The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-03
4 SEA FIGHT.
The Chilean Fleet Attack the
Magallan0S.
/ NaYal Battle With The I1SurseIt
Hanoi Var
The Attacking Fleet Driven OH-A Mer-
chant Ship Blown Up BY a
Torpedo Explosion.
erecial to THE MoRNIxs CALL

New York, June 2-The Valparaiso
correspondent of the World under date of
April SOth says: Chanaral. few hundred
miles north Of Caldera, was the scene on
the oath of April of another battle, which
resulted in the sinking Of one mer-
chant bark and the defeat of the entire
Government fotilla at the hands
of the insurgent cruiser Magal-
lanes. The Magallanes had to put
into Chanaral the day previous, but had its
steam up. In the bay were several
merchant barks. some bound for England,
others for the United States and Germany.
The Alene, Bertha E and Albatross
were three of the barks in the
bay. The two former were bound for
England and the last named for Germany.
They had cargOes of nitrate. On the morn
Ing Of the oath. as the crew of the Magal-
lanes was about to go to breakfast, a sail
was discovered by the lookout coming into
the bay from the northeast. Hardly had
this vessel been sighted when another
and still another were diseerned a little
more toward south. They were recognized
as Government vessels, Admiral Lynch.
COndeu and Sargeanto Aldea As they
were at great distance the captain
coolly ordered his men to continue
their breakfast The men did so. but
by the time the fotilla was within range
every man was at his post and all hands
were ready for the fray, which for the odds
against them the Insurgents expected would
result in the enemy's favor The Captain
gave few warning instructions to the gun
ners and told them that every shot must
tell and not fire until they were sure of hit
ting something. The fotilla for med in a
triangle, with the opening of angle toward
the Magalanes.
THE FIGHT COMMENCED.
Suddenly a small blue flag was run up the
mast Of the Almirante Condell, and a puff
Of smoke was followed by loud report.
The fun had begun. With scarcely
minutes intermission the Lynch
and the Sergeanto Aldea took up
the refrain. and the bullets were flying
through the rigging Of the Magallaues. A
report as though a magazine had burst in
formed those engaged in the fray that the
Magalanes had begun work. TIE Govern
ment gunboats attacked the Magallanes. She
could only work her forward battery and her
light Hotchkiss guns. Her heavy stern
guns could not be brought to play. She
was in very diSadvautageous position, as
the Sargeanto Aldea swept her port side
while the COndell did the same on the star
board.
Exposed as she was to the raking fire of
the Sargeanto Aldea and Condell, the
Magallanes made every shot tell. a shell
from the Magalanes carried away
the remaining smoke-stack of the
Lynch and killed over twenty men.
All three of the Government boats
concentrated their fire on the
forward batteries of the Magallaues, and
soon the forward port battery was disabled
by shot from the Sargeanto Aldea The
Magallanes responded BY blowing the for
ward mast Of the Condeu into the sea.
After this the fight ragged fiercely,
and the Sargeanto Aldea was
nearly blown to pieces. Both of her masts
were gone, her sm0kestack was on a level
with the deck, and the piIot-house and Off
GERS cabins were smashed into splinters.
THE BARK BERTHA SUNK.
The Lynch fired torpedo at the MagaIIanes.
1t came straight for her bow. but by a sin
gular coincidence the huge cannon bali
dropped into the water, causing a swell,
which changed the direction Of the torpedo.
On went the diverted torpedo until it came
up to the bark Bertha All the hands
Of that vessel were on deck watching the
battle, when suddenly an explosion took
place right under them, drenching them
from head to foot Before they could
collect their senses the vessel began to
sink, and in a few minutes had disap-
peared from view, only the masts showing.
The crew managed to escape in boats and
by swimming ashore. Only two were killed.
The Condell kept up an incessant FIRE on
the Magallanes. In order to bring
all her bTOadside to bear on
the CondeI the rebel cruiser turned
about. !The Lynch began a fusillade
from its guns, blowing the yard from the
cruiser, and put to sea. 1t soon became too
hot for the Government vessel. The C0udeu
gave the signal, and at full speed the fl0tilIa
put to sea. They continued using their guns,
but with little effect The Magalanes
gave chase as best she could, but
seeing it was useless she returned to
Chanarel. After the smoke IF the battle had
cleared away it was discovered that the
vessel was not so badly injured as was re-
ported.
The HUaScaT, which was enormously re-
ported lost, was at Iquique when last heard
from getting ready to go on a trip Of de-
structi0n.