New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-13
| CAPTURE AT ALL HAZARDS.
SECRETARY TRACY TELLS OF THE ORDERS
TO THE ITATA'S PURSUERS.
HOPEFUL, HOWEVER, THAT AN ENCOUNTER
WILL NOT TAKE PLACE-THIs GOVERN
MENT CLOSELY WATCHING AFFAIRS
IN cHIu-THE SAN FRAN
CISCO AT IQUIoUE.
CISCO AT IQUIoUE.

States cruiser Charleston inferior TO the Cml-
ian insurgent warship Esmeraldo, he secuted the
idea True, the Esnerada carried two 9-inch
guns, while the CharlestOn's heaviest guns are
only s-nch; but the latter had
larger number of 6-inch guns, while her armament
was four inches thick. and the Esmeralda's only
one and onc-half inches. The Charleston was
accordingly, fully able to cope with the Esmer-
aida. as two other United States cruisers now
in the Pacific.
The Secretary stated definitely that the Charles
ton had orders to capture the Itata wherever she
may be found upon the high seas. This includes
all waters outside the threemile limit or ports OF
foreign countries lie did not anticipate fight
but in case of resistance the United States cruiser
would carry ont her orders at all hazards. He wae
not at liberty TO state the exact text of the cipher
dispatch sent to the Charleston, neither would he
say definitely whether the cruiser San Francisco,
now in Chilian waters, had been ordered to inter-
cept the Itata. The San Francisco, he said,
classed with the cruisers Baltimore and
Philadelphia, and was fully able to hold
her own with the Esmealda. The United States
had maintained a strictly neutral position In
refusing to supply arms to the insurgents, and as
TIE Itata had violated every rule of international
law in breaking away from the custody of this
Government after seizure, she would have to take
the consequences The Secretary did not anticipate
serious trouble, but thought the matter would soon
be settled peaceaby and with honor to the United
States.
Washington, May 12.-The Navy Department
officials give slight credence to the warike dis
patches from the Pacific coast. So far as can be
learned no encounter between the United States
vessels and the Chilian Navy is anticipated, AMI it
may he stated that zone Of the four American
vessels engaged in the pursuit of the Itata is eX
pected to her guns No provision, however,
has been omitted place the United States vessels
on a war footing, and any violent action on the
part of the Chilian insurgents will certainly be
effectively met AS stated in these dispatches,
the Department authorities have every confidence
in the commanding officers on the Pacific, and
feel that no hasty action ill-judged action will
be taken
The Department is kept constantly advised
of the condition Of affairs in Chill; and the
movements of the insurgents, with whom just now
this Government has most to do, are closely OBJ
served and reported by Admiral AIcCann. The
information that has recently come from that of
iicer shows that the effective force Of the Gillian
rebels far exceeds in number and power the naval
force in Chilian waters from this country. Be
sides the Esmerada, already prominently men.
toned as the possible conlbatant of one of the
United States cruisers the insurgents possess the
following vessels: Almirante Cochrane, central
battery; Hdascar. monitor; AIagellanes corvette {;
Abtag, corvette; OIIiggins, corvette; Aconcagua,
transport; MapO, transport; COpapo, transport; /;
the now celebrated Itata. transport, and ore or
two smaller transports and tugboats. Should the
insurgents find 1t worth while to resist the recapt
ure of the Itata, it is likely that other vessels
beside the Esmeralda would participate in the hos
tlities. The available strength of the rebels con-
ssts in the latter vessel it is true and there is
reason in the minds of Naval officers, for regard
ing her the real means of resistance, should the
insurgents be inclined TO fight the pursuers Of the
Itata.
The Government of Chill, it is felt in Washing
ton, can be depended upon for little aid in the
event of action upon the seas, if the encoun-
ter were in q Chilian harbor The rebels virtually
possess the naval forces of Chill, and the only
ships that the Government has at its command,
according TO Admiral McCann, are the corvette
Pilcomayo and the torpedo cruisers Lynch and
Cordel The widely chrOnicled fact that the
Lynch had destroyed the rebel ironclad Banco
Encalada is robbed of its significance by the in
formation on file in the Office of Naval Intelligence
that the Encalada was at anchor and unpreparcd
for the secret assault of torpedoes. The efficiency
receipt of the earlier information has disappeared
and the United States does not look to tho Chilian
Government for assistance should the insurgents
attack in concert
There is feeling in some quarters that the de-
sire of the rebels to secure possession of the Iata
has become exaggerated by the sense Of appre-
hension natural under the circumstances TO this
Government. 1t is held on the other hand that
the Itata contains the supplies necessary to the
successful prosecution of the rebellion. If this
value be attached to the material transferred from
the schooner Robert and Minnie TO the Itata, the
protection Of that material will perhaps be deter
mined upon. This is the reasoning of those who
look for violence the part of the rebels But if
O gun is fired in the pursuit and seizure Of the
Itata, the action will certainly surprise the Navy
Department officials
Up to the close of business hours no news was
received at the Navy Department OF the movements
Of the Charleston, and far the officials there
know. the Itata Is still at liberty. Commodore
Ramsay. the acting Secretary, this afternoon said
that he did not know where the Charleston was
and that the only news the Department had re-
ceived to-day the arrival Of the cruiser San
Francisco at Iquique. in Northern Chilli AS this
vessel is to figure in the chase. in the Itata
escapes the Charleston. her movements are of some
Importance.
As the days of the chase run along. a new fac
tor appears. which will doubtless result speedily
in betraying the movements Of the pursuer and
the pursued. The Itata started from San Diego
last Wednesday evening-siX days ago-and If
pushed to her highest speed must be nearly out of
coal. so that she must soon put into port some
where to replensh her bunkers. The Charleston,
like most swift cruisers. was obliged to sacrifice
coal-carrying capacity for the sake of boiler
and engine rooms and gin-carrying capacity. With
full bunkers She can carry 500 tons but il she has
been driven at full speed she must have burned
175 tons every twenty-four hours, which would
give her full steam power for only four and half
days She has now been out three DAYS
and half. and although it is known
that she lay at anchor at least
one NIGHT. her coal snnplY is probably running so