Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-12
CHASING THE ITATA.
THE CHARLESTON IN HOT PURSUIT,
IT APPEARS.
How Far, Though. VIII the American
Undertake Actually to Capture tho
Chilean ?-sundry speculstions.
nv telerrnnh 70 the nisnntch.l

by telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE air of secrecy
that surrounds the Itata case is inst as
pronounced as ever at the Navy Depart
ment to-day and IL IL evident that the
officials have no desire to take the public
into their confidence. The conviction. how
ever. Is general that the United States
steamer Charleston has been sent out from
San Francisco with secret orders to over
take and capture the Chilean steamer.
Just how far these orders extend or how
much authority they vest in Captain Remey
- still unknown. and none Of the officials
here will venture TO give any Information
on the subject. Indeed. the fact of the
orders having been sent is not acknow-
lodged officially, but 1t is confirmed by
various stray bits of evidence that have
come forth from various sources, The
order, II Is said, was long one. and was
wired west in the cipher of the Bureau OF
Navigation. Ii took two officers five hours
to translate the order into the cipher.
IL Is said that there is information in the
hands OF the Government TO warrant the
belief that the Itats will be next heard of
as touching at a Mexican port, and IL is
probable that the Charleston will make her
first stop about midway down the west
coast Of Mexico. not in the hope Of finding
her quarry there, but Of picking up hints
as 20 her whereabouts. Neither Secretary
Tracy nor MISUNDERSTANDING Solely was at
the department to-day.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT MUM.
Secretary Tracy this afternoon sent word
from his Office that he had nothing 10 say
about the Chilean Itata or the Charleston,
and Commodore Ramsey, the chief OF the
Navigation Bureau. said that he was not at
liberty 10 say anything whatever on the sub
ject. The head of the department IS proba-
bly, in dread that an unguarded admission
to reporter might result in the disclosure
of the plan Of campaign, in which the entire
available force in the Pacific is arrayed
against one steamer, whose war-like cha
racter has not yet been demonstrated.
Certainly the Government appears 70 be
making extraordinary efforts to recapture
the Itata, for. in addition to cabling Admit
rails Brown and Mccain to head off the run
away before she reaches Chilean waters, it
is understood that instructions have been
sent 10 the United States consular officers
at all points between California and Chile
where the Itata could touch to promptly
advise the naval officers of her movements
if she Is sighted.
THE CHARLEsroN's CURIOUS COURSE.
In strange contrast to this exhibition OF
is in chase of tho runaway. This vessel
| sailed from San Francisco early Saturday
morning bound southwark. She 10 an
| eighteen-knot vessel. and last night she
should have been $50 miles down the coast
| or near San Lucas. or where the Chilean
insurgent war-ship Ismeralda is supposed
to be lying in wait for the Itata. But in
stead of covering this distance the Charles
ton got about half way and then went TO
| anchor overnight. Later advtees show
| that she was last seen Just above the Mexl-
can boundary line.
WHAT Il THOUGHT OF THE SITUATION.
Such officers as have an opinion that
they feel free 10 express say that the
CharlestOn's movements can be explained
| in two WAYS. Either the department be-
| lieves that the Itata is lying somewhere OF
| the coast of California or II has no lnten-
| ton of Selling the vessel unless her
presence is made unpleasantly noticeable
within easy reach. The motive for such An
attitude by our Government as that indi-
| Gated by the last theory is rather limited az
| than directly stated by officials. IL Is, IN
| brief. that IT might not be good diplomacy
| for the United States 10 90 too far IN the
| direction of hostility towards the Chilean
| Insurgents. The duties of a friendly Gov
| eminent such as this have been finally
and clearly enumerated by the au-
| th0ritics IN international law, but
! IT can be safely assumed that in he ore
ratIons Of the United States Marshal IN
Selling the Itata and the Robert and
Minnie and in the pursuit Of the ltata as
! long as she was III United States waters.
our Government has already shown what
| the Geneva arbitration in the Alabama
case has declared 20 be due diligence. The
/ policy of our Government in this matter
| will probably soon DO made clear Dy the
movements of the Charleston. and If she
could content herself with thorough
search Of American waters and return "a
port in day or two it may be that the
| Government will rest satisfied.
THE CHARLESTON LEAVES SAN PEDRO.
SAN PEDRO, CAL. May 1.-The cruiser
| Charleston, which arrived of here last
night. remained until O'Clock this morn.
| ing. at which hour she left, going south.
TIE CHARLESTON OFF SAN DIEGO.
SAN DIEGO, CAL, May 1.-THE steamer
| Charleston was sighted off Point Iona al
ll3O this morning. She was under full
! steam and heading southeast.