the destination of the Charleston
secret, therefore, was natural, as the rep
| resentatives of the GILLIAN insurgents
would be prompt to advise the Esmer-
aida of the intention of the American gov
eminent to seize the ltata, and it is now
deemed probable that the Esmeralda will
cruise toward San Lucas in hope of
meeting the Itata before the Charleston
can arrive, and protect the cargo and
the crew from seizure if possible. Apart
from other considerations it is now
known that on board of the Itata was
the commander of the Esmeralda and a
large portion of her crew, and presum-
ably, portion of the Emeralda' s second
airy battery, there is, therefore; strong
incentive on the part of the Chiliaan war
ship to meet the Itata and prevent her
being conveyed back tc American waters
The fact that there appears now a very
strong likelihood of the meeting of the
two evenly matched war ships under
conditions that will require fine manage
nent to prevent fight Is thoroughly
recognized by the naval men on the
coast. The orders to Captain Remy of
the Charleston are we'll authenticated
to be binding in the matter of
the recapture of the Itata if
sighted and on the part of the
Esmeralda it is believed as
fully that she will fight if she can reach
the scene in time. The Charleston and
Esmerelda are similar, ships as to gpner-,
al plan and possess nearly the same arm
ament The Esmeralda, however, has
two pivot guns of ten-inch calibre, with
a weight Of twenty tons each, while the
Charleston has two eight-inch rifles, fore
and aft, weighing twelve and one-half
tons. This is regarded by some critics
| as outmatching the Charleston in case of
| fight, but apart from these guns the
| armament of the two ships are practical
ly che same. The Charleston is the
| swiftest ship, and, while never in action.
she has a splendid crew and fighting
commander. The Charleeton reached
San Pedro shortly after 5 o'clock this
morning and was sighted ten miles out
off point Iona, having made the ninety
mile run in six hours, or at a fifteen knot
gait. There we're additional orders await
ing her at San Diego, but she kept on
her southwark course without stopping.
There are no telegraph stations south of
Ensenada, just south of the boundary
line in Lower California, so that
save such meagre information
as may be brought north by one of the
coast steamers, nothing further is likely
to be heard from her or the Itata until
the Charleston returns or is heard from
at some of the Mexican ports, which can.
not occur before Thursday or Friday.
A correspondent writing from Santiago
Chill, under date of April 3d. says: "The
Balmaceda government seems to have
abandoned all hope Of retaking the Para
phaca district, and now confines itself tc
defense of the territory remaining. There
are about 10000 troops under Genera
Valasques and the presidential party, but
as these volunteers have been taken by
force from their homes they seek every
opportunity to shirk. Since several hun
dred embarked on man-of-war a shor
distance from ValeZ, and later on, JUS
back of the hills of Valparaiso, at Lagu
ma, the other troops deserted in the sam,
manner. It is not known yet where tn
next landing of the opposition forces vii
take place, but many report that it vii
be in close proximity OF Valparaiso. The
| political prisons are full of prisoners ant
each day the number increases. Their
are nearly 10000 soldiers in and arount
Valparaiso and as many more about San
tiago. It Is doubtful if they will fight il
the entire bodies. AS is we'll known
there is dissatisfaction among them. Be
sides this it is estimated that two-third
of the population of the country are op
posed to the present governing powers.
| WASHINGTON OFFICIALS SILENT.
WASHINGTON, May 18.-Secretar,
Tracy. this afternoon sent out word iron
his Office that he had nothing to say abou
the Chilian vessel Itata or the Charles
ton, and Commodore Ramsey, chief o
the navigatian bureau, said he was not a
liberty to say anything whatever on tn,
subject. The official mind of the depart
ment is evidently in dread that possible
unguarded admission to reporter nigh
result in the disclosure of plan of cam
paign in which the entire available pava
force in the Pacific is arrayed against on
steamer whose warlike character has no
yet been demonstrated. Certainly til,
government appears to be making extra
ordinary efforts to recapture tie Itata
for in addition to calling Admirals Brow,
and Mccain, to head off the runawa.
before she reaches Chilian waters, it i
understood that instructions had beel