THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 978, 14 August 1877, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

ADDITIONAL NEWS. The Naval Engagement on the Peruvian Coast. [By Telegraph.] [prom the correspondent oe the press.] Auckland, August 13. A Vicuna correspondent states that it is announced that the Porte has given England permission to use Gallipoli as a coaling station. It is stated that Austria intends to propose mediation as soon as the decisive action of either belligerent is clearly defined. The Russians have fallen back from Batoum, and it is rumoured that a column will join General Melikoff, and again invade Armenia from Kuruh Dara. The Russians, despite the protests of the Danubian International Commission, sank ships laden with stores at the mouth of the Danube. Three men working in a quarry at Red Hall, near Edinburgh, were killed by a fall of earth. Lady Burdett Coutts has sent £2OO for the relief of the Turkish sick and wounded. A young man at Bradford quarrelled with his sweetheart and killed her with a poker, and then cut his own throat, dying immediately. Two steam boilers burst on June 26th at Ravensdale Works, near Teesdale, killing six men and two boys, and injuring a number of others. The annual cricket match between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge was played at Lord’s, resulting in the victory of Oxford by ten wickets. Alary Carpenter, well known for her philanthropic efforts, was found dead in bed. The Hungarian press comments very bitterly upon the war agitation. Servia demands that the Austrian Government should assume a firmer position in refer* ease to the war.

Mrs Bassett, wife of a clergyman in Cornwall, has been committed for trial on a charge of assaulting and ill-treating a servant girl. She was also fined for assaulting her cook. The ship-building yards on the Clyde are still closed. Great distress prevails among the workmen, who do not appear disposed to yield upon the point in dispute, the reduction of wages. Colonel Carr Lloyd, deputy-lieutenant and magistrate for Sussex, was found in a stable shot through the head, lie is believed to have committed suicide. The Judges of Common Pleas have made an order for the removal of Henry Joseph Grendier from the roll of solicitors, for misappropriating money entrusted to him by a deceased client for the benefit of an old servant. So many Indian officers have for leave, with the intention of “ looking in on Turkey and the Danube on their way home, that furlough to England is refused, unless a promise is given on their honor that they shall not visit the scene of war. In the House of Lords the report of amendments to the Burial Bill was considered. Several new amendments were proposed, but the most important Avas that which avus again moved by Lord Harrowby. permitting religious services other than that of the Church of England at funerals in churchyards. The Government opposed the amendment, but it was eventually carried by 127 to 111. Two English men-of-war under Admiral De Horsey attacked the Peruvian ram Husacar. The latter vessel was held by Pievola, the revolutionist claimant to the presidency, and was charged by British residents with having stopped the English mail steamer, and forcibly demanded coal. Subsequent facts, however, shoAved that the coal belonged to a Peruvian gentleman, who Avillingly sold it to the Commander of the Shah, and that the steamer had not been stopped. In reply to a warning from the Admiral, the revolutionist commander of the Husacar protested that he had no desire to do otherwise than respect English interests. Despite this the Admiral in command of the Shah and Amethyst pursued the ram. After calling on it to surrender, which was refused, the British vessels opened fire at about 600 yards distance. The first shots cut aavay the flag of the Husacar, but it was instantly replaced. The Husacar replied Avith her heavy 300-pound gun in the turret. The Amethyst lay off and on, and steadily persisted in attempts to rake the ram. The Shah fired her broadsides, which are discharged by electricity, and in a few moments everything on the Husacar’s decks, except her masts, turret, and smokestack had disappeared. Her standing rigging, boat, steering gear, and capstan were destroyed by a hot fire from the English vessels. The Husacar continued to fire at regular intervals, sometimes from her turret giuis. A shell from the Amethyst, entered one of her forward parts, exploding inside, killing onb man, and . wounding several others. For a moment fire was apprehended, but fortunately Avas prevented. After the fight had lasted about an hour and a half, the Amethyst was seen with .thick smoke issuing from her midships and steamed away out of the action, not returning for tAventy minutes, and leaving the Husacar and Shah alone. The former now attempted to ram her adversary, but the splendid handling of the Shah prevented any successful inanceuvreing of this nature. On approaching, as the Husacar officers stated, the Shah appeared to raoA r e as if by instinct, and her heavy batteries were brought to bear on her assailant. A small gun stationed in her tops very seriously incommoded the combatants on board the ram and her smoke-stack is riddled with musket bullets. One 300-pound shot struck the turret of the Husacar, penetrated the iron for two inches and then rebounded on her side. She was hit twice by the same class of shot with precisely the same results. The Peruvian now adopted another mode of attack, first advancing on the Shah and then on the Amethyst, but the superior speed and superb management of these atsscls prevented her ramming them. The battle lasted for three hours. Then the Husacar slowly retired, a shell from the Amethyst having destroyed all the primers for her turret guns, and slie headed towards land, for which she laid been, manoeuvring for some little time previously. The enemy did not attempt to pursue, but contented themselves with recciving the last two shots from Husacar and remaining about tAA r o miles from shore, evidently keeping Avatch over their brave antagonist. A fog rising, it was thought better to take advantage of it and quietly slip doAvn to Tquique, where the Government fleet was lying, and where Pievola hoped to make some arrangement for combined action against the British forces. The movement Avas cautiously executed, and nothing too soon, for at about ten o’clock a steam launch from the Shah came stealing through the darkness with a torpedo, and by mere chance avoided affixin g that implement*of destruction to the side of a coasting steamer in port, mistaking her for the Husacar. When the departure of the ram Avas made knoAvn the English vessels disappeared from the offing. Arriving at Tquique he proposed to go out in pursuit of the English. This w*i9 not exceeded to ? xiiid Pievola” seeing that his personal cause avus hopeless, surrended his vessel to the Indepeudencia, obtaining safe for his followers, but without guarantee for himself. The President has issued a proclamation, in which he declares he Avill exact, from Great Britain explanations and satisfaction consequent on such wanton outrage on a friendly PoAvcr,