Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-11-01
A FAMOUS SEA FIGHT.
ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN CHILEAN
 AND PERUVIAN lRoNCLADS.

Boiivi&n Coast = 4 Terrible Slaughter
 whata Fight Between Modern War Yes
 sels Means.
 In The Century Claude H. Wetmore has an article on "A Famous Sea Fight, :" describing the engagement be- tween Chilean and Peruvian ironelads off the coast Of Bolivia in 1879. Mir. Wetmore says
 From the first of the battle the en- eouraging voice of Grau had como to the men in the turret through the speak ing tube from the coming tower, but when the BIanco crowded into the thick of it and great shot struck the Huas. cars sides as regularly as blows of batterlng ram the orders of the com mander were no longer heard. The off, oer in charge of the turret called to his superior. There was no answer, and when Commander Elias Aguerre ran up the narrow little ladder that led to the tower he stumbled over tho dead body of his admiral 4 shell had struck tho coming tower and had taken off Grau's head as neatly as if tho deoapitation had been by tho guillotine This shell also killed Lieutenant Ferre, the ad- miral's aid There was only time to push the oorpses aside, and tho new commanding officer pulled back tho tube flap to give his directions, but as he did so the Huascar staggered, keeled over, then shook in every plate, while q eoneussion more terrific than any so far told that 9 shell had entered the turret and had burst there When tho fumes had cleared away so that per son could speak, midshipman called out that ono of the great guns had been dismounted and 20 men killed, Tine survivors tusabIed the bodies through the hatch that opened into tho deck Do. low, thus releasing tho elogged ma chinery, and as tho eorpses rattled down other men rushed up, throwing off their clothing as they jumped into tho pools of blood to seize hold of the gear and swing the remaining gun into position, that 1t might train upon one of the shlps-they could no longer make out which, nor did they care-and it was discharged, hauled in, loaded and dis charged again.
 Once moro all was silent in the con. ming tower. Lieutenant Palaeios has tened there, but before ho could enter he was compelled to push three bodies out of the way. lie had barely giYen his first command when bullet from the we'll aimed rife ef q marine in aR enemy's top lodged ketBeen his eyes. Then the fourth to command the Huas- car that day, Lieutenant Pedro Garezon, took the place, and as he did so he call ed through an aperture telling the quartermaster to put the helm to port; for he had determined to ram one of the adyersaries and sink with her if neees- sary. Over and over spun the wheel, but the Huasear's head still pointed be- tween the Ghileans.
 "Portl Port, I sayl'' screamed the commander.
 "She won t answer, " came back the sullen reply from the only ono of four quartermasters alive. Ea3 boaioq of the others were lying upon the grating at his feet.
 "A shot has carried away the star board steering gear, sir, , reported sr ensign, and he dropped dead as the words left his mouth.
 The Huasear new lay drifting in hell of shot and flame, but all the while the red, white and red futtered from the peak. One by one, ill twos and in threes, tho men in the turret dropped at their posts, and at last the remaining great gun was silent, it's tackle literally choked with dead. The turret could not be turned for the same reason. Corpses hung over tho military top; corpses ologged the coming tower.
 With coats and waistcoats off the sur geons had been laboring in tho ward- room upon tho wounded, who, shriek- ing ill their agony, had been tumbled down the companionway like so much butchered beef, for there was no time to use stfetchers or to carry . stricken comrade to 6 doctors care. Steam and smoke filtered through the doorways, and the apartment became stifing. While they were saving, amputating and bandaging Q shell tore into the wardroom, burst, and fragments wound ed the assistant surgeons, the chief of the medical staff having been killed earlier in tho conflict. Those unfortu- mates who wero stretched upon the tar bio awaiting their turn under the knife and those who lay upon the floor suffer- ed no more pain. They were killed as they lay groaning. This shell tore away wardroom and stern cabin, and hardly a trace WAS left of the buIkhead. After that what little surgery was done was performed in the coal bunkers.
 Huddled in a passageway near the engine room were a score or more of non- mbatants-stewards pantrymen and stokers. They were in Q place that was lighted only as flashes came from the guns. It was filled with powder smoke, and clouds of steam that drifted from below told that tho Huascar had been struck in 6 vital spot---her machinery. Suddenly they heard a crash, followed 4 :. ! A. T