The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-04
rHE emrLi.pERuvIAN WAR.
Terrible Disaster 20 n Chiiian Trans.
port.

THE STEAMER LOA BLOWN UP BY ToRPEDOs
IN cuIAo pAy-THE VESSEL SUNK AND
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY LIVES LOST
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE AFPAIR-THE
cBIIJAxs ACTIVE AND PREPARING FOR THE
FINAL STRUGGLE.
PANAMA, July 2I.-The Gillian transport
Loa, purchased mt the commencement Of
the present war, Is the steamer which was
blown up by torpedo In Callao bay on the
Sd instant. The affair caused great excite
ment in Lima. and muck glorifcation among
the Perpvians. The plan adopted was the
following, as related by correspondent Of
the Star and Herald:
THE TORPEDO BOAT.
The Peruvian officer took an ordinary
fruit boat, put torpedo in the bottom, aud
over this placed a false bottom resting on
springs, kept down by the weight OF the
cargo. He then loaded 1t with very
choice assortment OF carmotes, yucas, chirl-
moyos, granadiIles, fowls, turkeys, green
vegetables, &C.. and towing 1t out towards
the blockading squadron before daylight
SET 1T ADRIFr.
All day long the launch foated about, but
the Chilans could not see 1t until about 5
O'Clock in the evening. Fearing it would
fail into neutral hands, boat was sent out
TO bring it back. The l. "a was doing duty,
and seeing boat from the shore making
towards the neutral vessels, caught sight Of
the launch and at once turned towards it.
Seeing this the boat from the shore beat a
hasty retreat. The Loa lowered TWO boats
to fetch in the prize. and it was brought
alongside and It's discharge at once CON-
menced. AS the weight in the launch was
diminished the machinery in connection
with the torpedos was set free, and in a
moment
THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF DYNAMITE WERE
Exploded,
and the Loa was almost lifted out OF the
water. The effect, as described by those
who were watching the operation with
breathless interest from the shore, was aw-
full in the eXtlc enc. Every house in Callao
was shaken TO its foundation, and all the
ships In the bay shivered as though fearful
earthquake had spent its fury beneath them.
The faed ship appeared as enyeloped in one
mass OF flime, which resolved itself into
dense clouds OF smoke. When this cleared
away she seemed not to have suffered, but
suddenly she was observed to sink at the
stern while her bows went high in the air,
aud
THE LoA DISAPPEARED FOREVER.
While all this was going on the BIanco
Encaleda and the Hua>car were in their ac-
customed positions, some eight miles dis
tdnt-tOo far of TO render any assistance to
their unhappy comrades, or such OF them
as were left struggling in the water. The
boats OF the Theiis, Penguin, Alaska, De-
ores, and Garabaldi were quickly lowered,
and proceeded TO the scene Of the terrible
event. The two tirst-named ships succeed
ed in picking up thirty, the Alaska one, the
DecrCs three or four, and the Garabaldi six,
making about 80 in all, Of whom it is prob
able many will die. At least
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN PERSISTED.
The only officers saved are the second
commander twOunded), the doctor, and one
engineer. The explosion occurred very
close to the anchorage Of the neutral squad
ron, and the disaster might very easily have
happened TO one OF them. The boat re-
sembled an ordinary fruiter's, which might
accidentally have broken adrlft and got out
to sea.
THE CONDITION OF THINGS IL LIMA
is daily becoming worse. One decree fol-
lows another in rapid succession, and the
purpose OF more than nine tentbs OF
these officers seems 10 be TO divert
the attention OF the people from the
actual condition OF affairs. In the mean
time the Chilians are receiving recruits
actively, and by October 1st expect TO begin
the siege OF Lima. BY that time the foreign
element remaining will be greatly reduced,
and but few left a. spectators OF the final
struggle.
The United States steamers Alaska and
Adams, the British steamers Thetis and
Penguin, the Italian steamers GaribaldI and
Archimede, and the French steamer Decres
were in the harbor OF Calloa July 9th.