Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-14
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
 From All Quarters. PURSUIT. 0F THE HATA. The Legal Aspects of the
 Question Discussed. TROOPS ENTER THE CITY OF IQUIQUE. Battle in a West Virginia :. Court House. HARRISON's RECEPTION AT OMAHA. Serious Riot With Hebrews
 at Corfu.
TROOPS ENTER THE CITY OF IQu|QuE.
HARRIsON's RECEPTION AT OMAHA.
THE FLIGHT OF THE ITATA.

Naval Omcers at Warrington Dis cussing the Legal Aspects of the
 Case-Cannot be Seized as a Pirate
 May be Captured for Violation of
 the Customs Laws.
 WASHINGTON, May 13.-When the doors of the navy department were closed this afternoon Acting Secretary Commodore Ramsay was no wiser than he was yesterday respecting the whereabouts of the Charles the departmental officers are discussing the legal aspects of the case presented by the flight of the Itata. There has beer some modification of the views held by leading naval officers in this matter, and it does not appear that there is tenable claim that the Itata may be seized as pirate. It is recognized that she can be recap tured for violation of the customs laws, disregard of the court, and perhaps for kidnapping, but any assumption that she is pirate is completely mega tived by the doctrine laid down by the late Francis Wharton, formerly solicitor of the department of the state and an eminent authority on international law. This doc Urine was accepted by Secretary Bayard and laid down at the time of the Colom- bian rebellion and the Panama troubles. The Colombian government had declared the insurgent vessels to be pirates as the Chilian government has done, but the sec retary held: The government of the United States cannot regard as pirati cal vessels manned by parties in arms against the government of Colombia when such vessels are passing to and from ports held by such insurgents or even when attacking ports in possession of the national government. In the late civil war the United States at an early period surrendered the position that those man ming the confederate cruisers were pirates under international law. The United States of Colombia cannot, sooner or later. do otherwise than accept the same view, But, however this may be, no neutral power can acquiesce in the position now taken by the Colombian government.
 Another fact which may be of interest in view of the expected arrival of the Itata at a Mexican port-probably Aca- pulco-is that she cannot stay there under the practices of international law The Mexican government could not refuse to protect here, but she could not remain in port more than twenty-four hours as to do so would subject her to the charge of using the port as a base of operations against friendly government. So that if the vessel reaches Acapulco before the Charleston the latter vessel would have simply to wait outside the port for twenty-four hours to get an opportunity to re-take the Itata and her stores, provid- ing that these have not meantime been transferred to the Esmeralda.
 C1TY OF MEXICO, May 13.-The govern ment has given strict orders to the port authorities on the Pacific coast to report the appearance of any Chilian or other war-ships. It will be difficult to get news as the government will have to be depend ed on. The general opinion here, is that the Itata and her conveys will double upon the Charleston. The government has or dered the gunboat Democrats to keep sharp lookout for the vessels. It is ru- mored here that private telegram has been received announcing that fishing schooner yesterday saw two vessels out at sea off the coast at full speed. One of the vessels was sighted at 10 8. m. and the other at 3 p. m., but they were so distant that the fishermen were not able to dis tinguish them. This report cannot be traced to reliable source.
 CITy OF MEXICO, May 13.-The Anglo American (newspaper) publishes rumors of the sinking of the 1tata by the United States cruiser Charleston, but gives neither time nor place. The authorities here say they have no information whatever con- corning the matter.