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The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 25 August 1877, page 15

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19761222

H.M.S. Shah and the PeruvianIronclad. Huascar.

NEW YORK papers, from information receivedfrom Liana, dated May 13, state that Anotherrevolution has broken out in Peru. On thebore to the port two distinguished partisans ofDon I jioolas de Pierolaa. the former Minister ofFinance, and who has failed in two attempts at achange of Government. These adherents, ColonelLon.-anaga and Major Echenique, remainedquiatly in Callao until dusk, and then proceededon board the ironclad ram Huasoar, where theywere expected by certain disaffected persons,pffi ocrs of the ship. The commander and executive officer of the ram were on shpre. Thofficer of the deck was an accomplice, andthe sailors and marines easily became converts to the cause in view of the moneyprofusely bestowed upon them. From aaeighboring fngate, the Afurimao, came aboat conveying the second officer of that vesseland a number of marines, who instantly unitedwith the rebels on board. From the deck of thepowerful ironclad, frigate Jndependencia, mooredwithin gunshot of the captured Huascar, theBuspicious proceeding* of the ram were observed,it still being daylight; but, strange to say, theofficers of the Independencia did not think proper to send an armed boat to discover what wasthe origin of the movement, but contentedthemselves with advising the Port Admiral onshore that the Huascar was underway. Thenforces were Bent from the shore to recapture theship ; but by this time she was under steam, anda good three miles off The newspapers meanwhile were supplied with the manifesto of therebels, detailing their grievances and the motiveswhich induced theo to revolt. Although orderswere given to prepare the other vessels for instantpursuit, it was discovered that they were outof repair, and onethe monitor Atahuallpawas declared to be utterly unfit for sea. TheAtahuallpa, carrying two 16-inch guns, couldeasily vanquish hr were it not for the superiorspeed of the Huasoar, and the consequent difficulty of approach. On the Result, the Shaharrived at Callao, flying the broad pennant ofRear-Admiral De Honey. The squadron conveying troops to the south is composed of theironclad frigate Independencia, fourteen 70-pound guns and two ISO-pounders ; the corvetteUnion, twelve 70-pounders; the monitorAtahuallpa, two 500-poundera, and the charteredsteamer Limena, having the monitor in tow.The Huascar s armament was composed of two300-pound guns in her turret, and two pivotguns, 40.pounders, on her main deck. At therequest of the Government were

request of the Government they were joined bythe British war ships Shah and Amethyst; and,as we learn from cable telegrams, theHuasoar was so injured in combat withthese vessels as to be- compelled to surrender tothe Peruvian authorities. The Panama Starand Herald lays : The Huascar had taken byforce from an English vessel (the Edmonston),in Pisagua, a quantity of goal, the captain protesting before his consul, and, moreover, hadextracted from on board a royal mail steamertwo Peruvian officers proceeding south on duty.These acts were considered sufficient to warrantthe immediate despatch of the Shah to southernwaters, to overhaul the Huascar and put a stopto such outrages. Consequently, the Shah sailedfor Iquique on the 18th, it was stated, with thpositive intention of capturing the Huascar.This had created a tremendous excitement inLima. People regarded the interference of theEnglish as unwarrantable, although they admittedthat the Government, by its decree, put theHuascar out of the of the law.

Tot Solioitorit Journal publishes some intereating remarks on the position of neutrals andbelligerents, ss affected by the introduction oftorpedoes as a means of harbor defence. Theefficacy of such a protection depends of courseupon the position of the torpedoes being keptsecret from the enemy, and the Russians haveaccordingly issued regulations with the objectof preventing this secrecy from being endangered in the admission of neutral vessels tothe protected ports and in their departuretherefrom. All such Teasels are to be pilotedthrough the line of torpedoes by a Russian crew,and the crews and passengers of these vesselsmost not watch the course taken, but must, it ipresumed, remain below. Inasmuch, however,as these precautions would be obviously inadequate as long as the ships of the other belligerent remain in a position to watch the coursetaken by the Russian pilots, it is furtherannounced that no neutral ship would be allowedto enter or leave the protected port* so long asany enemy s ships of war are fax sight, and theTurks have been formally appealed to to retiretheir ships out of sight during suoh time as maybe necessary for the removal of neutral ships.This demand is made, it is said, in view of ftstate of afiairs new in maritime warfare, andconsequently not foreseen by international law;and we have not yet learned what reply the*Turks intend to make to it It is not, however,easy to see what consideration is here offered to belligerent for consenting thus to accommodate his conduct to a novelty in maritimewarfare which operates wholly against himself

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and in favor of his enemy. If these torpedorules of the Russians should prevent neutralsfrom entering or leaving Russian ports, unlessthe Turks, assist to carry out the rules in theobliging manner expected, of them, the effect, asthe writer we quote from justly remarks, willbe that the Russian torpedoes will supply theplace of a Turkish blockading squadron. Butin that case so much the better for the Turks.If they can force their enemy to blockade hi*own ports in the attempt to protect themgainst Turkish ships of war, we know of noargument from the point of view of international right by which he can be fairly calledupon to forego his advantage. The otber belligerent has certainly no right to claim any suchsacrifice; and as for neutrals, they might as wellinsist on the raising of an ordinary blockade onthe ground that it was prejudicial to neutral