The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-01
TWO VESSELS SUNK.
A Terrible Fight in the Harbor
of Valparaiso.
Destructive Work of the Ironclad Blanco Eca-
lande and Fish Torpedo-A Torpedo
Beat and Tug Destroyed.

By private letter just received in this
city from Valparaiso it is learned that soon
| after the hot fight between the irOnclad
Blanco Eealande and the forts, during
which the Blanco had six men killed and
| three wounded, an account of which was
| published in THE CALL, the Blanco put in
the time cruising off the harbor.
The Government had taken a large tug
| belonging to a private firm, and having
armed her with a one-hundred FOUNDER was
waiting chance to get her out of the har-
Dor. The commander OF the Blanco got
wind of this and made an effort to destroy
the vessel, which was called the Mary Flor
ence: The first dark night was used to carry
out the plan, and with every light on board
extinguished the irOnclad slowly steamed
| into the harbor The plan was to get as
| close to the Florence as possible in the
| darkness, and then blow her up with fish
| torpedo.
THE TORPEDO MISCARRIEs.
The war-ship succeeded in getting into the
| harbOr and close up to the Florence, but
| when the torpedo was fired it was aimed too
low and missed the tug 1t struck some
thing, however, aud that was the big float
ing dry-dOck. The torpedo was large one,
and when it exploded the dock was blown
| to pieces.
I6 tAClltlUbul III lIlb ClJ( WIS luLtuS6.
| In very short time the streets were
thIonged with people, and in the forts on
the hill were heard the drums and bugles
sounding the alarm.
The presence Of the Blaneo was quickly
| discovered and she was treated 10 a hot
dose OF shot and shell from every gun in the
forts. Satisfied with the damage he had
done, the captain of the Bauco steamed out
of range Of the guns at full speed and soon
had his ship out OF danger.
! Work on the torpedo-boat, at that time
| being repaired, was pushed as fast as posi-
bic by the Government forces and she was
| soon ready for service. The work laid out
| for her was to attack the BlancO at the first
| opportunity, and this soon came. The time
chosen was when the ironclad was steaming
| up aud down outside the harbOr.
STOLE OUT OF THE HARBoR.
The night was clear, but there was no
| moon, when the torpedo boat, accompanied
| by the armed tug Florence stole out on her
risky errand. The big ironcad was not
alone but was in company with the sloop of
war U Higgins, vessel carrying ten guns
! Almost as soon as the two boats got clear
OF the harbOr they were detected by the
sloop anu she at once opened fire on them.
| None of her shot struck either of the little
! craft and they kept on their course toward
the Blanco. All at once the heavy guns of
the latter ship began 10 play on them and
things were getting too warm for comfort
and both turned tail aud maze for the har-
Dor at full speed with the hostile ships in
hot pursuit
For a time ittook as if the little crafts were
| going TO escape, when heavy shell from
the Blanco struck the Florence, blowing her
out Of water and every one Of her crew of
seventeen pen was either killed by the eX-
plOSion or Sunk and weIe drowned.
KNOCKED ALL TO PIECES.
The torpedo-boat kept on her course and
the guns from the hills were beginning to
take nand in the game. when by a we'll
directed broadside from the O'Iiiggins the
| tOrpedO-boat was knocked all to pieces.
The two vessels then turned their atten-
ton to the furtS and lively battle ensued.
The people in the city focked to every
point from which a view Of the fight could
De had. At last a Shell from the forts struck
| the O'Iiiggins and went clean through her,
and this was followed few minutes later
| by terrible explosion on deck 1t was
caused b. heavy shell striking one OF the
guns on the quarter deck.
When the smoke had cleared away the
deck WAS literally torn out OF the vessel,
the gun was lying on the other side Of the
| deck and nine men out Of tile guns crew of
twelve were blown to atoms. The SlOOp
was al once taken out of range of the guns.
The Blanco kept up the tight for some
time, but did no damage, and sne TOO retired
from the fight.