Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-17
THE CHARLESTON.
SOME NEWS AT LENGTH FROM THE
FEDERAL CRUISER.
She IL st Acapuico-The Esmcralda Also
Ihere-what Next?-Nothing OF
the Itate.
rBy telegraph TO the plspa,eh.l


WAsHEGTos. Nav 16.-After weeks
waiting some tangible news was to-day re-
ceiyed at the Navy Department from the
Charleston. First came dispatch from
Acapulco stating that the Chilean insur-
gent cruiser Esmeralda had put out of Aca-
pulco harbor yesterday and had returned
to the port to-day. Later on. through the
State Department, dispatch came saying
the Charleston had arrived az Acapulco,
nd that the Esmeralda was still in port,
but giving no news of the Itata.
WHAT NEXT?
What the next step is TO be no one at the
department knows or feels FREQ to tell.
The Charleston is 10 take on coal, as her
supply has probably nearly run ont during
the weeks chase. Whether the Esmeralda
is to have the privilege of taking coal
aboard cannot be learned here, as IL is
matter entirely within the control Of the
Mexican Government, but the presump-
ton at the department is against it, as the
neutrality laws would be strained by the
Mexican Government If it allowed any
thing beyond water and food supplies 70
be furnished q belligerent.
THE oHARLEsToS's PLANS.
The theory at the Navy Department is
that the Charleston. whose commander,
Captain Remey, has orders admitting
large discretionary movements, will lilo at
or near Acapulco for time, trusting that
the ltata, which Is slow, seven-knot ship,
has not vet passed down the coast aud will
try to coal In that neighborhood. II she
is sighted the Charleston will doubtless
try TO seize her. She cannot do this IN
Mexican waters, so that il would be ne
cessary TO head her of outside the three
mile line, or II unsuccessful IN that to fol-
low her to sea when she goes out.
WHAT THE EsMERALDA WILL DO
mean time is problematical. The general
impression is that tho officers of the YES
sci will rely moro upon strategy than
! force to obtain the supplies carried by the
Itata, and some officers believe that she IL
trying 10 lure the Charleston away from
| the ltatas real course. Recourse TO force
| to prevent the Charleston from capturing
/ the ltata, however, IL Is said, would be
| the desth-blow of the insurgent cause in
/ Chile, a. tho entire naval force Of the
| United States in the Pacific would, II
necessary, be called into play to destroy
the insurgent navy
THB BALTIMORE AND FRISCO.
A cablegram received at the Department
| from Admiral McCann this afternoon an
nounced that the Baltimore and San Fran
cisco we're both Mt Iquique, Chile, to-day.
So il appears that the Baltimore has como
north and the San Francisco has been
stayed in her southern course just at the
point where tho Chilean lnsurgent navy is
now nearly altogether assembled. This
point is almost in the extreme north of
| Chile and is where the Itata would natu-
rally find her destination If she eluded the
! Charleston.
| TIE LAIEsr-So TIDINGs OF THE CHARLESTON.
CRY OF MEXICO vid GALVESTON, May 16. -
| Neither the War Department nor the
| Foreign Affairs Department has received
the news of the arrival Of the United
! States war-ship Charleston at Acapulco at
the hour of the closing of the Federal
telegraph, the only line thence.