The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-25
THE BATTLE OFF IQUIQUE.
ONE CHILIIN VESSEL SUNK AND ONE
HUNDRED AND SIXTY MEN LOST

Her Brave Commander Boardtng the Enemy's
ship with six Men and Killed ON her Deck
Peruvian IroncIad Wrecked ON "a Rock.
PANAMA, June 16.-Late arrivals from the
South Coast say that the Huascar. after success
fully running the gauntlet Of the whole Chlian
feet. arrived at Callao safely She captured one
or two Chilian merchant vessels. OF no particu-
lar value. and threw a dozen shells or so into
AntofaRasta. but on seeing that there was no
chance Of destroying the water condensers-thc
principal object OF her mission-she returned
to the north passing in sight Of and running
away from the Chlian feet. after having brief
exchange OF shots.
The blockade OF Iduidue. raised for q few
days by the destruction Of the Esmeralda and
the hurried departure OF the Covadonga and
Lamar. has again been asserted by the Chilians.
but the manner Of its maintenance has been
objected to by the Commander of II. B. NJ. $.
Turquoise. The Chilians have armed a num-
Der Of merchant steamers and transports. and
have n formidable fleet Nobody expects the
Huascar to escape long. as the Chilian feet nre
on the lookout for her. She has borne a charmed
existence hitherto. butshe has yet to measure
her strength with another ironclad at close
quarters.
Chilians are pouring men into the disputed
territory. and are preparing for bitter struggle
on land. while their superiority at sea is still
undoubted. Gen. Prado is at Iquique. and
Dnza at africa. both with their armies hundreds
Of miles from the real seat OF war.
LIMA. June 4.-Official reports and corre-
spondence have been received from IquiQue OF
the battles between the Peruvian vessels
Huascar and Independencia and the Chilian
ships Esmeralda and Covadonga on the 2lst
ult The Huascar arrived of the bay Of Iquiaue
on the morning OF the 2lst. and. discovering
the Esmeralda and CovadonRa in the harbor.
ordered the lndependenca accompanying her
TO guard the entrance OF the bay, while the
Huascar advanced against the Esmeralda,
rms vessel was lying far in shore, and
tho enemy between her own Are and that
OF the field artillery on shore. which, however.
did little damage. Eight 3O0-pound shells were
discharged by the Huascar against the Esmer-
aida. one falling in her engine room. and kill-
ing all the machinists aud hremen. The Es-
meralda was fought very bravely by her COM
mander. Don Arturo Prats. a son nf the recent
Cabinet Minister OF Chill. Capt. Grau. seeing
that his artillery practice was bad. owing to the
heavy sen, determined TO 40 TO close quar-
ters; The first two attempts at sinking
the Esni"ralda by ramming proved Intellectual,
AS she turned, and the monitors ram passed
glancingy along her side; but tho third effort
sank her striking her fair amidships. and
causing Immediate submersion. Al the mo-
ment Of this third shock. Capt. Grau also dis
charged his two turret guns NJ the Esmeralda.
meralda threw themselves in:o the water with
the exception OF Capt Prats. who called upon
his men TO follow him in boarding the ram. He.
however. was accompanied by only bali dozen
OF his men and his Second Lieutenant all OF
whom. Including Prats; were killed on the deck
OF the Huascar. The Esmeralda, out Of crew
OF nearly 200 had only forty odd saved by the
boats Of the Huascar The latter lost her signal
officer. and had two or three men slightly in
jured No damage was done to her by the ar
tlery fire OF the Chilan. The EsmeraldH WIS
aspecics OF storeshl for the Chilian squadron.
had ltaN
ammunition, and money. which. OF course. was
all lost; as she sank in deep water.
The fight lasted from A NJ. to ~ NJ. Mean
while the Covadonga. hugRng the coast.. being
q small vessel drawing but little water. was fol-
lowed AT distance by the ironcHd frigate In
dependencia. exchanging brisk fire from
their heavy guns. This was continued until
both vessels w"r some ten miles 10 the south
ing the Independence, determined To range
alongside ol the Covadonga. and 10 adopt the
same plan OF ramming which At that moment,
Huascar. Advancing rapidly against the
Chilian, receiving a heavy fire from her bat
terry and from the rihemen and mitrailleuses in
her tops. Capt More brought his ship close
alongside so that the yards were almost inter-
lacec. Just at this moment. AS the Independent
cia was preparing To give the coup de grace To
her antagonist, she struck heavily on sunken
rock. turned upon her side aud in an instant
il was apparent that She was lost. The Cova-
donga let fly her last broads ide. which was gal
lanuy returned hy the starboard battery OF
the lndependencia. the men standing knee
me sreht mole made ~ her bottom. The
commander of the Covadonga. Capt. Condell
OF scotch descent. opened sharp lire from his
tops on the sailors OF the lndependenca. who
had thrown themselves into the water and were
striking ont for shore. After tbs the Cova-
douga, badly damaged by the fire OF the In
dependencia. steamed away at the best speed
she could toward the south. The Huascar
shortly aiterward gave chase. but the Cova-
donga had a good start. and the chase WAS
abandoned. Bonts were sent from the
Huascar and nearly all of the crew Of the
Capt. More gave orders 10 set fire. 10 the maga-
zne but as the water had penetrated to that
point II was impossible 10 reach II. and 1t WAS
decided 10 hre "a" ship niter spiking the guns.
This was immediately done. The loss on board
tie lndependencia was eighteen men killed
and wounded. principally by the fire Of the
rh"mrn and Gatllng guns Of the Covndongn.
Lieut. GulllermO Garcia Garcia. Of the WELL
known family Of that name. is among the
KILLED. Nhhe replacing the lnd"pcnd"n las flag.
which had been shot away. he was struck by "A
hall from a mltrallleusr and killed instantly.
The enrmy's loss cannot br stated. hut must
have teen sever. ms their meu on "A lower yes-
sci than the lndrpendcucia. were more eX-
posed. The disaster TO the Peruyinns is GER
uinly great The loss OF the Independence
Will cripple them severely.
News has Just arrived from Pisco by tele-
graph that the Covndonga was run ashore ara
destroyed in AntoiagHsta. possibly from dam
ages received in the fight with the Indepen-
dGncIa.
culnr has been issued 10y the de facto Secretary
OF the Treasury:
i, TN, aearm9.nl has received Information that the
marqur with authority lo prlyaiccrs To seize Chihan
have d'parrd idr the United sm,cs Colicctor. Of co,
toms In Whose ports attinit, may be made out
powers WIN iake % sc tiat section 3ei"r tie
|ySu statue, statue nr '11lmntN ynieteed "Sahf a.l yc,.
laws OF the United states ~ '''''' '' "''''"''
BRAVE FIREMAN JONES.
IN IA.