The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-16
A FAMOUS SEA FIGHT.
Horrors Of a Battle Between Modern
Iron CIads.
THE HUASCAR AND THE ALMI-
RANTE COCHRANE.

Death Came So Fast that Bodies CIogged
Blown to Pieces While in Attendance
on the Wounded-Decks Flooded with
| Blood.
| The following account of fight be-
tween two modern naavl vessels-the two
turret-ship Huascar of Peru and the iron
clad Almirante Cochrane of Chili-is ia
ken from "a Famous Sea Fight" lin the
Chilli Peruvian war of 1872 in the April
Century. by Claude Il. Wetmore:
The drummers and buglers were or
dered to sound calls. first for general
quarters, then for action; and, stripped
| to the waist, the guns crews crowded in
to the ill-ventilated turret, where they
were to toll and sweat at the great pieces
in an atmosphere that the SUMS fierce
rays, already causing the morning to be
close aid sticky, would make sitting
| Ammunition holds were thrown open,
and the long curtains of green felt were
slung from the deck-beams above to pro-
| tect the magazine passages, in order that
| sparks might not fall among tho explo-
sives. A dozen men hurried into the
! main military top to serve the Calling
gun and rifles there. Rubber cloths were
stretched over the ward room table, and
| fastened in such a manner that the blood
of the wounded would flow smoothly and
be caught in buckets that were placed at
the four corners, for there one science
another science was trying to destroy.
The surgeon and his assistants laid out
scalpels, long cleaning knives and saws.
Huge piles of lint were placed en- the
floor.
The stewards hurriedly passed about
coffee and bread, and the sailors in the
turret ate their morning meal leaning
against the already loaded pi eces, and
those in the top had pals of coffee carried
up to them, which they drank while set
ting their sights. The hinged bulwarks
of the little vessel were let down, and the
smooth water rippled only four feet be-
low the Huascar's deck. The forecastle
and main matches were battened, but the
after companionway was left open, for
down this passage the wounded would
be taken. Between decks were stationed
those sailors not needed in service of the
guns, where they would be most handy to
assist in the navigation of the ship, the
service OF ammunition, or to replace the
killed. A score Of non-com batants were
also there. At nine o'clock the Cochrane
was within three thousand yards, and
Grau, having 81 ven last glance around,
and having signalled the Unicn to keep
out of the enemy's way, entered the con-
Not a shot had as yet been fired. These
modern ships, carrying guns that could
throw q she'll from four to five miles, re-
served their fire for closer quarters. Five
minutes later Grau gave command to
the officer in the turret. and shot from
one of the Huascar's ten-inch guns
whistled over the water. The command
er OF the Cochrane, evidently wished for
still closer range. and did not reply until
three shots had left the turret of the
little ship. Finally the answer came in
the shape of a broadside, and shell dent
ed the Huasoar's protective belt. just
above tho water line. A moment later the
Calling guns in the tops Of both ships
were brought into action, and leaden
hail began to patter, while great projec-
tiles were hurled from the large deck
cannon. The rapid-firing pieces of the
Chilians were trained upon tho Huascars
turret apertures, while the one in the
military top Of the latter vessel was
aimed at the gun-ports of the enemy.
Many man dropped, dead or wounded,
hit by one of these small shot. For fifteen
minutes not much was accomplished by
the great guntire; the heavy shot either
fell short of the mark or we're buried in
the armor. By this time, when the
ships were within fifteen hundred yards
OF each other, she'll from the Cochraue
entered the Huascar's turret, exploded,
and killed twelve men. But the places
of the dead wre quickly taken by men
from below, the chamber was cleared of
the corpses, the guns were loaded again,
and the action was renewed. Then the
Huascar secured an advantage One of
her ten-inch shells forced it's way through
a casemata on the starboard side of the
Cochrane, exploded on the deck, dis
mantled a gun, and killed several men,
For few minutes the enemy was in such
confusion that not cannon was fired
and it became almost panic on the
Cochrane when the Huascar edged in
closer, her sailors cheering as they again
discharged the twin pieces.
At this stage of the combat victory
perched for moment on the red, white
and red; but even as it did SO the COM
mander of the Cochrane saw relief which
Grau had not perceived. In fact. a shot
that ploughed into the Huascar's side was
the first warning the Peruvian ADMIRAL
had of assistance coming to the Chilians;
and, looking to starboard through peep
ole in the coming tower, he saw the
Blanco Encalda bearing down; while
veering seward. only few cable
lengths astern of the rapidly approaching
ironclad, were the Matias Cousino and
the Covaaonga, evidently starting off
to give chase to the Union, by this time
we'll in the offing, and fitted, because of
her superior speed, to take care of her
self. Grau therefore turned his attention
to his own ship, which indeed was in sore
straits.
Seeing aid at hand the men on the
Cochrane had redoubled their efforts. |
and when the Blanco had ranged along
to port the horror of it began, and the en-
gagement resolved itself into Il marine