Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-03

WITNESSED FROM THE q. =. = BALTIMORE
WORK OF Two GOVERNMENT roRrEDo BOATS
TIE EsmERkLDA nEroRN sHH WENT SoRrH-
Tho following report has been received ct
the Navy Department.:
L. s. q BALTIMORE. FIRsr-RArr Fac SHIP
South ATLANTIC AND soUrH PACIFIC srArgoSs
VALPARAISO. Chill. April %. 1891.
The Scnsdyy IF De Nary. Washington, n. C.,
SIR: Since my last report 10 the department
the important operations on the coast have
been the following:
On the 18th of March the insurgent cruiser.
Esmeralda, accompanied by the transport
Aconcagua, entered the harbor of Caldera and.
after exchanging n few shots with Fort
Arturo Pratt. on the north side Of the
bay, withdrew. These vessels had been
passed on the morning of the previous day
!! he iensacola. when about one
hundred miles north Of Valparaiso. Ii il sup
posed that at tins time thew cut the telegraph
eable bet~een Caldera and Coquimbo. The
EsmerHlda also seized two Of the small steamers
pelShgihS 10 the Cousino Company, loaded
With coal and took them north.
On the 9Th OF April the insurgents, under
cover Of their ships, landed a strong force at
Arics. and the day following they occufiied
Iacna Both OF those places surrendered With
out hghting. The Caulus division. consisting
cordilleras! of the Andes into Bolivia. ar
irving at Saltera on the 18th Of April. and
are now marching TO join the army % the
south. The main part OF the division of gov
eminent troops which had been OPENING
about Antoiagasta and had retired TO Calama
after the former place surrendered TO the
insurgents, together with the remnant of the
troops defeated at Pozo Almonto. are retiring
TO the south through the Argentine bepubhc.
This division Is composed OF cavalry, artillery
and gendarmes.
Plight WITH TORPEDO sHrrs.
On the 18th Of April the government torpedo
cruisers Almirante Lynch and Almiranto Con-
dell, accompanied by the transport Imperial
sailed from Valparaiso, their destination had
been kept a secret, but II was supposed 10
be some port TO the north to rcconuoltcr the
insurgent fleet On the morning of the 2Sd of
April, about 4 n. m, the two torpedo cruisers
entered the harbor of Caldcra ana attacked the
Blanco Encalada- The insurgents had occu-
pied this port a few DAYS before aud wcr, march,
ing ON Copiapo. The morning of the attack was
perfectly clear. the light IN the light house
burning brightly and the ships lights Ter-
fcctly visible, 70 that the torpedo boats had no
trouble m making the attack. -Four torpedoes
were discharged at the Blanco IucaladA and IL
Is probable that at least two of them
took effect nearly amidships. as she sank in i've
or six minutes. carrying down about one hun
cred and fifty men. including all the engi-
neers. After the sinking of the Blanco I'm
calada the two torpedo boats left the hErbOr
ana outside encountered the insurgeut trans
port Aconcagua, which vessel they immediately
attacked Some time WAS spent IN vancouver
ing 10 get position of the quarter or astcrn.
where the gun mounted in the bow of the Aeon
ca6ua could not reach them, when the MarsI,ite
came IN sight and. the torpedo cruisers mis-
taking her Tor the insurgeni cruiser Esmeralda.
made of with the greatest rapidity. Both tine
torpedo cruisers have returned here; the Con-
deli is uninjurod. while the Lynch has been
locked, having suffered some injury, but not
sufficient TO prevent her returning by her
self.
The Warspite then entered the harbor Of
laEtcra, whore the Banco Encaada WIS found
sunk IN ten fathoms of water, with only her mast
heads showing above the water.
The destruction OF the Blauco Encalada has
developed no new feature whatever in the art
OF naval warfare, a. Il was a surprise. pure and
SIMPLE Tine commanding officer 1 am in
formed by Capt. LambtOn of the Marspite nd
mlts that lac alone was to blame Tor the
the entrance Of the harbor, where
the light left burning, no picket
boats out or torpedo nets in place, no look
outs on board ship or guns in readiness, nor, in
TACT, were any precautions whatever made
against night attack or surprise. The usual
precautions adopted in time of war were en-
tirely neglected and he consequently Lost his
ship and crew.
THE GOVERNMENT TROOPS.
When the insurgents took possession of
Caldera the government troops withdrew TO
Copiapo, taking with them all the rolling stock
OF the railroad Commodore Montt was ashore
with the troops. which were advancing on
Copiapo by two routes, one along the railroad
rack and the other along a cart track
The Huascar and Magelians wore at Charzal
at last accounts.
Some time since the Gillian government Is
sued a decree declaring the northern porta
at present in the possession of the insurgents'
closed but not blockadcd, saving also.
that no vessels would he cleared for
those ports and any vessels coming from those
ports and having paid duties on nitrates to the
insurgents would DE compelled To pay a sec
ond time TO the government The first
case coming under this decree is that Of the
German steamer Romulus which loaded with
nitratcs at Plsagua ana paid the duties TO the
insurgents Being under contract to coal at
Coronel she put In there and upon her arrival
the government collected the duties a second
time, under the provisions of the decree.
The German minister not only protested
against this action on the part Of the Chill
Ian government but demanded an immediate
restitution of the dues and indemnity for
the arrest and harsh treatment of some Of the
officers OF the Romulus. 1 understand that
this claim was immediately settled by tho
Cniiian government
A German naval force, consisting Of five
ships, has been ordered TO this coast from
China, to come via the Sandwich Islands. and
is expected to arrive about the 10Th OF June.
The French flagship Dubourdieu Is at Pam
anna, waiting for a new admiral 10 relieve Rear
Admiral de Premesuil. The Volta left on the
Esd of April for the northern ports
On April "a l. transferred my flag and per-
sonal staff to the Baltimore. This fact L have
notified TO the department by telegraph. The
arrival of the'Baltimore on this station has at
tracted a great deal Of attention and has also
had very good effect.
Very respectfully, ". p. MCCAIN,
Rear Admiral u. 5. Navy.
Commanding U. S. Naval Force South Atlantic
and South Pacific Stations.
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