The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-22
THE ATLANTIC DUEL.
"Details of the Fra nco-Prussfan Duel OF
Observation-Disclosures and Incidents
OF the Encounter.


The Havana correspondent ofthe New York
Times under date Of the 18th instant, sends
that paper the following spirited account Of tue
recent naval duel of Havana:
PRELIMINARIEs OF THE DUEL.
On Monday morning at about O'CLOCK, the
look. out on the Nero signaed Prusslan man.
of-war. About. half an hour later, small, In
significant looking gunboat. which, however, De.
lied her looks during the recent fight, made hel
appearance In the harbor, the name Meteor being
painted on her stern. She had ju,t come from
! Nassau via Key West. Her arrival would nave
excited no comment had not the; French gunhoat
| Bouyet made her entrance about an houf
| later, having come from Martinique, and there
| fore from g. different direction. AS the French
| vessel was the largest ship, the French neWsps
| per OF this city, which pretends to be Spanish
| Journal, made an attempt to get up little more
smoke, and announced Ia its evening edition that
| the Frenchman had been pursuing the Prusslan
all the way from Nassau, the Frencn commanaei
When it Is known tina: the French gunooat can &c
at the rate OF ten miles an hour and the Prusslan
only six to seven, the fallacy OF this statement
becomes apparent. On IuesdaY morning sne
Cruz, was preparing to leave for her destination,
when the Prussan was seen to leave the harosr
and steam out to sea. The NOuveau Monde follow
ed, but seeing the Prussian outside and rearing
CAPTURE returned to port about three hours later,
the PruSSian also returning The report WAS then
started that the Prusslan had Rotintended 10 walt
the mail steamer but for the French gun6oat, and
the Diario gave e.ho to these reports, which were
also hawked about from one man-ofwar to the
other, and to the respective consulates. The re-
suit was challenge by the Prussian 10 tne FRENCH
man to fight on The following day, the French
gupboat leaving the harbor at p NJ. on Tuesday,
Cruising of the Moro, as twenty-four hours had
to elapse before the Prussian could leave port.
The challenge became generally known, and the
excitement among all classes reached leVer-neat,
the Spanish Admiral ordering the gunooats Cor
tes and Centnels to be got ready for sea- In ORDER
to witness the fight, to see that neutral jursdic-
,ion was not Violated and TO render assistance In
case or need.
EN ROUTE FOR THE FIELD.
On Wednesday afternoon large concourse OF
prominent persons was assembled at the Mechina
to witness the atIar, having been invited BY the
Captain General and Admiral, both OF these gen.
tlenen. with their stats, several representatives
Of the Havana press, and the CORRESPONDENTS OF
the Times, Herald and Associated Press being also
present. At sharp the Meteor raised her anchor,
passing by the Moro at quarterpast l. the Cortcs
following close in her wake. Every afallaole
was crowded with persons anxious to witness
the fight, the number being calculated at over
thirty Thousand. The watch.toWer ON the Moro
was black with spectators. On passing the Moro
the Frenchman was seen ten miles OF, the masts
being barely discernible. The Prnssian headed
directly for her, steering nortneast oy east, tne
Cortes standing OF In more easterly dlrectlon.
The Prussian was going at the rate OF nve 10 SIX
miles an hour, the voice Of her commander, knorr
giving the order 70 prepare everything lor acEon
being heard q1ite distinctly. Inc bouVeI was
or and at quarter-past2 the man at the mast
head announced tnat the Bouvet, which sailed
almost twice as fast, was heading directly Tor the
Meteor. The Meteor was then about SIX miles
rom the Moro and about one and one.fourth
from the Bouvet, and at hall-past the FRENCH
man set all his nags, the Prussan following suit,
as sign that both were ready for the comoat.
Every heart beat, and every eye on tne cores
was strained to watch the movements OF the TWO
vessels, the Bouyet gliding along fast and grace
fully. evidently intending to keep continually TO
windward Of the Meteor, the latter moving mucn
more slowly but always presenting her PROV TO
the Bouvet. AT close quarters 1t was supposed
that the Bouvet would nave the greatest adVan'
tage, she:being much higher out OF the Water-a
larger ship, mounting three heavy guns anu two
smaller brass ones, and her crew consisting Of
eighty men. Her antagonist nad out Sixty men,
and only three guns.
THE FIGHT.
The ball was opened by the Bouvet at 2:33. oy
firing five shots In rapid succession at tue Prus-
sian, before the latter answered, the Vesseis cross
ing each Others bows at $40, the Frenchman con.
tinulng to nre much faster than the Prusslan,
almost in the proportion Of two shots to one.
Neither ship had been hlt yet, when the French
man ran rapidly alongside of the Prussao, WIN
the intention OF boarding The vessels grazed
each Others sides, and a perfect rain OF hand
grenades and rifle balls fell on the deck OF the
Prusslan. Then the Frenchmen's rigging anu
yards became entangled with those OF. the Prus,
sian. The commander ordered the ropes and
graphing irons to be cut and few moments
later the main and nlizzen masts OF the Prussian
were seen to fall over the slde, the masts going
over at 253 Ever body supposed that tae l1ls. Is
fire fast, although embarrassed by the fallen
masts and wards and unable to use their large
gun. The Frenchman had veered to pour an
other broadslde, when shot was nfed from tile
Prussian and at the same moment column OF
steam. fire and smoke was seen to issue from the
hold Of the Fren lehman, the shot haH10g cut tne
steam pipe In two and set fire to the coa!-ounk'
ers. The fire was soon extinguished, out the ve',
Sci, having no longer any steam power, arllsea
otherwise uninjnred. set all sail and made MS
way rapidly toward neutral waters, crossing the
line at 3:25, when Admiral Macampo ordered
gun to be fired to wlndward IN order 10 notlly lne
T Prussian that the Bouvtt was now In neutral wa
ters and under the protection OF Spain, the Prus'
sian having continued TO fre Oh the retreatlng
Frenchman. If the wiod had not been so (avora.
BILE to the losing Bouvet, she would undoubtedly
free herself from her wreck and disentangle the
screw from the rigging which had caught IN It,
about the time the Frenchman reached neutral
waters. The Spanish gunboat Centinela went 10
ward the Frenchman in order TO see II she re-
quired any assistance, but although the Centinela
went at the rate OF ten miles an hour, she only
came up with the BOuvet at the NOUN OF tne
hsrbor. The COrtes went toward the Prussian
AID made the same offer.
FELlc1rous RESULTS.
Contradictory reports have been In circulation
as to the number or killed and wounded, aud the
Freochman Is accused Of not giving the exact
number of casualties. But as all these reports are
generally started by scan lal-monger5. the state.
ment OF the commander must be considered truth
full. The Frenchman had three men wounded,
was hit three times by ball, and had her machine.
ry disabled; the Prussian had two men Killed and
one wounded, by hand. grenades and musEet
balls and had two OF her mnsts carried away, tne
hun being uninJured. On Thursday ihe Two Kill
ed on the Meteor were buriel In the havana
cemetery, all prominent Germans and the
officers and crew of the Meteor attending. Ihe
procession was very imposing, but, notwitl'
standing the solemniy OF the act, the consempsi,
Bile tongue. heroes and busybodie5 OF havana
were already at their work trying to get up an0tn.
er row between the TWO ships, aud 1t Is more tnan
likely that another hostile meeting will take place
The commanders OF both ships are brave men,
and their crews behaved admirably. but the lolly
Of the combas between two Insignificant men-ol-
war, when compared to the main struggle at
home becomes only too apparent. The Germans
will give grand dinner to the officers OF the
Meteor, and are raising subscription. for the
benefit OF the families uf the killel and wounded