Evening journal., 1898-08-01
COMMODORE REMYs SURPRISE
Relates His Disagreeable Experience
tn Acapulco While Chasing
the Itata.

Commodore George Remy, now in
command of the blockading squadron
off the northern coast of Cuba, is the
same George Remy who commanded
the cruiser Charleston in her memor-
able chase of the Itata in 1891. The lat
ter vessel, it will be remembered, was
loaded at San Diego, Cal, with arms
and ammunition for the Chilian insur-
gents, and in spite of the watchfulness
of the federal authorities put 80 sea
with her cargo. 1t was then that the
Charleston was sent in pursuit
Under full head Of steam the big
cruiser went at a smashing pace down
the Pacific coast, but no trace Of the
saucy filibuster could be found. Ru-
mors had it that her cargo had been
transferred at sea to the Chilian war
ship Esmeralda. To lend color TO this
report it was stated that the big South
American sea fighter had been sighted
off the loast OF Lower California few
days before, and that she had been seen
repeatedly standing on and OFF shore,
as il in wait. No one could be found,
however, TO believe this seemingly
weird tale, the American sailors in par
ticuiar pooh-poohing 1t as a thing to be
told TO the marines.
The sequel of the story Is best told
by Capt. Remy himself, who repeated
the yarn many times upon his return to
San Francisco and INDUCED in nu-
merous hearty laughs at his own eX-
pense.
I'VE were clipping it of at 17-l1not
gait" he said, and keeping a sharp
eye out for our friend the Itata, with
out catching a glimpse Of her. We were
we'll down the Mexican coast when our
supply Of coal began TO run low. We
accordingly decided to put into Acapul-
co for a fresh supply. This is one Of
the best harbors in Mexico, but, while
deep and almost completely land-locked,
it is small. There is little more than
enough room In it for q dozen good
sized vessels 10 swing free at their
anchorage.
well, it must have been few min
utes past midnight when we steamed
slowly into Acapulco, and as our ship
rounded in we were taken completely
by surprise when the searchlights Of a
warship were flashed upon us. Com
ing in from the complete darkness that
enyeloped the sea outside, you can
readily imagine our feelings. We
remembered I'm an Instant the stories
that had been told us Of the Esmeralda
having been sent north to convoy the
vessel wc had been ordered to capture,
and our first impression was that we
had blundered upon our quarry and her
protector II this were true we knew
there was nothing left but 10 fight forit.
Immediately our men were sent to
quarters, ammunition was ordered
from the magazines, and all prepara-
tions made fora battle royal. We knew
that if the vessel near us was the Is
meralda we would have q warm time.
for she and the Charleston were built
from the same plans, and were as near
alike as two boats could be.
I'VE turned our searchlights on her
and il took us but minute to discover
that she was the Esmeralda. Then we
swept the little bay for the Itata, but
she could not be located. As II was,
all we could do was 20 keep our men at
the guns tin morning and await de
yelopmcnts, When daylight came there
was pun OF smoke from the big Chill
ian and salute, which we promptly re-
/ turned, Numbered across the water.
Then the other fellow hoisted his anchor
and his ship steamed majestically out Of
the harbor.
in all my experience at sea that is
about as disagreeable a night as ever
spent, but we were ready TO fight, if it
had been necessary."-Chicago Chron-