The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-04
SOUTH AMERICA.

BuENos AYREs. Oct. TO- via LisboD.-The
hostile armies on the southern borders Of
Peru are advancing to meet ehch other. and
a great battle is believed to be Imminent.
Heavy rains have fallen In the Argentine
States, dlspelling fears OF q drouth. The
wheat crop in the Santa Fe district Ia In
very fine condition.
PANAMA, Oct. 25.-Further information of
the cruise or the HuasCar and Union South,
and Of their meeting with two divisions OF
the Chillan navy, is derived from the official
report or Capt. Aurelio Garcia Garcia. COM
mandant or the Union. The two vessels
called at Iquique then stood south. arriving
or Sarco, . Chilian port. on the fourth in-
stant, where they captured the Chillan
schooner Coquimbo On tho morning OF the
fifth they entered tho harbor OF Tanquey
when we learned that an attempt would be
made to land strong Chiian force at Iquque
or some other point Oh the coast OF Peru.
Admiral Grau then determined TO return to
AFRICA.
Proceeding north the two Peruvian steam
ers, on the eighth sighted the tirst division
them The Huascas and Union at once put
about and made of as fast as possible to the
southwest. They had drawn we'll away from
land. the Chilian fleet following them, when
Grau resolved to steer north and endeavOr to
run between the Chilian fleet and the shore.
In this vancouver he succeeded and swept by
the enemy's first division without firing n
gun. The superior speed ol the Peruvian
| ships was manifest as they rapidly steamed
away from their enemies the Blanco, En-
calada and three wooden steamers and they
| thought to escape, when suddenly they
sighted the second Chilian division. composed
| OF the Almirante Gochrane and several
smaller vessels, coming down upon them.
i In few minutes Grau saw he could not es-
cape. from this irOnclad, whose speed was
equal to his own. He accordingly steered for
| shoal water where. on account 81 his i1ght-
ness OF draft, he might lead his huge enc
mics on the rocks or be able to out-manTuvre
them. The Union here deserted her COnsOrt
and escaped to the westward, closely followed
| by several smaller vessels Of the enemy
These could not come up with her, and she
proceeded north to africa without having
4 fired n shot. The fight was begun by the
Huascar discharging her two three hundred
Founders at close range at Almirante Coch-
rane. which Grau followed up by an attempt
to ram his antagonist. This was unsuccess'
full. as the Chllian iron-clads are double
screws and can present any front they choose
to an attack by ramm1ng.
Az the Huascar swept by Mt such close
range she received a broadside from the Coch
rane, and before she had proceeded far the
other battery was poured into her: AT the
same time the other Chillan ironclad camt
down upon her and Grau, undismayed by the
odds against him, boldly placed himself be
J tween the two ships, which were thus pre-
| vented from firing 50 rapidly, on account o
the danger Of hitting each other. This, NJ
/
hours before the Peruvian flag was haulet
| down.
For about an hour the officers Of the Unior
we're able to observe the deadly combat ant
speak fayorably OF the manner In which al
/ three ironclads were handled. It ls not known
i whether the Huascar was taken BY boarding
or whether after the death Of Grau, which l.
said to have occurred early IN the action, ant
the woundlng OF the executive officer and sev
eral subordinates, the remaining officers IN
hurt, only four In number, hauled down tn
flag. The Huascar lost large mum
her of officers and men, a circum
stance which was afterwards rs
: ported at Iquique by the Chillan vessels, th
} O'Higgins and Loa. The hull Of the Huasca
J we're damaged so that she was afterward
7 towed to AntofaRasta. The turret was jamme
J SO that 1t would not revolve, and everythin
, was swept from her decks by the terrible III
+ from the ironclads. 1t Is said, indeed, tha
: the turret Is rendered completely useless
The Chilian ironclad which went first int
: action fired her broadsides very rapidly, 6
, with her twin screws she was able to preseI
q to her adversary In few minutes any ba
q tery she wished to use. The Huascar's guI
Q were we'll served.
J. Fhe damage done to the Chilian ironclas
is inconsiderable. The Almirante Cochran
which sustained the brunt OF the battle, WI
= somewhat damaged, but the Blanco Eucalt
escaped almost entirely. The unequal cha
= acter Of the fight may be understood when
{ Is known that the Husacar had but two &c
Il Founders to oppose to twelve OF the san
Ls callbre, and her armOr was four and a III
l. inches, as against nine inches, which t
o ironclads carry. Subscriptions have alrea'
le been opened In LiC4a for the purchase OF
ironelad, to be called the Almirante Ora