Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-17
4 NAVAL BATTLE.
Desperate Conflict Between Peruvian
Ironeiads and Chilian VeaseIa--A Chill
ian Vessel sunk and Peruvian IRON
clad wrecked,

| Desperate Conflict Between Peruvian
| Ironeiads and Chiiian vesseIs--A Chill
clad Wrecked.
| Official reports and correspondence
have been received from Iquique, Peru,
of the battles between the Peruvian YES
sells Huascar and Independencia and the
Chilian ships Esmcralda and Covadonga
| The 1Iuascar arrived OF the bay of
| Iquique and. discovering the Esmeralda
and Covadonga in the harbor, ordered
! the Independence, accompanying her.
] to guard the entrance of the bay, while
| the Huascar advanced against the Es-
meralda. This vessel was lying far in
shore, and protected by n line OF torpe-
does. When the IIuascar got in posi-
! tion she had the enemy between her own
! fire and that Of the field artillery on
shore, which, however, did little dam
age. Eight 3O0-pound shells were dis
charged by the Huascar against the Is
meralda, one falling in her engine-room
and killing all the machinists and fire
men. The Esmeralda was fought very
| bravcly by her commander, Don Arturo
| Prats, a son of the recent Cabinet Min
| lister OF Chill. Capt. Grau, seeing that
| his artillery practice was bad. owing To
! the heavy sea. determined to go to close
quarters. The first two attempts Mt
| sinking the Esmcralda by ramming
| proved Intellectual, as she turned. and
the monitors ram passed glancingly
along her side; but the third effort sank
| her, striking her fair amidships. and
causing immediate submersion. At the
moment Of this third shock. Capt. Grau
also discharged his two tuTret guns at
| the Esmeralda, shattering her terribly.
/ The crew of the EsmCralda threw them
| selves into the water. with the cxccp-
/ ton of Captain Prats. who called upon
| his men 10 follow him in boarding the
ram. He, however, was accompanied
/ by only half dozen of his men and his
second Lieutenant, all of whom, includ-
NJ Prats. were killed on the deck of the
| lIuascar The Esmcralda, out OF "A crew
| of nearly 200. had only forty odd saved
/ by the boats Of the lIuascar. The lat
ter lost her signal officer, and had two
or three men slightly injured. No dam
age was done to her by the artillery fire
| of the Chilian. The Esmcralda was n
species of storcship for the Chilian
| squadron. and had on board large
quantity of provisions, ammunition and
money. which. Of course, was all lost,
as she sank in deep water
! The fight lasted from eight \. VI. to
| twelve ". Meanwhile the Covadonga.
/ hugging the coast, being small vessel,
| drawing but little water. was followed
at distance by the ironclad irigatc In
| dependencia, exchanging n brisk fire
| from their heavy guns. This was con-
| tinued until both vessels were some ten
miles 10 the southwark OF Iquiquc. Thn
| Captain More. commanding the Tnde-
! pendcncia, determined 10 range along
| side Of the Covadongn, and to adopt the
same plan of ramming. which nj that
moment, nearly, was being successfully
/ tried by the liuascar. Advancing rap
/ idly against the Chilian, receiving
\ heavy fire from her battery and from the
/ rincmen and mitrallleuscs in her tops.
! Capt. More brought his ship lose along
| side. so that the yards were almost in
/ terlnced. Just at this moment. as the
| lndepcndenCia was preparing 10 give the
coup de grace to her antagonist. she
| struck heavily en- n sunken rock, turned
upon her side and in an instant il was
/ apparent that'shc was lost. The Cova-
| donga let fly her last hroadsidc, which
| was gallantly,rrturncd by the starboard
7 battery Of the Indcpendcncia. the men
standing knee deep In the water at
was pouring in through the great hole
made in her bottom. The commander
/ Of the Coyadonga, Capt Condell. of
/ Scotch descent. opened n sharp fire'from
/ his tops on the sailors OF the lndepcnden-
! Cia, who had thrown themselves into
! the water and were striking out for the
I shore. After this the Covadonga, badly
| damaged by the fire of the Inncponden-
I cia, steamed away at the best speed she
could toward the south. The Iluascar
shortly ailcrward gave chase. but the
| Covadonga had a good start. and the
| chase was abandoned. Boats were sent
| from the Huascar. and nearly all Of the
crew of the Independence placed in
/ safety on board. Capt. More gave orders
/ TO set fire To the magazine, but "a the
water had penetrated 20 that point ii
I was impossible to reach IL. and IL was
I decided to fire the ship after spiking the
guns. This was Immediately done.
The loss on board the Indcpcndrncia
was eighteen men killed and wounded.
/ principally by the fire Of the rihemen
and Gatling guns of the Covadonga.
Lieut.. Guillermo Garciay Garcia, of the
I well-known family Of that name, is
among the killed. While replacing the
/ INDEPENDENTLY flag. which had been
shot away, he was struck by ball from
n mitrailleuse and killed instantly. The
enemy's loss cannot be stated. but must
| have been severe, ~ their men. on n
lower vessel than the Independence.
were more exposed The disaster to the
Peruvians is certainly great. The loss
of the Independence will cripple them
/ severely.
The Covadonga was run ashore and
destroyed in Antofagas,a. possibly from
damages received in the fight with the
Independence.
81 Sarsaparilla.n