Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-05
FIERCE NAVAL BATTLE
The Chilean Insurgent Cruiser
Magellanes is Once More
Victorious
The Government Gunboats De-
ceived Into Firing Upon
One Another
Over One Hundred Men Killed
During the Terrible
Conflict

SAN FRANCISCO, June 4-News OF the
fercest sea fight that has taken place
during the whole OF the Chilean war has
the harbor Of Valparaiso, on April 2S be-
tween the insurgent cruiser Magellanes
and the government torpedo boats Aldea,
Condell and Lynch, four days after the
encounter between the same vessels at
Coronel bay, news OF which was received
in New York on last Monday.
After the battle the Magellanes decided
to attack the government ships, and, II
possible, destroy them before they could
again be fitted for sea. Favored by dark
ness the Magellanes crept into the harbor
Of Valparaiso and began by ranging
close alongside the already crippled Aldea
and firing broadside into her that did
terrible execution. Nearly half the tor
pedo boats crew were either killed or
wounded and the vessel completely
riddled.
The alarm was sounded in the forts, but
as the vessels lay so close together, the
gunners In the forts dare not hre, for fear
OF hitting their own vessels. Getting
clear of the Aldea, the Magellanes at
once attacked the Lynch, but her fire was
returned with interest. The smokestack k
OF the Lynch was blown away, and a
boat containing ten men, who had been
sent to try to attack the rebel vessel with
torpedo, was blown out of the water.
The Condell had steamed TO the outside
OF the Magellanes, thus getting tho latter
between two fires. She was shot through
and through. Over forty of her crew
were lying on her decks, dead or dying
but still her guns were untouched and her
captain made up his mind to try and bet
ter his position.
Suddenly the Magellanes began to move
astern and ceased firing. The night
being so dark, the government steamers
were unknOwingly firing into each other,
and the Condell began to fill rapidly. The
trick was not discovered till the Magel-
lanes had turned, and steaming across the
stern of the Condell, poured In broad
side that nearly demolished the latter,
dismOuntlng every gun, killing fourteen
and wOundlng six more of her crew. The
rebel steamer then started to steam out OF
the harbor at full speed. Every gun In
the forts ashore opened on her, but only
once was she struck.
A heavy shell landed fairly on her deck,
Just forward OF her pivot gun, and burst.
The explosion tore big hole in the deck.
The pivot gun was thrown over on its
side and four men were killed. Soon
after she was out Of range OF the forts
and ran up the coast to Caldera. Over
100 men were killed during the fierce con
1ict, fully one-half OF whom were
on board the Magelanes. No attempt
was made by the foreign warships to stop
the fight, which lasted an hour. The Con-
dell had to be run on the beach TO prevent
her sinking, while the Aldea was so badly
damaged that IL will take a long time to
repair her. In addition to the loss of
nearly half her crew, the Lynch lost four
OF her officers, including her commander.
WASHINGTON, June Rear Admiral
McCann, commanding the naval forces In
the South Atlantic and South Pacific sta
tions, has sent report TO the secretary OF
the navy In regard to affairs In Chile.
The report is dated Valparaiso, April %,
and says the German naval force Of five
ships ordered to the Chilean waters Is due
about June 2S.
The admiral says that the arrival OF the
United States steamer Baltimore at VAL
paraiso attracted much attention and had
"A good effect