The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-18
NO SIGN OF THE ITATA.
A CHILEAN OFFICER SAYS SIZE IS
OUT OF REACH.

-
An Inference That She Coaled at Sea.
Mexico Refuses to Allow the Esme-
ralda TO Coal at Acapulco - The
Charleston Now Under the Orders
of Admiral McCanu.
Cry OF MEXICO, May 1.-THE Ameri-
can warship Charleston and the Chilean
man-of-war Esmeralda are lying at anchor
near the entrance to the harbor of AcapulS
| co. The Chilean captain says that his ves-
sci has not called at any American port
| Consequently, he says, 1t is not probable
that the United States authorities will in
terfere with the movement Of either himself
or his vessel.
SAYS THE ITATA is SAFE.
An officer of the Esmeralda. Ia reply TO
question put to him in the telegraph office
at Acapulco as to the probability of an old
| fashioned sea fight between the Charleston
and the Esmeralda. said, in jocular and
rather ambiguous way: 30, the Itata is
already out OF of danger. She has plenty
OF coal and provisions to carry her TO her
destination
CoALRD AT SEA.
This remark has given rise to q report
that the Itats coaled at sea and proceeded
to her destination, while the Chilean war
ship steamed for Acapulco to throw the
United States authorities Off the track.
El Universal, the only government
organ that has SO far made any mention of
the arrival of the Esmeralda at Acapulco,
says that In addition 20 the Esmeralda,
| other Chilean warships are expected at
Mexican ports. A telegram from
Guatemala states that the captain of a
schooner, which has just arrived, reports
! having seen two strengthening vessels
under full sail proceeding in a southerly
direction
THE EsMERALDA REFUSED COAL.
WASHINGTON, May 1z-No information
has been received at the navy department
regarding the movements of the Itata, nor
have any further orders been sent the
Charleston dirscting her future movements.
The only telegram received to-day was one
from Capt. Kenny, saying that the Charles
ton was still at Acapulco taking in coal,
and that nothing had been seen or heard of
the 1tata. The Esmeralda was still in port,
and had been refused coal by the Mexican
authorities.
MCANN IN COMMAND
| An order was sent to-day by Secretary
| Tracy to Commodore McCann now on his
| flagship, the Baltimore, at Iquique, Chile,
| placing the Charleston under his immediate
command, 50 that in the future the move
| ments of that vessel will be under his direc-
| tion, instead of under orders direct from the
| navy department, as she has been since
| leaving San Francisco in search OF the
| ltata. This order will give Commodore
| McCann practically discretionary powers
regarding the future course the Chaules-
| ton shall pursue In her chase Of
the insurgent vessel As there are now two
acting rear admirals In Chilean waters,
1 Inf fho palt aad
Commodore Brown, on the San Francisco,
the command of the squadron will devolve
| upon Admiral McCann as senior officer,
both admirals, however, keeping their in
| dividual commands and will in the future
act in concert.
| NO CHANGE IN POLICY.
1t is not thought that the order of the
secretary to-day, placing the Charleston
under the direction Of Commodore McCann,
| will make any change in the policy pur-
| sued by the navy department relative to the
| pursuit of the Itata. The order was issued
because the officials of the navy department
were of the opinion that the movements of
| the Charleston, as those OF the other vessels
\ of the Pacific squadron sent in pursuit of
the Itata, could be better controlled under
the orders Of Commodore McCann than
under orders from a place SO far from
the scene of action as Washington.
l NOTHING STAHTLING EXPECTED.
Secretary Tracy said tonight that he ex-
| pected nothing new from the Charleston for
at least twenty-four hours, and that the
situation remained practically the same as
it was yesterday. Commodore McCann, he
said, would remain as senior officer in COM
mand of the naval forces on the Pacific until
the Chilean difficulty was settled, and
would ultimately return to his command Of
the South Atlantic station, when Commo-
dore Brown would assume the command of
the Pacific station.
1t is thought that the Charleston will take
at least two days aud perhaps longer to coal.
THE EsMERALDA AS A PIRATE.
SAN DIEGO, CAL, May 17.-Purser Wal
| ton of the Pacific coast steamship New
Berne, when interviewed to-day, said that
the Chilean man-of-war Esmeralda was
| short of coal when the New Berne passed
her on May l off Cape San Lucas. Of
| ficers of the Esmeralda visited the New
| Berne at San del Cabo the next day and
said their de,tination was some port
| in the United States where they could get
coal They also inquired as to the quantity
| of coal the New Berne was carrying and
| seemed disappointed when informed that
the steamer had only a small quantity.
| Purser Walton says he has no doubt that it
was the purpose of the Esmeralda to hold
| the New Berne up at sea and take her fuel
| from ner, but sne gave up the idea when
she found that the amount carried by the
passenger steamer was 50 small. The purser
corroborated Captain Won Helms story
i about seeing another war vessel much
| larger than the Esmeralda on the night of
May ]. He thinks this must have been an
insurgent ship, for the officers of the Es-
meralda knew Of her whereabouts, and did
not appear to be alarmed, as would have
| been the case il the ship had been President
Balmaceda's Imperiale. The officers of the
Esmeralda refused to tell the name of the
other ship when questioned.
FRANCE HOLDING ALooF.
PARIS, May IA Chilean senat or, Senior
Ma r., who is here as delegate Of the con-
gressionAl party, has been received by the
under secretary Of the foreign Office, but not
| by minister Ribot. He as also called upon
number Of diplomats but, t,as nowhere been
recognized officially.
A FREE FIGHT AT KANTUCK.