The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-22
FATE OF THE ITATA.
She Will Be Surrendered by the
Chilean Insurgents.
AFTER CARGO IS DISCHARGED.
The Runaway IL . Ten-Knot Boat and
VIII Make Iquique All Risht-Ths
Rebels skilled In Diplomacy.

PANS, May 2i.-Whitelaw Reid, United
States minister, in an interview today was
asked if il was true that at the request OF
the Chilean delegates he had communi-
Gated with the United States government
asking that the orders sent to the Charlie
ston be countermanded, and the United
States had acceded to the request. Reid
said:
have had no negotiations with the agents OF
the congressional party. They called upon me.
/ listened to what they had TO say, but refused
to hold any official communication with my
government In regard to their request
The Chilean agents in this city who rep
resent the congressional or insurgent
party declare that an arrangement has
been made between the congressional
party and the United States authorities by
which the insurgent steamer ftata, now
being chased down the west coast of Amer
lea by the United States warship Charles
ton, will not be seized by force by
the Charleston or any vessel
of the United States navy. By the terms
of this agreement the fugitive craft viii be
handed over by the insurgents the United
States authorities pending the settlement
of the dispute as to whether
the Itata violated the neutrality
laws. This act is without prejudice
to the congressional party, in so much as
the Itata has enough start of the Charles
ton to enable her to reach port in posses
sion of the congressional party and to I'M
load there before she surrendered to the
United States.
CRY OF MEXICO, May 2l.-From advices
received here from Chile and from infor-
nation derived from an italian actor,
who has arrived from there, it
appears the news published in
the United States and Europ causes
laughter, as many of the so-called insur-
gent victories are myths. The actor be-
lieves difficulty will soon arise between
Chilli and Peru. The latter country. he
says, is fostering the revolution, and large
amounts of English gold have come from
there for the revolutionists.
WASHINGTON CITY, May 2.-A:.Paris dis
patch stating that the Itata is to be
peaceably surrendered to the United States
by the insurgents upon her arrival in
Chile was shown to officials of the navy
and state department, out one and all de-
clined to discuss the matter publicly.
Nevertheless 1t can be stated positively
there have been no negotiations, as
has been reported between the
insurgent agents in France or elsewhere,
and the government respecting the Itata.
This is reason to believe this government
expects the Itata to be peaceably sur
rendered to the United States by the in
surgents when she reaches Chile, but that
when she is so surrendered the vessel will
be found to have discharged her arms
and munitions Of war. The OBJ
ject of ibeling the ship in California
was to determine whether she had vio-
lated the neutrality laws. If she stands
trial on that charge the status of the in
surgents must be judicially deter
mined as a preliminary. If it is held
that they are belligerents, the insurgents
will have realized substantial advantages,
and all they risk is the loss for the future
of an empty vessel. Nothing has been
heard at the department ofthe Charleston.
She is due at Panama today, but il may be
she proceeded straight on to Payti, Peru.
IoUIoUE. May 2L.--The United States
warship Pensacola arrived today.
SAN Francisco. May 21-John T. Wat
terson, the American engineer employed
on the Chilean steamer Itata, and who
accompanied that vessel from Iquique to
San Diego, where he left her, has arrived
here and gives a detailed statement of the
steamers trip up the coast. The Itata was
accompanied from Iquique by the Esmer-
aida. After leaving africa on April the
crew was informed that San Diego was to
be the next port of call. Three days were
spent at the Galapagos islands by the crew
of the Itata in transferring coal in small
boats from that vessel to the Esmeralda,
and at Cape San Lucas another transfer of
coal occurred, occupying three days. The
Itata at the time of leaving Iquique had
her lockers full of COAL Watterson con-
firms the report that at San Lucas
the captain of the Emeralda took command
of the Itata, the captain of the latter ves-
sci assuming command of the Esmeralda.
Watterson states that from Iquiuue ito
about half way 10 San Lucas, the Itata
made forty-eight revolutions per minute
with sixty pounds of steam. This
was equal to nine and a-half knots
per hour. During the remainder
of the run she made forty-four revolutions
with seventy pounds of steam, and after
leaving Cape San Lucas made ffty-four
revolutions with seventy pounds of steam.
equal to about 1011 knots per hour, which
he was told was equal to the best speeds
she had made on her trial trip.