The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-17
THE CHARLESTON AT ACAPULCO.
Esmeralda Went Outside the Harbor
to Await Pursuing Cruiser.
The Rebel Fleet Is Gathered to Meet
the Fugitive From the North and
Two American warships Also on Hand
Mysterious Steamer on Mexico.

They are in custody of United States offi-
cials here, and are detained as witnesses
for the government.
SAN DIEGo, May l6.-Purser Walter, of
the Pacinc Coast steamship Newborn,
when interviewed today said that the
Chilean man-of-war Esmeralda was short
Of coal when the Newborn passed her,
on the LIST, off Cape San Lucas.
Officers of the Esmeralda visited
the Newborn at San Jose del Cabo
the next day and said their destination
was some port IN the United States where
they could get coal. They also inquired as
to the quantity of coal the Newborn car
ried, and seemed disappointed when in
formed the steamer had only q small
quantity. The purser corroborates
Captain Won Helms story about
seeing another warship much larger than
the Esmeraida on the night of the 1st. He
thinks this also must have been an in
surgent ship, for the officers of the Esmer-
aida knew OF her whereabouts and did not
appear to be alarmed. The officers of the
Esmeralda refused to tell the name Of the
other ship.
IouIouE, May 16.-The United States
warship Baltimore, from Valparaiso, ar
rived here this morning. The Baltimore
and San Francisco will unite on this coast
under command of Admiral Brown. Ad-
miral McCann win be transferred to the
Pensacola, which is expected in few
days, and then leave for the Atlantic.
CITY OF MEXICO, May 16.-The govern
ment denies the rumors that the Esmer-
aida succeeded in buying even limited
amount of coal at Acapulco, but says on
the contrary she was ordered out of port
and is now lying off the coast in neutral
waters. The general opinion at Acapulco
is that the Itata has passed that place and
gone south, and that the Esmeralda has
been waiting for the United States steamer
Charleston. At S O'Clock this afternoon
unusual commotion was observed on the
Esmeralda. but thorough search of the
preaching vessel.
WAsHINGToS CRY, May 16.-After .
weeks waiting same tangible news today
was received at the navy department from
the Charleston. First came dispatch from
Acapulco stating that the Chilean insur-
gent Cruiser Esmeralda put out of Acapu-
leo yesterday and had returned to port
today. Later on, through the state de-
partment. a dispatch came saying
the Charleston had arrived at
Acapulco, and that the Esmeraldo
was still in port. but giving no news of it
at all. What the next step is to be no one
at the department knows or is free to tell.
The Charleston is to take on coal, as her
supply has probably nearly run out during
the weeks chase. Whether the Esmeralda
is to have the privilege of taking coal
aboard cannot be learned here, as it is a
matter entirely within the control of the
Mexican government, but the presumption
at the department is against it. as the
neutrality laws would be broken by the
Mexican government if it allowed any,
thing but water and food supplies to be
furnished. The theory at the navy de-
partment is that the Charleston, whose
commander. Captain Remey. has orders
admitting large discretionary movements,
will now lie at or near Acapulco for
a time, trusting that the Itata. which
is 3 slow seven-knot ship, has not
vat passed down and will try to coal in
that neighborhood. If she is sighted the
Charleston will doubtless try to seize her
She cannot do this in Mexican waters, so
that it would be necessary to head her off
OutSluc Suc bulCc-1AtiAG Iiutll, VI ii uDSuC-
cessful in that, to follow her to sea when
she goes out. What the Esmeralda
will do meantime is a problem as
yet. The general impression is that the
officers of that vessel will rely more on
strategy than force to obtain the supplies
carried by the Itata. and some officers be-
lieve that she is trying to lure the Charles
ton from the Itata's real course. Recourse
TO force to prevent the Charleston from
capturing the Itata, however, would, il IS
SAID, be the death-bIow of the insurgent
cause in Chile, as the entire naval force
of the United States in the Pacific would.
if necessary, be promptly called into play
TO destroy the insurgent navy. A cable
gram was received at the department
from Admiral McCann, announcing
that the Baltimore and San Francisco
were both at Iquique, Chile, today.
1t appears the Baltimore has come north
and the San Francisco has been STAYED in
her southern course just at the point where
the Chilean insurgent navy is now nearly
all together assembled. This point is
about the extreme north of Chile and is
where the Itata would naturally find her
destination if she has eluded the Charles
ton.
SAN Francisco, May 16.-Information
from the navy department announcing the
arrival of the cruiser Charleston at Aca-
pulco confirms the original statement as
TO the sailing orders of the Charleston
when she left San Pedro last Monday. and
also serves as a complete denial of the r1l-
mors coming from various points
along the Mexican coast during
the last three days. The Charleston has
undoubtedly passed the Itata. foreseeing
the possibility Of which. her orders were
TO go TO Acapulco in the hope that she
would meet the Chilean cruiser Esmer-
aida, which has been waiting 10 convoy
the Itata TO Chile. The Charleston will
now undoubtedly remain in sight of the
Esmeralda, in the belief that the Itata will
seek TO meet her at Acapulco. II such
proves TO be the case. the attempted
seizure of the Itata by the United States
cruiser becomes more interesting than at
any previous juncture. In case the Itata
has continued on down the coast she will
have given the Charleston the complete slip
and her capture il made az all, would have
10 be by the United States cruiser San
Francisco or the Baltimore. of Iquique
PARIS, May IA delegate OF the Chill
can Progressive party, in an interview
denies the New York telegram stating that
Barsas Suco was drowned by the sinking
Of the Blanco Encaiads. and that his sigma
ture had been illegally employed since.
The British consul at Iquique, he said,