Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-21

DETAILS of the battle between the Peruvian
ironclad lluascar strongest ship of war
owned by Peru-and the Gillian iron-clads
Cochrane and Blanco, on the Sth of October,
show it TO have been the bloodiest sea fight of
modern times. 1t was fought not only with
the heavy ordnance of our times hut with
musketry and gatling guns. The Huascar
fought the Cochrane for an hour and half
when the other Gillian iron-clad arrived on
the scene and Immediately opened fire, di-
recting her attention to the Huascar's fight
ing turret and the little tower near the smoke
stack, which was the battle station of her
commander, Admiral Grau. The Blanco's
guns were well served and their effect was
terrible. The tower was carried away and
Admiral Grau taken down below with one of
his legs torn off While in the cabin a solid
300-pound shot from the Blanco struck the
Huascar in the stern, destroying the steering
gear, and passing directly through the ship
left gaping aperture large enough for boat
to enter. This shot killed the brave Admiral,
his aide, Lieutenant Ferre, and several others.
The Huascar was now unmanageable, and
from the proximity of tho enemy it was inn
possible to even fit up temporary steering
apparatus, rs their musketry and mitrall-
leuscs literally swept the deck. Captain
Elias Aguirre assumed command of the ship
= al. l,,, tool hi- Of
ton in the gun-turret. The turret was hit
by heavy shell, which, passing through
port, exploded inside, disabling one Of the
two guns and killing Aguirre and all who
were serving the piece. Three of the five
commanders who succeeded each other were
killed and another badly wounded. The
was possible to man them, and no one
thought of surrender. A boarding party OF
Chilians were driven back by the brave sur
vivors, but second was successful, and the
flag of the IIuascar was lowered by the
enemy She was disabled beyond repair in
the fight, all but So of her 2l6 men were kill
ed and the others were most of them wound
ed The CHILEAN vessels were more heavily
armored than the Peruvian, and received lit
tie damage and reported very few casualties.
THE sentimentiofthe sailor, who, reading on
atombstone the legend, "weep not for me my
children dear, | am not dead though | lie
here, broke out with a double-shotted de
claration that if he was dead, he would own
it, like man,-is to be commended 10 the
Greenback organs. In the elections of last
year the Grcenbackers succeeded in electing
several members of Congress. Their total
vote for their own distinctive candidates cx-
ceeded three hundred thousand, besides
large vote cast by coalitions for nominees of
the Democratic party. As between the great
parties in several of the States they seemed
TO hold the balance of power. The Demo
Gratis shaped their platforms so as to concili-
ate and catch the Greenback vote Some
Republicans even in some sections of the
country held their breath with timidity, not
knowing whereunto this thing would grow,
and deeming it politically prudent TO take
further observations before committing them
selves so decisively as to preclude retreat.
The Greenbackers were clustering, noisy and
positive, and many of them doubtless honest
in their dclusion. But that the craze could
not have a long run, was predicted by many
experienced political prophets, and their pre-
dictions have proved true. The elections of
this year point Enthusiastically to the fact that
the Greenback party, as power, is dead. 1t
is doubtful whether it will even attempt to
make any show of organized life a year
hence. Last year the Grcenbackers polled
more than eighty thousand votes in New
York, and nearly hundred thousand in
Pennsylvania, saying nothing about their
votes for coalition tickets. This year their
vote in New York may possibly reach $4,000;
and in most Of the other States is 50 trivial
that, politically considered, it is hardly worth
counting, since it has made no impression on
the result 1t will be smaller yet next year,
if the party should survive so long and, if
it does, neither of the other two parties will
trouble itself with so insignificant a concern.