New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-02-16
Peruvian Torpedo Tricks.

49, W. -tNCoulU VI Vic uClcuSeS OF
the city Of Lima, native of that
city lately gave to the World the fol.
lowing account Of the use of torpe.
does by the Peruyians. He said:
''You recollect the destruction of
their transport Loa by a torpedo con.
cealed in a fruit boat which was
turned adrift in such way as to fall
into their hands. The unloading of
the fruit from what appeared to be
an ordinary market boat set some
clockwork in motion, and when the
300 pounds of dynamite exploded the
Loa was destroyed and sunk in less
than ten minutes. The corvette Co.
vadonga was destroyed in pretty
n'uch the same way. This vessel
was bombarding Chaucay, a small
port about forty miles from Lima,
when small boat, got up to look
as fit was the gig of the captain of
the port, came ont to her. The cor.
yette suspecting something wrong
fired on the small boat, and its crew
at once jumped overheard and swan
ashore. The Chilans sent a launch
after the boat. They were very eau.
tious about it, for their Admiral has
issued orders to them to keep clear
Of all boats adrlft. Well, they pass
ed rope under it to see that it was
really clear of any wires, had it ex-
amined by calker to be sure that
there was no false bottom, and even
then were not satisfied, but had an
engineer from the corvette 90 ont
and look the ooat over. These do
lngs were very closely watched from
the shore, | can tell you. Finally
they seemed to determine that the
small boat was all right, and the
launch took her in tow to the side of
the corvette. They attempted to
hoist her up, but as soon as the
weight OF the boat came on the rings
at each end of her steel rod acc1-
rately gagged to break with Ger.
tain weight snapped, and 300 pounds
OF dynamite slowed in the air cham.
bers along each side of the boat ex.
ploded and in ten minutes the Coya-
donga was sunk. The men on shore
hurried out in boats, and the launch.
es Of the corvette, which were ont
doing patrol duty, also helped to pick
up the men in the water. Out of
100 men on board about forty were
saved.
'"The last attempt to use the tor
pedo was not successful. It took
place about twenty days before I left
Lima. The lron.clad Blanco Euca.
leda IS detailed to keep the blockade
at Cal!ao, and has an anchorage
ground off the corner of the Island
OF San Lorenzo, which forms one
side Of the harbor. It was her ems.
tom 70 put out to sea every night to
be safe from any night attacks in
small boats: Every morning about
. O'Clock she returned to her buoy
to anchor fol the day. We arranged
a sunken torpedo of two boats fast.
ened together and sunk just unde,
that spot. The explosive was 5000
pounds of black powder. Clockwork
was set to explode the mass at 9:3C
in the morning, and at that time
there was great crowd on the shore
watching the vessel, expecting to see
her go up, for she had come in and
anchored in her old spot. But il
seems that the tide, which sets very
strong at that point, had carried the
torpedo about half a mile away, anc
all we had was a very fine water
spout. Now the Blanco Eucaledt
goes out to sea as usual every night
but leaves several launches to patro
the anchorage ground.