BLOWN UP BY A TORPEDO.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3675, 5 October 1880, Page 2

BLOWN UP BY A TORPEDO.

The Chilian transport Loa, purchased at the commencement of the present war, is the steamer which was blown op by a torpedo Jn Oallao Bay on the 3rd July. The plan adopted was the following, as related by a correspondent of the. Star and Herald:—" A Penman officer took an ordinary fruit boat, put a torpedo in the bottom, and erer this he placed a false bottom resting on springs, kept down by the weight of the cargo. He then loaded it with a very choice assortment of fruit and vegetables, and towing it out towards the blockading squadron before daylight set it afloat. About fire o'clock in the evening, fearing it would fall into neutral hands, a boat was sent out to bring it back. The Loa was doing duty, and, seeing the boat from shore making towards the neutral Teasels, caught sight of the launch and at once : turned towards it. Seeing this, the boat from shore beat a hasty retreat. The prize was brought alongside the Loa and the discharge at once began. As the weight in the launch was diminished, the. machinery in connection with the torpedoes was set free, and in a moment 303 , pounds of dynamite were exploded and the Loa was almost lifted out of the watec. The effect as described by. those who were watching the operation from the shore was awful m the extreme. Every houce in Callao was shaken to its foundation, and erery ship in the Bay shivered as though an earthquake hati spent its fury beneath them. When the flame and smoke cleared away the Teasel seemed , not to have suffered, but suddenly she was observed to sink at the stern while

her bows went high in the air, and the Loa disappeared for ever. While this was going on the Blanco Encalada and the Huascar were in their accustomed

positions, some eight miles distant, too tar off to render any assistance. The boats of the Thetis, Penguin, Alaska, i Decres and Garibaldi proceeded to the scene of the disaster and succeeded in

picking up about forty survivors, of whom > many will probably die. At least 150 men perished. The only officers saved are the second commander (wounded), the doctor and one engineer. The explosion occurred very close to the anchorage of the neutral squadron, and the disaster might very easily have happened to one of them, as the boat resembled the ordinary fruiterers and might accidentally have broken adrift and gone out to sea..