On January 16, 1881, after the Battle of Miraflores and at the brink of the occupation of the Peruvian capital, Blume's submarine was scuttled with the other ships of the Peruvian fleet to avoid capture by the enemy. Some naval war analysts still believe that, had "Toro Submarino" been successful, it would have dramatically changed the course of the war in favor of Peru; however, many modern historians have expressed skepticism about this possibility.