The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-05-16

eRSSGSSSSSSSsSCSSS
| was in the marine hospital at Cal
lao, Peru, when war was declared on
Chile and was just able to limp around
when two of the Peruvian gunboats
were chased into port and the Chilean
man-of-war Vengeance took up her sta
ton to blockade. There was a third
gunboat In the harbor, and there was a
great deal of boasting as to what the
trio would do when they got ready to
pitch in. The very least they would
do would be to sink the Chilean within
quarter of an hour. The people
foamed and ragged, and the navy wait
ed. Those gunboats had no business
to go out against that modern ironclad,
armed with the latest and most power
full guns, and their officers knew it. but
there came day when public opinion
drove them out. The fight lasted 20
minutes. One gunboat got back to sink
In the harbor, while the other two went
down outside. The people were fairly
wild over the defeat, and women as
well as men howled for vengeance.
The day after the fight, while still
had my quarters in the hospital. one
of the lady visitors happened to speak
to me and discovered that was an
American. She began talking of the
fight, and | never saw q madden wom-
an She was grieved. Inundated and
angered over the defeat of her country
men, and when | sided with her it
brought out startling proposition. She
was the widow of Calinte, of vast
weaA$h and much social and political
inHasncs and believed that the defeat
Of the Peruvians was caused by the
imtd1ty of the admiral. She asked me
If it WAS not possible that the Venge
ance could be blown up, and when
replied that 1t was possible what did
she do but offer me every chance to
brtng about such a calamity. That
meant the use OF steam launch which
she Owned, with all the money necessa-
ry to nt bar as torpedo boat, and $780,
900 cash IN hand If | succeeded The
she piled 10 the business, and, having
once got the idea, she would not let go
of 1t. She insisted that | get into her
carriage and drive home with her. and
then she sent for half a dozen of her
most influential friends and demanded
that l lay before them plan and at
once begin work. 1t was queer posi-
ton for the mate Of a Yankee craft
who knew nothing OF naval affairs and
had never been aboard of a man-of-
war and had no claim to ingenuity.
knew absolutely nothing of torpedoes,
and instead of plan | had only an
idea. That was good enough for them,
however. They had heard of the cute
Yankee and believed that he could ac-
complish anything he set about ! had
no more idea than the man in the moon
of going into anything seriously, and
yet two days later found me "bossng
the job" had offered my services to
fit out launch and run her out and
blow up the man-of-war. and the presi-
dent OF Peru wasn't in 1t with me for
popularity. 1t took all the police force
of Callao TO keep the enthusiastic pOpu-
lation OF my feet and save my arms
from being paralyZed.
In my testotal ignorance | was wise
enough to assume to know it all. and
that passed for the brightest sort of
acumen and the most solid nerve. |
soon discovered, however, that IT
wasn't necessary for me to know
much and that previous experience
was not demanded. The launch was
fair sized one, using naphtha and
therefore smokeless. and but few
changes were necessary to fit her with
a torpedo. There were naval officers
at hand who knew all about torpedoes,
spars and electricity and, seeming to
work under my direction. we had the
launch fitted within a week. A spar
was solidly affixed to her bows and
projected a distance of 30 feet. To
the end OF this was attached an iron
torpedo containing 10 pounds of giant
powder, which was to be exploded by
electricity at the moment of contact
with the man-of-war. | had counted
on a crew Of three, one to fire and one
to steer, while would con the launch
AuLo pOsilIOu dAu press INC UutIoh-
When we were all ready, not a man
could be found in Callao to go with
me. AS high as $4,000 was offered.
but there was no moving a patriot.
1t was considered a sure thing that
the launch would be blown to pieces
along with the blockader. and. al
though all loved their country, they
didn't want any sure thing in theirs.
In this emergency and thinking to
put the men to shame Donna Calinte
came forward and offered to 60 along.
and she was very much In earnest too.
The scheme didn't work. The men
still hung of. and under no considera-