The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-01-05
COMMODORE REMY'S SURPRISE
Relates His DisngreenbIe Experience
in Acapulco While Chasing
the Itnta.

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 to sea
with her cargo. 1t was then that the
Charleston was sent in pursuit.
Under full head of steam the big
cruiser went at 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 Gillian 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 of shore,
as if in wait. No one could be found,
however, to believe this seemingly
weird tale, the American sailors in par
ticular pooh-poohing il as 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 indulged in nu-
merous hearty laughs at his own ex-
pense.
I'VE were clipping it off al 17-knot
gait" he said, ''and keeping a sharp
eye out for our friend the Itata, with
out catching glimpse Of her, We We're
wei down the Mexican coast when our
supply of coal began to run low. We
accordingly decided to put into Acapul-
co for 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 a dozen good
sized vessels to swing free at their
anchorage.
"Well, ii must have been few min
utes past midnight when we steamed
slowly into Acapulco, and as our shir
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 in an. instant the stories
that had been told lis of the Esmeralda
having been sent north to convoy tht
vessel we had been ordered to capture
and our first impression was that we
had blundered upon our quarry and hel
protector. If this were true we knew
there was nothing left but to fight for it
Immediately our men were sent t.
quarters, ammunition was ordered W
from the magazines, and all prepara
tions made for battle royal. We knew
that if the vessel near US was the Es
meralda we would have warm time
for she and the Charleston were bull
from the same plans, and were as neal
alike as two boats could be.
'We turned our searchlights on he
and it took us but minute to discovel
that she was the Esmeralda. Then w
swept the little bay for the Itata, bu
she could not be located. As it was
all we could do was to keep our men a
the guns till morning and await de
velopments. When daylight came Their
was puff of smoke from the big Chill
ian and salute, which we promptly re
turned, Numbered across the water
! Then the other fellow hoisted his aneho
and his ship steamed majestically out o
the harbor.
''In all my experience at sea that j
about as disagreeable night as / eve
spent, but we were ready to fight, if /
had -b0en necessary. Chicago Chron
icle.