The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-13
NO WORD OF THE ITATA.
SHE AND THE CHARL EsTON MUST
BE NEARLY OUT OF COAL.

BE NEARLY OUT OF COAL.
Eoth Will Probably Put Into a Mexi-
can Port for q SuppIy-An Interest
ing Question ss to the Position of
the Mexican Government Toward
the Insurgents.
WASHINGTON, May 12-Sofar as the sur
face indications reveal the real state of af-
fairs, the navy department appears to be
less agitated than any other department
over the escape of the Chilean steamer tn
ia. Secretary Tracy left Washington lass
night for Binghamton, n. Y, to look
after some private business. Assistant Sec
retary Soley stayed at home to-diy, and
Commodore Ramsey was left as representa-
tive of the Secretary of the Navy. The
commodore was as uncommunicative as
usual, and stated briefly that no had Moth
ing to say about the 1t alta or the Charles
ton, and that the ltata had not been recap
tured so far as he knew.
NO NEWS FROM THE CHARLESTON.
Up to the close of business hours no news
was received at the navy department of the
movements of the Charleston. and so far
as the officials there knew the Itata is still
at liberty. Commodore Ramsey, acting
secretary, this afternoon said that he did
not know where the Charleston was. and
that the only news the department had re-
ceived to-day was Of the arrival of the cruiser
San Francisco at Iquique, in Northern
Chile. As this vessel is to figure in the
chase in case the Itata escapes the Charles
tol, her movements are of some Importance
As the days of the chase run along a new
factor appears, which will doubtless result
speedily In betraying the movements Of the
pursuer and pursued.
WILL SOON NEED COAL.
the Itata sailed from San Diego last
wednesday evening, SIX days ago. If
pushed to her highest speed she must be
nearly out OF COAL 50 that she must soon
put into port somewhere to replenish her
bunkers. The Charleston, like most swift
cruisers, was obliged to sacrifice some coal
carrying capacity for the sake of boiler and
engine rooms and gun carrying capacity.
with tull bunkers she can carry 800 tons.
but If she has been driven at full
speed she must have burned
l75 tons every twenty-four hours.
which would give her full steam power for
but four and half days. She has now been
out three days and half, and, although it
is known that she lay at anchor at least one
night, her coal supply is probably running
so low that it would be hazardous for her-a
vessel without sail power-to continue much
longer at sea, so that some news from one
or both of the vessels may be expected very
soon, when they put into port for coal.
MEXICO'S ATTITUDE.
This will probably be a Mexican port.
and Immediately may be expected to arise
an important question for the determina-
tlon of the Mexican government, and that
Is the status of the Itata. Some comment
was caused among the state department
HNT fhsn knln .k,xl .
the Chilean insurgent cruiser EsmeraIda is
now at Acapulco. The fact that her pres
ence In port is tolerated is regarded here
by some Of the officers as quasi-recopui-
tion by the Mexican government of
the insurgents as belligerents If this
recognition should take formal shape it
might have important results for the in
surgents, for under the neutrality laws
their vessels would find an asylum in Mexi-
can ports and might take supplies, al
though not permitted to take aboard muni-
tlons of war or make any Mexican port the
base OF operations against Chile. This doc
trine was thoroughly defined in the Ala
bama case, and 1t is said that in addition to
the precedent set by Great Britain in
recognizing insurgents as belligerenus, the
Mexican government has not the kindliest
feelings towards the present BaImaceda ad-
mlnistration in Chile. A prominent officer
was asked to-day how long it would take to
recapture the 1rata. He replied that he
could only answer by recalling the Alabama
case, where the vessel of that name contln-
ued for two years to commit most atrocious
raids upon American commerce while pur-
sued by at least twenty naval vessels.
HELD UNDER HEAVY BONDS.
Los ANGELES, CAL, May 12.-George A.
Burt, supercargo of the Robert and Min,
ME, Capt. O'Ferrall and five seamea on
board the craft. together with Pilot Dill of
San Diego, were yesterday charged with
violation of the neutrality laws, and bail
was fixed at s., 900 each in the cases Of Burt,
O'Ferrall and Dill, and 81, 800 each in the
case of the s5amen. Dill was the only one
who gave bail. The others are still in the
hands OF the United States marshal
THE OMAHA GOES NORTH.
SAN PEDRO, May 12-The United States
man-of-war Omaha left here last night for
the north.
TRUMBULL ARRESTED.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 12-Ricardo Trum-
Dull, member of the Chilean congress and
partisan of the insurgent party, was ar
rested last night by the United States mar
shal for violating the neutrality laws in
connection with the shipment of arms and
munitions of war on the schooner Robert
ana Minnie and on the steamer Itata. His
pan was fixed at $4,000 aud he was re-
leased, with John D. and Adolph Spreckels
as his sureties.
THE CHARLESTON GAINING ON HER.
CIrY OF MEXICO, May 12.-The Chilean
steamer ltata is sailing under difficulty and
Ine United States warship Is gaining on her
IL IS expected that the two vessels will
ieach Acapulco within few hours of each