The Portland daily press., 1891-04-29
NAVIES OF MIGHTY BATTLE SHIPS
At the Mercy of Puny Little Craft
Carrying Deadly Torpedoes.
That Is what the News From Chill
Seems to Teach.
How Two Powerful Men of-War
Were Sent to the Bottom.

New YORK, April 2S.-In the army and
navy circles here the loss of the Chilian iron
cladf. Blanco Enclaada and Huascar. which
were sunk by the torpedo cruiser Almirante
Lynch and her consort. is an absorbing top
ic. as it seems to demonstrate the success of
torpedoes as means of coast defence. In
an article on the subject, the Times this
morning said:
Such record as the Admirante Lynch has
made for herself is not likely to be duplicated by
any torpedo craft for many year, for according
to the cable messages from Chilli which reached
this city yesterday the swift little cruiser and her
consort sank not only the 1ron-clad Banc0 Enc "a
lada. but sent another armored ship, the monitor
Huascar. to the bottom the same day. While the
Blanco Encalada was one OF the most powerful of
odds the most famous.
The Huascar was an armored turret ship COM
Din1n1ng the low freet oard ram and the monitor
type. She was built in England in 1865, when
Capt. Ericsson's wonderful type OF vessel first
tween PeruandChili in 1o77-78, the Huascar was
captured Oct. 8, 1879, by the Chilians under Ad-
miral Rivers, and her guns were turned upon her
lormer owners. Singularly enough the Blanco
Encalada was the most important vessel of the
ment.
Two years previous to that battle the Huascar
fought with the British unarmored ship Shah in
the Bay of Yio May 30, 1877. The Huascar had
re6elled against the Peruvian government and
and British subjects. She was declared pirate,
and Admiral De Horsey of the British fleet pro-
ceeded against her with his flagship, the Shah.
The action lasted all day, the Huascar getting
much the worst of it.
The great victory that has been won by the
government in these encounters is due to the
superior handling and greater destructive ability
of the Whitehead torpedoes, with which the
government has been supplied since the trouble
began. The Whitehead may be said to be
an explosive submarine boat made of
sizes varying from IA to 10 feet in
length, and from 13 to 16 inches in diameter at
the centre. 1t is built of STEEL and contains de-
partments in which are placed the bursting
charges, the detouating apparatus, the tiny three
cylinder engines, and the air which actuateS
them. 1t is stated that for 22O yards the velocity
attainable by the Whitehead torpedo is "a miles
an hour, and that 1000 yards can be covered at
the rate of 16 miles, or 1000 yards at five miles
per hour. AS to the effect of the blow there can
be little question: if the fuse is instantaneous in
character, as to the certainty of explosion at the
moment of contact.
The Almirante Lynch, so far as tonnage went,
cut little OF figure beside the big antagonist he
disposed of so handily. Her tonnage is but $50.
she is, of course unarmored, and the few guns
she carries, in addition to her torpedo tubes, aIe
not powerful enough TO have any effect on an iron
clad.
American Schooner Fired On.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 2S.-The American
schooner Fred K. Louder arrived here yes
terday from Taltai, Chilli. The Louder en-
tered Taltai at dusk last February and was
fired on by Chilian battery from the shore.
The Chilians had taken her for an insurgent
man-of-war and fired several shots, none of
which efrnaE thn ypcsal