The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-12-01
THE COMBATANTs.


In size, tonnage, engine power, ana num-
Der of guns the Meteor aud Bouvet were. as
far as can learn, on an equality. The Bou-
vet was, however, the faster vessel and had,
besides eighteen more men on board or
eighty-two, et1icerS and crew, to siNtv-four
officers and crew, bu5 then these two adyan-
tages We're fully if not more than balanced
by the McteOr's advantage of armament, her
three guns consisting of two twenty-pound-
crs and one sixty-eight-pounder, while the
three guns of the Bouvct were all twenty
four-pounders, aad the Meteor's machinery
was located mostly below the water line,
while that of the Bouvet was mostly above,
she having been built for despatch boat
more than for war purposes. These relative
advantages and disadvantages We're known
to but few, but had the case been otherwise
they would hardly have influenced the bet
ting, so much were personal feelings enlist
ed in the contest. At precisely the hour per-
mitted by the Spanish regulations-or, / P
NJ, Of Wednesday, the Meteor weighed an
Choir and slowly proceeded out of the bay,
her departure satisfying the large crowd on
the wharves that the maritime duel would
really take place, about which there had been
until then some few doubling Thomases Ad-
miral Malcampo had been among the first
informed of the agreed-upon naval combat,
and in order to prevent any of the lighting
being done in Spanish waters, and to assist
the wounded, should assistance become nee
essary followed the Meteor in the war
steamer Herman Cortes, taking three extra
physicians and e large quantity Of medicines
on board. CaptainGeneral Rodas, Intend
ente Santos, City officials and civilians, and
a few foreigners, also went with the Admiral
to profit by the opportunity of better witness
hat lo.lI I,,, A..
Herman Cortes. The Delamater gunboat
of consort, so that in case fatal injuries
should be received by the Bouvet and Mete-
or at one and the same time, both could be
assisted without delay.
THE FIGHT COMMENCES
After the Meteor left the bay of Havana
she steamed almost due north for a mile or
more, when, perceiving the Bouvet some ten
miles to the northeast, she changed her
course and defantly advanced upon her op-
ponent. The Bouvet at once as defantly
came to her encounter, and at 2 :32 fired the
first shot, the vessels being then about one
and one-half miles apart, five miles from
shore, nearly, abreast of the hamlet of Coli
mar, and from nine to ten miles from the
entrance of the port of Havana Immediate
ly before firing, however, the Bouvet ha
hoisted flags on her three masts to signal she
was about commencing to fight, and the Me-
teor had quickly replied by also hosting
flags on her masts, in token she accepted the
combat. When about one mile from the Me-
teor the Bouvet fired another gun, and then
began manGuvring for position, the Meteor
initiating, keeping the inner circle of their
revolutions, the French vessel, of course,
having to content herself with the outer cir
cle The Bouvet fired three more shots be-
fore the Meteor fired her first shot. Then
following some twelve shots from the Bou-
vet in about fifteen minutes, the Meteor re-
spending with only five shots, the two vessels
manGuvrng all the time. The sea was calm,
and the vessels rolled but little, yet marks
manship, sighting, and shooting, We're
wretched, neither vessel succeeding in hit
ting her opponent.
CLOSE QUARTERS
Captain Tranquil must have become tlissat-
isfied with this clear waste of powder and
balls for, after firing his seventh shot the
Bouvet was turned by him towards the Me-
teor, and the two vessels rapidly approached
each other, firing useless shots whilst ad-
vancng. The Bouvet lightly ran against the
Meteor pouring into her a volley of musket