The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-06
BACK IN PORT.
The United States Cruiser
Charleston Home Again.
Testing Her New Eight-Inch Guns-The War.
Ship Visited by Over $4,000 Per-
sons-Uncle Sans Pride.

lookout for the United States steamer
Charleston along the front yesterday. The
vessel was reported outside the heads at
o'clock in the afternoon, and reached her
anchorage off Vallejo-street Wharf soon
after o'clock.
The white cruiser presented fine appear
ance as she slowly steamed up the bay, and
her warlke aspect has been much increased
since her new eight-inch guns have been
mounted on board. AS soon rs the war
ship came to an anchor she was boarded by
q CALL reporter.
"We have very little news to give, "said her
genial executive officer, Lieutenant Com
mander c. c. Todd. 1--WE have had very
pleasant time since we returned from our
long chase after tho runaway Itata, which
we left lying in San Diego harbor Mar
shall Gard does not intend that she shall slip
through his fingers again, so before we left
that port he took couple of machinists off
to the steamer and removed her cylinder
head and also the cover of the steam chest.
thus most effectually Gripping her."
THE SURRENDERED ITATA.
Lieutenant Commander Todd is the officer
who came up from Chile in command of the
ltata after she was surrendered to the
United States war vessels The prize crew,
II such 1t may be called, consisted of Lieu
nt-Commander Todd, three other Off
GERS and twelve seamen selected from the
Charlesto crew.
The two vessels arrived safely at San
Diego, as was published at the time, and
since then the Charleston has been on exhi-
bltlon at various places along the coast of
California and over $4,000 people have visited
the cruiser. Of course the largest crowd
boarded her at San Diego, where over
%, coo people inspected the vessel.
Since the Charleston left San Diego, two
weeks ago, her trip up the coast has been q
succession Of balls parties and receptions.
The people of Southern California were loud
in their praises of the new cruiser and are
very proud of the fact that she is Callfor-
mia production. The vessel touched at San
Pedro, Santa Monica, Redondo and Santa
Cruz.
IN THEIR BATHING SUITS.
So eager were the people to so on board
the ship that while she Law at Re dondo hun
dredS of ladies and gentlemen went off to
her in their bathing suits. A very heavy
surf runs on the beach at that place aud the
only means OF boarding the cruiser was by
surf boats, and every one in the boat gets
drenched to the skin, so the ladies saved
their summer costumes and the gentlemen
their broadcloth suits by donning bathing
dresses, in which they could laugh at the
breakers and make the trip in safety. 1t is
needless TO say that the strange appearance
of the fair visitors created great enthusiasm
among both officers and crew, and the fair
visitors did not lack guides after they got
on BOARD.
TESTING HER GUNS.
On Monday, July 9th, the cruiser went
outside the harbor Of San Diego to make the
first trial of her new S-inch guns, which
up to that time she had had no opportunity
OF testing. The target used consisted of a
piece of canvas, triangular in shape, feet
wide at the bottom and about feet high.
This was mounted on a couple of pork-bar-
reiS and made a " small IN
when anchored 1900 yards from the ship
Five rounds were fired from each OF the big
guns, with service charges consisting of 10i
pounds OF powder and projectile weighing
go pounds.
The result proved beyond doubt the great
value OF the new rifles, for fully as good
scores were made as with the 6-inch guns,
with which the men were more familiar.
Every shot would have struck a vessel at
that distance. and the high power of the
guns, with their great penetration, would
have made things warm had they been fired
at a hostile ship.
The new carriages worked splendidly
without a single hitch, and all hands are
any of the other new ships, has not had the
slightest trouble with her battery.
SAW SOME FIGHTING.
We saw a little fighting down at
Iquique," said Lieutenant Commander
Todd, but it was far from the terrible
oOlu odIduleHt WHICH was reported TO nave
taken place. Two of the insurgent vessels
appeared off the harbor early in the morn
ing, and after giving the troops on shore
time enough to get ready, began firing into
the town from a distance Of about four
miles. This sort of thing was kept up for
couple of hours, and then, satisfied with
what they had done, the vessels Withdrew,
and the victory was claimed by both par
ties"
The people on the front yesterday had
very good Illustration of the old and the
new style of war-ships. as the Charleston
was lying at anchor not far from the French
war-ship DubOurdeu. The Old-fashoned
wooden frgate, with her lofty spars, heavy
tophamper and clumsy appearance, looked
like veritable NOah's ark alongside the
modern from cruiser, with her heavy pivot
guns, low military masts and entire alb
seuce Of rigging.
PROUD OF THE CRUISER.
This is the first time since the rebellion
that an American war-ship has been brought
side by side with ship belonging to great
naval power without Americans having rea-
son to be ashamed of our navy.
The cruiser Will 60 to Mare Island at neon
to-day, and will probably he placed on the
dry-dock to have her bottom cleaned. Since
she started for Honolulu the first time she
has travelled over 1900 miles, or nearly
twice as far as any other vessel of the new
navy. The cruiser did not suffer by COM
parison with the Baltimore, which is an
Eastern built vessel, but on the contrary is
her superior in many things. and her off,
GERS say she will stand more hard work than
her Eastern rival.
What the future movements of the cruiser
Will be Is problematical, but the chances are
that after being cleaned and coaed she will
be ordered down 10 Honolulu to take the
pla-e OF the old Iroquois, which has gone to
Samoa.