PEEU. 



firing from the ships was very rapid, too much so, 

 indeed, for it was wild, and gave evident proof that 

 the captains of the guns were not as deliberate in 

 their aim as they might be. The fire from the bat- 

 teries was at first slow and inaccurate, but they soon 

 began to get the range, and their heavy shot was 

 seen to tellon more than one ship. In less than half 

 an hour after the action commenced, the Villa de 

 Madrid made a signal, evidently asking assistance ; 

 the little Vencedora went in and towed her out of 

 the fire, and as she came in plain view it was evident 

 that her motive power had beeu deranged, for the 

 steam was seen issuing in clouds from every part 

 of the vessel. 



The next ship to retire was the Berenguela. She 

 moved out slowly about twenty minutes after the 

 Villa de Madrid. This ship had been receiving a 

 heavy fire from batteries 8, 9, and 10. and a cross-fire 

 from battery number 5. As she passed the United 

 States ships it was noticed that she had received a 

 heavy rifled shot on the port side, near the water line, 

 which had passed completely through her, coming 

 out at or under the water line on the starboard side, 

 rendering it necessary to careen her to prevent 

 sinking. As it was, she had taken in a vast quantity 

 of water, so that when out of range, and anchored, 

 not only were the pumps necessary to keep her free, 

 but the crew were employed in bailing with buckets. 

 She did not go into action again. 



The action continued with great spirit by both 

 the batteries and remaining ships. At half-past two 

 the Blanca and Resolucion retired to repair some in- 

 juries, but soon returned to their positions, when all 

 remained until the fight was over, except the two 

 first mentioned. 



Soon after the commencement of the fight battery 

 No. 3, containing two three-hundred-ppunder Arm- 

 strong rifles, was blown up, dismounting the guns 

 and killing and wounding every one in the vicinity. 

 In battery No. 7 the three-hundred-pounder Arm- 

 strong was dismounted at the first fire ; but besides 

 these casualties there was nothing to diminish in any 

 way, or slacken in the slightest degree^ the heavy and 

 well-directed fire of the Peruvians, which was becom- 

 ing more and more fatal and destructive every mo- 

 ment. The Spaniards soon began to find out that 

 the game was not their own ; that they had caught a 

 Tartar not bargained for, and it was manifest to all 

 that they must soon back out badly defeated. At fif- 

 teen minutes past five the Spaniards ceased firing 

 and stood out of range, the batteries peppering away 

 until the Dons were out of reach. The last gun was 

 fired a few minutes before five o'clock by the monitor 

 Victoria, thus ending an action entailing a disgrace 

 upon Spain greater, if possible, than her defeat at 

 San Domingo. The dictator, Prado, was here, there, 

 and everywhere, superintending permanently the 

 serving of the guns. Nothing reliable is known of 

 the exact number of killed and wounded on either 

 side. The Peruvian Secretary of War, Senor Galvez, 

 was killed in battery No. 3, when it was blown up. 

 The wounded on shore, as fast as they fell, were car- 

 ried to the rear and sent to the hospital at Bellavista. 

 Those whose friends resided at Lima were sent to the 

 city to be placed in charge of those who would care 

 better for them than if they had remained at Bella- 

 vista to take the chances. "The most reliable infor- 

 mation had, at the time the Vanderbilt sailed, was 

 that the Peruvians had lost sixty killed and about one 

 hundred and seventy wounded. 



Nothing is known as to the loss on board the 

 Spanish fleet, but, bored as their ships have been, the 

 number of casualties must necessarily be very heavy. 

 Admiral Nunez is reported to have received no less 

 than eight wounds and contusions ; one in the head 

 pronounced severe. Our surgeons, who offered their 

 services to both parties alike, were not allowed to see 

 him, and indeed it was evident that they wished to 

 conceal, as far as possible, the number of men that 

 had been placed hors du combat, and the condition of 



the ships. By the shot that disabled the steampipa 

 of the Villa de Madrid eighteen men were killed and 

 twenty-one wounded ; so, taking the mischief done 

 by one projectile, we may be safe in judging the 

 Spanish loss as far in excess of that of the Peruvians. 

 Doctor Peck, of the Vanderbilt, when he went along- 

 side the Villa de Madrid, counted eight shot holes in 

 her sides. This was doing well considering the time 

 she was under fire. The Blanca was struck over 

 forty times, and the Almauza and Berenguela suf- 

 fered almost as much. The Resolucion was hit very 

 often possibly as many times as the others. The 

 Numancia came off very well, being iron-clad ; but 

 one eight-inch rifled projectile, from battery No. 5, 

 pierced her five-and-a-half-inch iron plating and went 



Eartly through the wooden backing. She was 

 rought so as to receive the fire at an angle ; hence 

 her plating caused the shot to glance. The Vence- 

 dora was uninjured. 



The Spaniards did not renew the fight, and 

 their operations against the allied republics 

 ceased for the remainder of the year (see SPAIN). 

 The government of Peru, however, continued 

 to fortify the ports of Callao and Arica. On 

 this subject the National of Lima remarked: 



In Callao and Arica our fortifications are greatly 

 improved. The Government takes the greatest pains 

 to put them on a footing according to the rules of 

 modern military art. The system of low batteries, 

 which proved to us so beneficial in the battle on the 

 2d of May last, has been thoroughly examined; such 

 defects as had been found in them removed, and 

 the number of guns increased. M. de Mahieux, 

 a distinguished Belgium military engineer, is among 

 us, and this gentleman, besides his scientific knowl- 

 edge, has the necessary experience, acquired in some 

 of the European fortifications. Said gentleman has 

 just visited the principal fortresses in the United 

 States, and has thus been able to compare the Eu- 

 ropean system in military art to the progress made 

 by the great republic. M. de Mahieux has been 

 called by the Peruvian Government, who is proud of 

 having made such an acquisition. There is not the 

 least doubt that Callao, within a very short time, will 

 be one of the best strongholds, capable of making re- 

 sistance to the most powerful fleet. 



In July the government appointed John E. 

 Tucker, formerly an officer in the Navy of the 

 Confederate States, as Admiral of the Peruvian 

 Navy. The new admiral at once proceeded to 

 join his vessels, which were-then in the Chilean 

 waters, but, on.his - arrival at the place of his 

 destination, a large number of the Peruvian 

 officers refused to recognize him. The refrac- 

 tory members were, however, promptly ar- 

 rested and the command assumed by Admiral 

 Tucker. 



The government of the dictator continued 

 to inaugurate reform movements. A thorough 

 system of home taxation was initiated, and the 

 revenue from this source and from duties was to 

 be made to meet the current expenses, while the 

 foreign loans negotiated on the bases of the guano 

 deposits were to be set apart for internal improve- 

 ments and other great national objects. Steps 

 were also taken to foster the interests of litera- 

 ture. Four prizes, of $1,250 each, are to be 

 awarded annually to such citizens as shall pro- 

 duce the best works upon subjects to be decided 

 by the faculties of the universities, and one 

 prize of $25,000 is to be given on the 29th of 

 July, 1876, to the author, whether native or 



