A NAVAL MYSTERY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5147, 21 September 1877, Page 5

A NAVAL MYSTERY.

The American papers recently received in London give further details of the encounter between the Peruvian rebel ship Huascar and the Shah :

' On the 28th of May the Huascar appeared at Pisagua, a little port 37 miles north oi Iquique, and disembarked a force of 50 men to capture the town. The scanty garrison resisted, and only after the commandant of the National troops was seriously wounded did the • revolutionary party gain possession of the place. Meantime the squadron, composed of the ironclad frigate Independencia, the corvette Union, and the gunboat Piloomayo, steamed into the harbor, and opened fire on the Huascar, which the ■rebel vessel lost no time in returning. .The fight continued for an hour and a half at rifle range, when, darkness coming on, the Huascar thought it advisable to decamp. The force sent on shore returned on board. The Independencia lost two men, and had her smoke stack shot away. This combat is the first encounter between ironclad vessels in the Pacific. The Independencia, a heavily armoured' frigate, carries fourteen 70-pounder guns and two 160-pounders. The Huascar, a turreted ram, has two 300-pounders in her turret and two 40-pounders on pivots. These two vessels were built at the same time by Messrs. Samuda on the Thames, and Messrs. Lloyd on the Clyde. The Huascar steamed north. At Ho, on the evening of the ,20th, firing was heard far out at sea, and shortly afterwards the Huascar was seen steaming in towards shore. Night fell and the ship disappeared. On the 30th of May the Huascar was descried off the harbor of Iquique, with a signal at the fore inviting the squadron to a parley. Commodore More, of the : Independencia, beat to quarters and held his vessel in readiness, but answered the signal affirmatively. A boat then came off from the Huascar, having on board three of , Pierola’s principal men, who stated that they had met the English ships the night before and had been summoned to surrender in the name of the Queen. On their refusing this somewhat unexpected request the Shah opened fire on the Huascar, and the fire was returned as well as the small crew on board could work the, guns ; but seeing that defeat was inevitable, the Huascar ran in' shore so as to gain Peruvian waters, and the British vessels declined pursuit; Thecorrespoudent of the Panama Herald, writing oh the subject on May 31, says the object of the Huasoar’s, visit to Iquique after the encounter with the Shah was to invite the squadron to join forces for, a moment and sally forth for the'summary chastisement of these foreigners who were meddling in a purely family misunderstanding.; Captain’More .of course could not accede to_ such a demand, and telegraphed to the President at Lima , for instructions, which , were speedily given-in this wise': “Demand the surrender of the Huascar.,. If she refuses, open ;fire.”’ This was carried out; at . least, the first part of the order. The surrender, it would appear, 'proceeded principally from the fear of further encounters'with the foreign enemy, and the Huascar preferred 1 lowering her, flag to Peru. , When' the rumor was circulated in Lima that the English vessels had attacked the Huascar, excitement became i intense against the English. colonists resident in' the city, since it was •at their request that. the Admiral had put a stop to the depredations on British interests committed ,by the rebel cruiser. The principal square was crowded'with' angry people. Efforts were made to gainjthe Cathedral tower and sound’the tocsin. For a moment it was feared a general tumult might ensue, with bloodshed and injury to English property ; but fortunately,the Prefect brought troops to the spot, and dispersed the crowd. They met again, however; and this, time directed their ire against the Government, accusing it of complicity m the attack ,by the Shah on the Huascar. Two commissioners were named to interview the President’ on the subjeet of disloyalty, These gentlemen becoming too demonstrative were arrested, and the President addressed the crowd, assuring them that no understanding existed between his Government and the British Legation on the matter. The people were tranquilized and dispersed.