The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-14
THE HUAsCAR.
Description Of the Chief Vessel Of the Peru
Wan Navy, Captured the Other
Day by the Chilians.
TN. Y. Herald

The Huascar was built by Messrs. Lloyd,
Cd the Clyde. In 1866. for Peru. She Is 1870 feet
long, 35 feet beam, HOO tons burden, draws 10
feet Of water, and her average rate OF speed
la is knots. She has quarters for 1000 men,
but ordinarily carries only 800. Her buiwarks
are of three-eighths iron, arranged go as to be
removed In action, leaving her deck only four
feet above water. She has two iron masts,
braces extending from the sides Of the deck
to the foretop, but those are intended to be
removed In an engagement so as to be out OF
the way OF the guns in the turret. The hull
liz ten inches OF teak and seven inches Of iron
plating. The turret consists Of eleven inches
oil teak and eight and half inches OF iron,
and ID six feet high above the deck,
although the floor In the interior Is
lower than that outside, affordtng plenty Of
room for working the guns. There are two
ret. and two 4o-pounder guns Of the same
manufacture IN open battery upon detk. The
turret is worked by hand, sixteen men being
required for that purpose The two 500
Founders are divided by AZ iron partition and
require six men each. The only objections
that present themselves are the forecastle
and poop deck, which prevent firing forward
or astern, the heavy, iron masts and the COM
plicated machinery used IN working the guns.
The latter Is entirely different from the
as to bewilder any one who undertakes to
understand it, but Is very liable to disar-
rangement In the excitement of action. There
is complete labyrinth Of chains, cogwheels,
cranks, shafts and ropes. with the use OF
which nothing but long practice can familiar
ize one. Her officers have always spoken In
high terms Of her Seagotng qualities, with
the exception that she ships good deal OF
water. She Is in one or two respects inferior
to the best American iron-clads. She has q
large surface OF hull exposed; her guns are
deprived of clean sweep In consequence of
her mastS, her turrets are not very easily
handled, and her rifled Armstrong; have less
effect than American smooth boreS CT the
same calibre.
FIRST IRoN-CLAD FIGHT ON THE PACIFIC.
The Huascar first distinguished herself by
capturiny two Spanish vessels during Peru's
war with Spain in 1866 and afterward took
mart In the defeat OF the feet at Callao She
was concerned In most II the revolutionary
movements Of Peru that occurred during the
past ten years. In May, 1877, she was seized
nv the followers OF Pierola, the rebel, and was
forthwith declared pirate by the Peruvian
government. The British men-of-War Shah
and Amethyst were mainly instrumental In
reducing her to allegiance. Her encounter
with these vessels was the first that had
taken place between iron-clads In the Pacific
Before meeting the Shah the Huascar had
to encounter the iron-clad frigate Indepen-
iencia. corvette Union and gunboat Pilco-
mayo. The fight continued for an hour and
d half at rifle range; then, darkness coming
on, the Huascar thought it advisable TO de-
camp At Iioiio on the evening OF the tWen-
ty-ninth firing was heard far out at sea, and
shortly afteIward the Huascar was seen
steaming in toward shore. Night fell and
the ship disappeared: All manner OF conlee-
lures were folmed, but no reason could pe
Il