The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-21 00:00:00

THE DESTRUCTION OF A CHILIAN
TRANSPORT BY A TORPEDO.

Advices from Panama to the 24th July give full
particulars of the scene in Callao Bay on the 3rd of
that month, when the Chilian transport Loa was blown
up by means of an infernal machine, and foundered
with nearly all on board.
The port of Callao is blockaded by the Chiliati fleet,
and amongst other vessels in the bay on the 3rd ult.
was the Loa, a fine iron steamer of British construc-
tion, which had, previous to the outbreak of the war
between Chili and Peru, formed one of a Qhilian Line
of steamers plying along the South Ameritan coast.
The following description is given of the mode in
which the "infernal machine" was constructed and
sent out to perform its fatal work. A Peruvian
officer took an ordinary fruit boat, put a torpedo in
the bottom, and over this placed a false bottom resting
on springs, so arranged as to be kept down by the
weight of the cargo above. He then loaded the boat
with a very choice assortment of camotes, yucas,
chirimoyos, grandillas, turkeys, fowls, green vege-
tables, &c., and towing it towards the blockading
squadron before daylight let it go adrift. All day
long the boat floated about, but the Chilians could not
see it, and about five o'clock in the evening the Peru-
vians, fearing it might fall into the hands of a neutral
vessel—for a number of these were allowed under cer-
tain conditions to remain in a bay--sent out a boat
to bring it back. The Loa was doing duty, and
seeing the boat from shore making towards the neutral
vessels at once started in pursuit. Seeing this the boat
from shore beat a hasty retreat. The Loa then fell
in with the fruit boat prepared by the Peruvians, and
having lowered two boats to secure it, the supposed
prize was brought alongside, and the discharge at once
commenced. As the weight of the cargo diminished
the machinery in connection with the torpedo was set in
motion, and in a moment 300 pounds Of dynamite were
exploded. The effect, as described by those who were
watching the operation with breathless interest from
the shore, was awful in the extreme. The Loa was
almost lifted out of the water, and appeared to be
enveloped in one mass of flame, which resolved itself
into dense clouds of black smoke. When this cleared
away she seemed not to have suffered, but suddenly
she was observed to sink at the stern, while her bows
went high in the air and the vessel disappeared.
While all this was going on the Chili= men-of-war
blockading the port—the Blanco, Eucalada, and the
Huascar, the latter being the vessel captured from the
Peruvians about the commencement of the war—were
too far off to render any assistance; but from the fleet
of neutral vessels boats were quickly lowered and pro-
ceeded to the scene of the terrible disaster. Boats
from the Thetis and the Penguin succeeded in saving
thirty men out of those who were found struggling in
the water; another man was saved by the Alaska's
boat, three or four men by the boat of the Decre,s, and
six by that of the Garibaldi; making about forty in
all, of whom it was expected at the time of writing.
the despatch that many would die from the shock and
the injuries they had received.
It is stated that the explosion occurred very close to
the neutral ships, which were shaken with tre-
mendous force. The disaster might easily have
occurred to any of them, as the torpedo-boat was to
:all appearance an ordinary fruiter which had broken
adrift and got out to sea.

HINTS ABOUT POULTRY.—III an article on "Poultry,"
in the Mark Lane Express, the writer says: "The
advantages to be derived from poultry have been
partly alluded to in these columns, but there is one
fact which has been entirely overlooked—viz., the
benefit derived by the land from their droppings.
Fowls' dung is most beneficial in an orchard; fruit-
trees that hitherto had only borne iioorly have been
known to yield an abundance of fruit by placing
around their roots a quantity of poultry manure, or
even by allowing the birds to roam about in an
orchard, where they can do no harm to anything, and
-greatly benefit the land. Many people have ad-
vocated that more land should be devoted to the cul-
tivation of fruit, as likely to be more profitable than
. corn growing. It is not our intention here to offer any
opinion on this matter, except by saying that during
the greater part of the year poultry could be kept in
an orchard at a trifling expense, and little labour,
while they would benefit the trees, and add to their
, productiveness most materially."

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women, seats, hats, caps, and other wearing apparel were
floating about. Panic stricken men and women
struggled to reach the walls, some clung to the floating
seats and thus reached the windows. Then by break-
ing the glass they were able to climb the sashes until
they were out of the reach of the water.
The windows now bear the marks of that fearful
struggle, the sashes being smeared with the blood of
the unfortunate people as they broke the glass in their
endeavours to climb to a place of safety. The Rev.
Father McFadden, the parish priest, remained on
the altar until the water was up to his chest. He
then stood on the table of the altar, but, as the
water was still rising, he grasped some floating
seats, and by this means he and some others were able
to reach the high window behind the altar, and by
breaking some of the glass to get a hold of the window
sashes. The priest from this point advised the people
to keep cool and collected, as their only chance of
safety. For an hour the water continued at its full
height, and then abated. The doctor of the district
was promptly on the spot, and Father McFadden's
house was converted into a temporary infirmary, where
thosc cut and bruised had their wounds attended to.
Five bodies have been recovered, two elderly men
were found drowned near the door. The bodies of a
boy about twelve, another lad about sixteen, and a
married woman were found washed ashore on the
banks of the river about a half-a-mile below the chapel
at Tullagh. Many more are missing, and a great
many are maimed. Some horses were also swept away
by the flood and drowned.