The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-08-25

The Chilean transport Loa. FUR
chased at the beginning Of the present
war. Is the steamer which was blown up
by torpedo in Callao Bay on the Sd
inst. The affair caused great excitement
in Lima aud much gloriiieation among
the Peravians From the time the
Chilean fleet has been on the coast of
Peru, il has been noticed that the Off
cefs and men were particularly partial
to fruits and vegetables, not being
always careful to distinguish between
the market boat of . neutral merchant
vessel and The eoasting boat OF o Peru.
Wan. This fact impressed itself on q
Peruvian officer. aud at last he HE on
plan TO turu II to some practical &C.
count He took an ordinary fruit boat,
put torpedo in the bottom, and over
this he placed false bottom, resting on
springs. kept down by the weight Of
the cargo lie then loaded II with a
very choice assortment Of camoses. w.
cas-. chirimoyas. granadills, fowls, tur-
keys. green vegetables. &c and towing
10 out toward the blockading squadron
before daylight. set il sdrift. All day
long that launch floa,sd about. but the
Chiieans could not SEQ it. About Eve
O'Clock in the evening. fearing II would
fall into neutral hsnds. boat was sent
oat 10 bring IL back. The Los vas
doing duty at the time. aud seeing the
boat from shore making toward the
neutral vessels, caught sight Of the
launch, aud ut once turned toward il.
Seeing this, tho boat from shore beat q
hasty retreat. The Loa lowered two
boats, which captured the prize and
took Il alongside, and the unloading
vas Ct once begun. AZ the weight in
tho launch was diminished, the ma
chinery Ia connection with the torpe-
does Was set free. and in moment 500
pounds Of dynamite were exploded and
the Loa was almost lifted out Of the
water. The effect, ~ described by
those who we're watching the operation
with breathlcss interest from the shore,
was awful in the extreme. Every house
in Callao was shaken to its Foundation,
aud every ship In the bay shivered as
though . fearful earthquake had spcn,
its fury beneath them. The fated ship
appeared 40 II developed IN ore mass OF
flame, which resolved itself into dense
clouds Of black smoke. When this
cleared away she seemed 20 have no,
suffered. bat suddenly she Was observed
to sink at the stern while her bows
went high in the air. aud the Loa dis
appeared forever.
While all this was going on, the
Blanco Encalaia and the Huascar we're
in their accustomed positions. some
eight miles distant, too far of 10 render
any assistance 20 their comrades. or
such Of them rs were left struggling In
the water. The boats Of the Thesis and
Penguin picked up thirty men, the
Alaska one. the Dscres three or four.
and the Garibaldi Elk. making about 40
in oil. Of whom il IL probable many
vill die. Az least $50 men persisted.
The only officers saved are the sec.usi
Commander. lwoundedl the Doctor.
and one engineer. The explosion oe.
cured very close to the anchorage At
the neutral squadron. and The disaster
might have very easily happened To one
Of them. The boat resemblei the OF.
binary fruissrs. which might accids =
tally have broken adrift and got out 10
Sea.
The condition of things in LAMA il
daily becoming worse. One decree FOL.
lowe the other in rapid succession, and
the purposs Of moro than nias-tsnths Of