Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-18
A FIGHT BETWEEN IRON.CLADS.

Details of the Naval Engagement Off the
Coast of Peru---The British Ship Shah
Fails to Satisfactorily Punish the Rebel
Ram Huascar---A Spirited Battle.
The Panama Star and Herald of June
! II furnishes further particulars of the
naval fight between the ram Huascar
and the British iron-clads, the Shah and
Amethyst. The Huascar was COM
manded by Don Nicholas de Pierola,
who had not only rebelled against the
Peruvian government, but had seized
| the ram, and with her had bid defiance
to the president and his party On May
% his ship had an encounter with the
government squadron, consisting of the
Independence, an iron-clad frigate, and
two wooden cOvettes named the Union
and the Pilcomayo. The latter was of
little importance, and at nightfall the
Huascar steamed away toward the Shore
and was soon lost to sight in the heavy
fog. "The next day, May 49," says the
Lima correspondent of the Star and Her.
aid, "when close to Pacocha, a little port
in the neighborhood Of Ito, two large
vessels were seen some distance out at
sea, and the Huascar, imagining they
were part of the government squadron,
stood out to meet them with view of
fighting But it was soon discovered
that they carried the British flag, and
were in fact her Britanic MAJ esty's ships,
the Shah and Amethyst, the former fly
ing the broad pennant of Rear Admiral
De Horsey. The Huascar, although
hot of no
Of those vessels, was by no means pre-
pared for what followed. A gun was
fired by the Shah for the ram to lay to,
and boat from the Amethyst was soon
pulling toward the Huascar Coming
alongside, the officer was invited aboard,
but refused and then informed the COM
mander that Admiral De Horsey gave
the Huascar just two minutes to haul
down the Peruvian flag and surrender to
him in the name of the queen that in
case of refusal he would do all possible
to sink the ram. The people on board
the Huascar could scarcely credit their
senses, but Pierola, who is a man of &C
ton, speedily comprehended the situa-
ton, and replied to the British officer
! that the Huascar was national man
of-war, carrying the national flag, and
that he might tell his superior that that
emblem would not be lowered while the
Huascar had a gun to defend it. With
this reply the boat returned to the Anne
| thyst. Pierola instantly beat to quar-
tiers, and in few words assured his
men that his own personal pretensions
now disappeared in the face of this new
emergency which threatened the honor
of their common country. He was
loudly cheered, and the ships company
to man, even including some prisoners
taken on shore at Pisagua, evinced the
most determined spirit of resistance.
The English opened fire at about six
hundred yards, the first shots cutting
away the flag Of the Huascar, but which
was Immediately replaced. The Huas-
car replied with her heavy three-hun-
dred-pound Blakeleys in the turret and
the Amethyst lying off and on, steadily
persisted In her attempts to rake the
ram. The Shah fired her broadsides,
which are discharged by electricity, and
in a few moments everything on the
Huascars decks, except her masts, tur-
ret, and smoke-stack had disappeared.
Her standing rigging, boats, steering
gear, and capstan were destroyed IN the
hot fire from the English vessels. The
Huascar, however, continued her fire at
regular intervals, sometimes from her
turret guns A shell from the Amethyst
entered one of her forward ports, ex-
ploding inside, killing one man and
wounding several For moment fire
was apprehended, but fortunately was
prevented After the fight had lasted
about an hour and half the Amethyst
was seen with a thick smoke issuing
from amidships, and Stoned away out Of
action, not returning for twenty minutes,
leaving the Huascar and the Shah alone.
The former now attempted to ram her
adversary, but the splendid handling of
the Shah prevented any successful man
euver of this nature. On approaching,
as the Huascar's officers state, the Shah
appeared to move as if by instinct, and
\ her heavy batteries were brought to bear
8 on the assailant A small Gatling gun
Istationed in her tops very seriously in
,,commoded the cOmbatants on board the
ram, and her smoke-stack is riddled with
,ynlusket bullets. One three hundred
epound shot struck the turret of the
Huascar, penetrated the iron for two
inches, and then rebounded On the
rside she was hit twice by the same class
of shot and with precisely the same re-
suit. The Peruvians now adopted a new
imode of attack, first advancing on the
ushah and then on the Amethyst, but the
speed and superb management
Def these vessels prevented her running
n hem. The battle lasted for three hours.
sJhen the Huascar slowly retired, the
shell from the Amethyst having destroyed
9igll the primers for the turret guns, and
rrihe headed toward the land, for which
,dihe had been maneuvering for some
BEETLE time previously. The enemy did
ntot attempt to pursue; contented them
beelves with receiving the last shots from
ne Huascar, and remaining about two
rdiiles from shore, evidently keeping
;aliatch over their brave antagonist. The
1S[uascar, although attacked at this time
BY musketry firing from the government
ne1oops on shore who imagined that a
|, hiding was to be attempted, sent mes
Y niger with a white flag to the captain
oo tbo fort bnopipr for ~, p,,,,,i+io,,