Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-06-11
THREE-HANDED NAVAL DUEL,
How the Peruvian Warship Hunscnr
Defeated the Gillian Ships Es-
mereldn and Independencia.

When hostilities between Chilli and
Peru were declared the former nation
lad a good modern navy, including some
first-class cruisers, among these being
the O'Higgins and the Cochrane. These
vessels were of a little less than 10000
tons displacement, possessed the twin
screw, II were armored and equipped
with main batteries of ten and six
inch guns, with a full complement of
rapid-tire and machine guns. To oppose
these the allies had but one vessel which
could be considered in any way a match
for them. That vessel, the Huascar, of
the Peruvian navy, was an armored
cruiser about equal to the Cochrane in
displacement and armament.
When war was declared the Peru
Wan government placed Capt. Grau, a
thoroughly experienced, brave and com
petent sailor of German descent, in com
mand of the IIusacar, as the admiral
Of the allied nayies. Capt. Prat, "a
friend of Grau's, and an able seaman
of English descent, was placed in charge
Of the Gillian squadron, and put to sea
IN the Esmerelda, an unprotected
cruiser, accompanied only by her sis
ter ship, the Independence. While
cruising off lquique on the 22d of Nav
these vessels were spied by the Huas-
car, and Admiral Grau decided to en-
gage them both, cleared his deck for ac-
ton, and bore down upon them. Capt.
Prat stood his ground, and an action
commenced which soon demonstrated
that no number of wooden ships can
stand before the armored cruiser. The
shot from the Esmerelda and the indie.
pendencia, one of which weighed 200
pounds, pelted the IIusacar steadily
at a decreasing range, and only one of
them made a dent in the armor. On the
other hand the Huascar's shot went
through the wooden cruisers as though
they had been paper, converting them
INTO regular slaughter houses. In
am dld the brave Pratt try to ram the
steel monster, until, driven to despera.
llon, with drawn sword. at the head of
boarding crew, he jumped aboard the
luascar, and fell at the gangwav.
pierced through the brain by a rife.
nan in the rigging. Seeing that the
battle was lost, the Esmerelda escaped
lnder the guns of shore batteries. but
II trying to follow her a shot from the
penetrated to the magazine.
md the independence blew up with all
IN board.
Repairing his slight damages, Adj
niral Grau turned south along the
milan coast, and began that cruise
'hlch a Few months later, terminated
Il the most terrific naval conflict of
noder times. Bombarding cities, sink.
ng the wooden vessels of Chill, and de-.
,roylhg commerce, he swept every
hing before him until the name Of Hin
scar became the synonym OF terror
u TINS time the admiral had an expert
nee with a torpedo which permanently
reJndlced him against that engine of
'arfare, Seeing a CHILEAN vessel ono
ay ne decided to blow her up. The tor
eoo was fired, proceeded about half
'ay TO the mark, then turned and made
direct line for the Huascar. which
as only saved by a seaman jumping
verboard and catching it. Lowering
Is stock of torpedoes into a boat. he
az them rowed ashore and buried in
lie cemetery of the village, and from
lat Gay refused to let one come on his
iip.-Chicago Tribune.