The morning call., 1895-02-17
Y n~4< <. Ca4e4,A.x~
Copyright, 1895.
A MARINE SPECTACLE.

inspiring Incident Among NIen-of- War
in Callao Harbor.
1t was IN May, 1881, just after the battle
OF Chorlllos had decided the war between
Chile and Peru, that the flagship of our
PACING fleet hove in sight of the seaport of
Callao. In early dawn, as the sun was
rising behind the acclivitous shore that
we were skirting, 1 was called by an
orderly, and went on deck expecting a
beautiful sight, but nothing so grand as
the reality
The hills of San Lorenzo, about ten miles
away, were glowing into brightness as a
gorgeous, increasing light flushed the gray
skies behind the somber Andrean ranges.
Yet the long mole OF the city, the waters of
the little River Rimac and the huge ships
in the harbor were still dusky and form
less, for upon them fell the shadow of the
mountains. But out near us beyond
the receeding line of darkness, waves
crested by the fresh breeze sparkled merrily
In the sun, or burst into little floods of
radiant spray where a solitary porpOlSe
wallOwed in his early gambols.
As the sun rose higher, | could see the
mass of shipping that crowded the harbor.
Here were ships from all the foreign fleets
in the Pacific. For days they had lain out
of gun range in the offing, while on shore
the Chilean forces had pushed nearer and
nearer to the capital of hopeless Peru, and
at sea the Chilean fleet had drawn line of
fire in front of Callao.
For days the foreign warships had
patiently awaited the inevitable capitula-
ton, and watched the steel shells from the
Blanco Encalada the Almirante Cochrane
and the famous little Huascar fly through
their long fiat trajectory until, with a
scream and roar, they crashed through
the walls of their forts, the masonry of
public buildings, or the wooden sides of
some deserted merchantmen.
Suddenly bugle call foated over the
water Another and another blew their
golden notes; great gun doomed; the
stately warships in the harbor spread their
colors to the breeze, and the red sun rim
came peeping over the black edge of the
mountains.
Our own flag fiuttered proudly aioft, and
with the rear admiral's broad pennant at
the miZzenmast, acted to our friends in
the harbor as letter of introduction. An
alert watch officer on the great British
irOnclad Shannon reported us. Soon after
ward the Stars and Stripes ioated up to
her foretruck, a forward port was thrown
open, puff of smoke flew along the water
brim, and the British commodore thun-
dered forth to us a national salute.
! Them as the last fash burst from the
black and massive broadside, and as the
last report echoed back from the lumber
hills of San Lorenzo her band on the poop
deck struck up our national Jig tune, and
Columbia, Happy Land" was hailed
across the waters that softened the staccato
air and made it beautiful.
Hardly had the British band finished
this anthem when one of the little howit-
GERS on our forecastle began barking away
with blank cartridges at all imaginary foes
OF Great Britain, and the salute having
been enthusiastically but decoriously
blazed away, the gesticulative Italian who
led our musicians, gave a signal. Then
! 'God Save the Queen" swelled out from
| the braZen throats of his instruments like
solemn, measured and majestic hymn OF
praise.
! The German next turned her attention to
us, and the others followed in the order OF
| their commanders rank
Our engines thumped steadily away as we
kept on our course toward the forest of tall
! spars with smoke around them and the
| flags at their trucks, while salutes flashed
| back and forth and the mellow strains OF
music broke on the short intervals between
salute guns.
But IN her own seaport no band struck
up an anthum for Peru; no cannon uttered
Its deep roar in respect TO her Majesty, nor
! was her ensign even at the fore of any
| cloud-enveloped warship. For the foe was
In her capital and her flag and her pride
were humbled in the dust.-Military News.