The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-04
Lieutenant Commander Todd, Of the
Cruiser Charleston, Tells
the Story.
The Chilian Fad a Start Of Nearly
600 Miles Over tho Ameri-
can Ship.
The Lntter Made tire Best Run to IuniIue
and Then tho Capture Was nm
Easy One.

Lieutenant Commander y. y. TODD, VINO
was the executive officer on board the
cruiser Charleston when that vessel was
chasing the Gillian steamer ltnta, was at
tho Auditorium yesterday, says the Chicago
! Inter Ocean. He is OF q long leave of abb
sence, and to a reporter he echoed the COM
! PLANT which was recently presented to the
! secretary Of the navy that the commander
OF a government vessel, MS the thing now
stands, 10 simply an ornament, while the
executive officer has to do the work of a
hirsd man. In regard to the famous pur-
suit Of the Itata, Commander Todd said:
.Ihs Charleston could have captured the
Itata midway between San Francisco and
Acapulco, Mexico, but for the delay
caused bva misunderstanding of a dispatch
sent by the secretary Of the navy to Com
msnder Remy. A very short time after the
1tata left San Diego with its contraband
cargo the secretary sent \ cipher dispatch
to Commander Renly, ordering that the
Charleston proceed forthwith in pursuit of
the recreant vessel. The key to the cipher
was not thoroughly understood by any OF
tho Charleston's officers, and that ia the
reason the Itata had 80 good a start of us.
''The Charleston, at tho time the incident
came up, was about to test her new guns
some distance out at sea and several news
paper men came on board to watch the trial.
We were just about to start when the cipher
dispatch came and one of tho newspaper
men, who heard us discussing the proba-
bility of a chase after the Itata, quietly
slipped down into the hold and endeavored
to hide himself. He wanted to make the
trip and cover the thing for his paper. 1t
was 80 snterprising a scheme that l hated
to break it up, but, of course. when l dis
covered him he had to 20.
''Ihs Itata had n start of $40 miles on the
Charleston, and any one who knows any
thing about sailing can imagine tho diff
Guilty of catching a vessel in the open sea
with a lead like that. An eighth of a point
in the navigation will throw the pursuing
vessel completely off the track, and more
over the Itata took an entirely new course
in order to keep out of sight of our more
speedy vessel.
"Ihem most exciting part of the trip was
when We were within an hours sail OF Aca-
pulco. We were heading along at fall
steam, when suddenly a vessel dead ahead
threw her hash-light on us. We had not
seen the vessel, because she displayed no
lights, and we were Thoroughly startled. But
it was not two minutes before our decks
were cleared for action, and the men were at
the guns. The fact is we were all lookingfo
fights, and were rather disappointed when
the f1aah-light was shut OF rs suddenly as
1t appeared. When we got into Acapulco we
found that it was the Esmeralda that threw
tho light on us, and We had no very tender
feelings toward that vessel when VIC found
that she had met the Itata twenty miles out
from Acapulco q short time before We ar-
rived and transferred a cargo Of coal to the
coRtraband vesa9l. In order to get the coal
from the Mexicans the oticocs of the Es-
merslda had expended princely sums of
Chilian honey which was worth just ten
Oents on the dollar.
"WelI, we got to Iquiquc in Chilli long
before the Itata arrived, and with such q
big backing of United States cruisers and
men-of-war down there the Chilians Of
course saw that the game was up. We told
them that if the Itata WAS not Immediately
surrendered upon her arrival We would turn
vessel anyhow. They eyed our boats gloom
lily and gave UP. All that WI had to 10
when the Itata came in was to run along
side of her and take possession. The talk
about the superiority of the Chilian navy is
all nonsense. Our fleet could, and would
have blown it ont of water in case resist
anoe had been offered.
"The Chilians are brave men and good
fighters, but they are mercenary and dis
honest to the last degree. A CHILEAN, no
matter how high his rank or how long his
service, is never sent on q mission alone by
llA &OVoFEfuSuL. ANOluGE LQHu lb always
sent along to watch him. l is singular to
motto how carefully each CHILEAN official
watched the other during the progress of
the negotiations for the surrender of tho
ltata.
II brought the Itata back from Chill to
San Diego. 1t was in OF twenty
of our men, who boarded the Itata for the
return trip. The commander of the Chilian
vessel asked me:
"'In case we try to escape again, what
then?'
WELL I answered. I don't think it would
work very we'll. You've got eighty men
while We have only twenty, but we never
sleep, you know. We are going to keep our
eyes on the gums all the time. day and
night. Besides, you see the Charleston is
right behind, and she won't lot this boat
get out of her sight for the fraction of a
minute The reply feazed him, and if he
had any idea of trying to escape again he
abandoned it then and there.
1.-The ItatA id now at San Diego awaiting
the trial, which will come Off the first week
in September, for violation of the neutral
itv avs. We took her machinery apart. 80
that no attempt at escape could be made.
] suppose she will be released after paying
the heavy fine which will bs imposed upon
her. Pho vessel is worth 1850, 900.
although duty compelled us to capture
n vessel which was to aid the insurgent
party Of Chill. our sympathies were of
course with that party, and / am glad to
read that Balmaceda has been beaten"
Sunday Excursion RaiAa