The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-02
JANUARY 2, 1904.
In the LDnsp's Nest

IN me LIuSp S west
CONTINUED From Fifth Page.)
ships until Bakely faint white line
Of foam where the black mass Of waves swept along
the side of his the water line. He directed
his to make that line target for their next
shot.
His wisdom may be judged from this. If shot
struck the brig at just above the water line went
smashing into her vitas If it struck the water just
before it touched the brig ricochetted
played havoc the The gun practice of the
American usual superb; that Of the Brit
fsh very bad. One of only three hit the
Wasp in this engagement was actually struck by the
remains of gunwad, near were they The two ships
close in during the natter of the
action that the failure of the English TO hit the Wasp
a mystery.
At any rate, few moments before ten O'Clock,
Blakey, perceiving that the English fire had died
away ordered his men to hold their own fire. When
silence supervened he hailed the and asked if
they had struck. Receiving affirmative answer
was about to call away the boats to take possession
when, thru unexplained mistake, the enemy
opened the battle with volley musketry her
tops and a few struggling shot from her battery The
Wasp Immediately returned two or three broadsides
which entirely silenced the English SHIP when Blakey
unwilling to make ehopping block out Of her any
"Ay, sir, cried voice out of the darkness.
fraught with anguish humiliation we've struck!
We've struck. The ship is sinking! Send boats for
Gods sake! We've none 5eft!''
Directing Mr.. Tilinghast to take charge, Blakely
called away the second cutter, shouting at the
time that he would stand by the sinking brig to
her
The Americans cheering franticay in their delight
at the result of the action tumb1ng
boat into the water Before they could do it, however
Mr.. Reilly who had up the poop, happened
to glance aft There out in the darkness, he the
gray loom of the topsail of ship Instantly line of
light lanced out of the darkness and shot screamed
Sail ho!' he cried
1t the second ship of the enemy!
Keep fast the boat!' Numbered Blakely instantly
alive to the situation Man the lee braces Man the
starboard battery! Up with the henl!''
- It was Blakely's plan to wear ship and run down
toward the second vessel, but alas the braces
We're manned and the attempt made to swing the yards
it found that of the braces had been cut
that the evolution could not be performed The
English ship had drawn nearer now and she put her
helm poured harmless broadsde into the
Wasp which Bakely answered well as he could from
his after-guns.
Meanwhile third Ship Tartarus, which APP
peared from heaven knows where and which made
out to be larger ship-of- than the Wasp hove in
sight the other sudden, sharp broadside
hurled at her at close caused her to- and
Blakely, seeing that he hopelessy outnum1-
bered and, indeed, being unable from his
braces to do anything else, reluctantly off before
wind being urged to this decision by knowledge
that the two ships which leeward
also soon be at the scene of action.
He was pursued by the third ship for short time
but dropped her behind his escape. Al
tho Blakely learned it. the English ship that he
him, but of which he had been take
sion was the @brig-of-war Avon Of the same size and
nine had been killed, her commander, second lieu
tenant, sailing master and twentynine seanlen were
the Avon and exchanged shots with the Wasp, the
sCastilian, of the same size.
AS the Wasp bore away, the men of the Avon
Castilian Informed her that they
sinking Thereupon the Castans boats called in
by hard desperate work they succeeded in
getting all the survivors aboard of her by when,
just the last boat drew off, the Avon went down
headforemost, carrying with her into the depths the
bodies of those who had persisted on her decks
So fierce had been the gun-ire of the Wasp that
minutes she had disnasted the brig killed
wounded 40 per cent Of her crew. reduced
her to a sinking condition. and this at the expense OF
killed and wounded the Wasp, few
round shot in her hull and damage to sails and
rigging and running gear Which she could easily re-
pair at No wonder that the of the Wasp,
from the smallest ships boy to the captain
ried themselves like cocks of the walk They would
hardly have hesitated to engage frigate
They had done exceedingly Well that day. 1t is
doubted If single ship had ever been Unanswered
fought effectively circumstances
They had cut burned and destroyed the vau-