Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-20
A QUESTION OF COAL.
The Esmeralda May Have to Take
Some by Force to Get Away.
MEXICANS COULD NOT STOP IT.
The Guns of the Rebel Cruiser Practically
All-POwerful.
ANOTHER STATEMENT MADE BY TRACY

New York, May ia special from Aca-
| pulco saws: 1t seems now certain that the
| Esmeralda must have recourse to some des-
| perate means to secure coal, for coal she
must have if she is to get back to Chile. 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 Es-
meralda, and it is now thought probable
! that the Chilean will take coal by force
This is thought the more probable as
1t is now almost certainly known
that the Esmeralda's captain is
now in command of the Itata, having
boarded her when the two vessels met off
this port on Friday night. Should the acting
captain of the Esmeralda decide to take coal
by force there is absolutely nothing to pre-
vent him from hauling his vessel alongside
the coalhulk and taking what he wants, for
the forts are worthless 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
Il bombardment upon the town. Neverthe-
less there is intense excitement.
Views of the New York Officers.
There is disinclination OF the part of the
officers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany to talk about the company's action
touching the sale of coal to the Esmeralda.
Vice President Houston was not willing to
state specifically whether or not the COM
pany's agent at Acapulco had been ordered
not to sell the Esmeralda coal. He said, how
ever, that the only other stations along that
line where she could get coal are San Diego
and San Francisco.
The dismantled steamer Moses Taylor is
the coal hulk of the Pacific Mail steamship
Company at Acapulco, and lies at mooringsa
few hundred yards from the city water
front and directly opposite the American
Cemetery. 1t is an easy matter for tho
Esmeralda to go alongside, and with her
crew of $50 men, take on board at the rate of
25 or 80 tons an hour. Meanwhile the city
would be at the mercy of the Chilean guns
In ten hours she would have 800 tons on
board. She could be unmolested, so far as
Mexican naval or military powers are con-
cerned.
There are never more than 500 soldiers in
the vicinity of Acapulco and the war vessel
Democrata is not equal in power to the
Esmeralda's steam launch. Of course, the
Mexican authorities would protest, as would
the Pacific mail agent, but the protest would
be of no avail in the face of the guns of the
Esmeralda.
Can Be Seized in Chilean Waters.
A dispatch from Washington says: Secre-
tary Tracy said tonight that the COM
mander of the Charleston could seize the in
surgent steamer Itata in Chilean waters, al
tnouSn ne uecllneu TO say Wnetner or not
she would do so, in case the Itata
is not captured until she gets into
those waters. The movements of
the Charleston are under the direct
command of Commodore McCann, now on
the Baltimore at Iquiquie. He has large
discretionary powers regarding the future
course of the Charleston and on him would
probably devolve determination as to
whether or not the Itata should be seized in
her own waters. The Navy Department
does not expect any news from the Charles
ton before she reaches Panama which is
about four days from Acapulco, Mexico,
whence the vessel sailed on Monday night.
A dispatch from Acapulco says that the |
ions last night, and that it is believed at
Acapulco that the Esmeralda secretly |
loaded some coal, and was to receive more |
this morning outside the harbor.