Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-02
GILLIAN AFFAIRS.

Lettr Received at the Navy Department
from Admiral McCann-Some of the Late
Events of the War Detailed-The Insur-
gent Vessels Now Concentrated Mainly
About the Nitrate Ports.
WASHINGTON, June 26.-The follow
ing letter has been received at the
navy department from Admiral Nc
Cam:
UNITED STATES FLAGSHIP BALTIMORE,
IQUIQUE. Chilli, May 25, 1891
There have been no military or naval oper-
ations OF Importance in the northern prov
inces recently. Admiral Hotham who keeps
himself well informed concerning events by
his cruisers moving up and down the coast,
writing from Coquinbo, on the 18th inst, in
formed me that all the revolutionary squad
ron had gone north from Caldera, and that
only sou or 500 men were left to garrison Cal
dera and Copiapo; that the IIuascar hld
grounded in Caidera bay during the night,
but had succeeded in getting afioat again.
Since the loss of the Blanco Encalada,
most of the inSurgent forces are cOncentrt-
ting about the nitrate ports. The only efli-
cient vessels remaining to the insurgents
are the Huascar and Esmeralda (the latter
last heard of at AcapulcO) and the Almfrante
Cochrane; the remainder is made up of
few old gunboats and armed transports. the
broken down and wOFn out remains of the
CHILEAN navy. There is, therefore, little or
no probability of demonstration by water
against alpar1iSO or Otner southern ports
by the revolutionary fleet, l have pre-
viously reported to the department, but on
the contrary the government torpedo cruis-
erS, Almirante Lynch and Almrante Con-
dell and the armed transport 1 imperial,
keep the insurgent vessels in motion and
the nitrate ports in Il constant state of alarm
by threatening attacks.
Early on the morning of the 18th of May,
the Condell appeared off this port, over
hauled vessel in the ofiing and cruised
about for some time; when the Almirante
tochrane, which had returned to her an
chorage after cruising outside all night, got
up steam and went in pursuit, soon after
which the Condell appeared off Pisagua,
where two gunboats also joined in the pur-
suit
Again, on the 18th. the Imperial appeared
off this port just before dark and opened
rapid fire; the object of the firing could not
be discovered, no other vessels were in
sight in the Otfing. The Cochrane and the
gunboat OHiggins stood out toward the I'M
perial, after which firing. was again heard
until late hour, but with what results
could not be learned
Just before these vessels went in pursuit
of the Imperial. about Sis p. IN , one of their
torpedo launches between the O'Higgins
and this ship, but nearer the former. was ac-
cidentally blown up by its own torpedo and
sank Immediately, drowning two and NOR
tally wOunding four of her crew of eight
men. One of the dead bodies was brought
alongside the Baltimore, and was soon after
sent on shore.
The Condeil attacked Tiltai on the 21st,
burning the government building and the
custom house. On the 25th the Cochrane,
Magellanes, AmaZonas and small collier
left Iquique and stood to the southwark, to
protect that locality. The speed of the Con-
dell and Imperial is such that they easily
elude pursuit and may turn up most unex-
pectedly at any port.
The Pensacola arrived at Iquque on the
morning of the 10th of May, four days from
Valparaiso and on the 22d she was ordered
to coal and proceed to Africa.