Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-07
A Graphic Description by the
Chilean Times. /
The Paper Brought From
Iquique by the Itata. (
Commander MOragO's Description of
the Encalada's Defeat.
The Efficacy OF TorpedOes Demonstrated
Only Forty-Five Members Of She Crew
Saved-She Foundered in About
Two Minutes.

The Chilean Times, published at Val
paraiso, in its issue of May 9th, which
reached the HERALD by the steamer
Itata, contains the report of Commander
Carlos E. Moraga to the minister of ma
rine, in regard to the memorable battle
of April 23d, at Calders, between the
government torpedo boats, Lynch and
Condell and transport Imperial, and
the insurgent ships Cochrane, Aconca-
qua and Blanco Encalada, in which the
latter was struck by torpedo and sunk
with nearly all on board. The report
reads as follows:
"VALPARAIso, April 20, 1891.
To the Commandant-General of Marine:
"SIR: 1 have the honor to submit to
you the following report of the opera
tions carried out by the squadron under
my command:
"I left Valparaiso on the 18th instant
with the torpedo catchers Condell and
Lynch and. the armed transport Impe-
rial. : 81.
eat s a. m. on the 2lst 1 sailed from
'Quinteros northward, after having given
the necessary orders to carry into effect
the plan Corporations. At 2 p m. ar
rived at Huasco, and the shore authori-
ties informed me that at that moment
the ir0nclads Blanco and Cochrane, the
monitor Huascar, one of the corvettes
and three transports were anchored in
Caldera bay. In this emergency called
on board the commander OF the Lynch,
opd n ftor no rof,11 cop GIT 1ta tiOn nlop of
attack was agreed upon.
"a little before p. m. l entered Cal
ders bay, and as soon as the light of the
moon enabled me to do so l made out
from the commanders bridge the posi-
ton of the revolutionary vessels.
''Meanwhile the Lynch followed in my
wake at distance of about fifty meters.
Given the position of the vessels, at half
speed put the bow perpendicular to the
Blanco or Cochrane. was not able, at
the time, to distinguish which of these
two vessels l had in front. To
one side of the bows of the ironclad
I discerned another vessel, which, from
its appearance, took to be the Huascar.
At distance, more or less, of 100 meters
1 fired the bow torpedo which passed
the bow OF the ironclad,. almost touch
ing it, and which believe struck the
vessel lying near to her. Immediately
after this first shot / put about to star
board, and at a distance of about sixty
meters, Lieutenant Vargas deXterously
applied The first larboard torpedo,
which must have struck the bow Of the
vessel we were attacking. At the same
time orderd Lieutenant Rivera to fire
from the same side the second torpedo.
"Between the sending off of the Sec
ond and third torpedo, the ironclad
opened rapid and persistent fire upon
my vessel, making use of her mltrail-
leuses, rapid firing guns and rifles.
''After firing the first torpedo l went
ahead at full speed.
"The ironclad's fire continued to be
directed against my vessel, without OBJ
serving that the Lynch, by performing
the same maneuvre as the Condell was
approaching within short distance
when she fired her bow torpedo, which,
however, missed. Putting about to star
board, the Lynch fired her second tor
pedo which struck the Blanco about
midships, and two minutes afterwards
the revolutionary vessel foundered.
"Seven minutes, more or less, elapsed
between the firing of the first torpedo
from the Condell and the last from the
Lynch, =,
SIN leaving Caldera we encountered
the transport Aconcagua, which vessel
was making from the bay to the south.
On sighting us she made off to seaward,
at the same time opening fire on us.
''The revolutionary transport finding
it was useless to attempt to escape, given
our superior speed, headed again for
Caldera, in the hope, perhaps, of find
ing her companion ships and being as
sisted by them. She was at once attack
ed by the two torpedo catchers, the
action lasting about an hour and half.
In this period OF time the Lynch and
Condell had silenced the Aconcagua's 8
fire and had compelled her to stop her
engines. She did not haul down her
flag, because she fought without it. At
this juncture there appeared on the
horizon steamer which 1 took to be
the Esmeralda, and at the same time
sundry tubes of the larboard boiler 8
busrt, and the engineers were compelled
for some minutes to leave their depart
ment. In this emergency headed for
the south, and ordered the Lynch to
abandon the prize.
"a few minutes later 1 discovered
that the vessel in sight was the British
ironclad Warspite, which seemed more
disposed to cut off our retreat than to
enter the port. The Aconcagua seized
upon this chance to steam for Caldera
at full speed and seek the protection Of
the forts.
81 must not omit to mention that
when we entered Caldera to ascertain
the effect of the torpedoes, we were fired
upon by the forts.
"I am able to state that the Blanco
Encalada had on board, at the time oi
the action, a crew of 285 men, of whom
only forty-five were saved"
The report then goes on to make ia
vorable mention of a number of officers
and marines for gallant conduct during
the engagement, and concludes as fol
lows:
II congratulate you on the result O
the operations, and 1 cherish the hopt
that the civil war may be speedily
ended in order that Chile may be sparet
further misfortunes.
sGod save you
"CARLos E. MoRAGA."
In commenting on the situation, th'
same issue of the Times says editorially
1.-The topics of the day are the fruit
less termination of the negotiations il
the interests of peace initiated by tb
French, United States and Brazilian
ministers the throwing of two dyna
mite bombs at ministers as they wer'