NAVAL BATTLES OF IQUIQUE 1879 miral, Rebolledo, blockaded Iquique. In May he learned that President Prado of Peru was sailing south from Callao to Arica with a strong expedition. Rebolledo at once went to intercept this expedition, leaving his two slowest and weakest ships, the "Esmeralda," commanded by Arturo Prat, and "Covadonga" at Iquique. President Prado, having slipped by the Chileans in a thick fog, received news at Arica of the situation at Iquique. In order to capture or destroy the two weak Chilean vessels at Iquique, he despatched thither his two strongest vessels, the "Huascar," commanded by Captain Grau, and the "Independenzia," Captain Moore. The four ships met on May 21, in one of the most spirited naval battles recorded in modern times. Captain Prat was killed as he boarded the "Huascar," and his ship, the "Esmeralda," was sunk. The Chilean gunboat "Covadonga," on the other hand, succeeded in destroying the more powerful Peruvian "Independenzia.” The next incident of the war was a sensational attempt of the "Huascar" to sink the Chilean ship "Magallanes," before dawn on July 10, in Iquique Harbor. Steaming suddenly into the harbor without lights, the "Huascar" three times tried to ram the Chilean, but always failed. Throughout the night the two ships kept up an incessant fire. Just as the "Huascar" was struck on the water line by a 115pounder, the Chilean ironclad "Almirante Cochrane" appeared in the harbor and the "Huascar" made off. Her captain now received strict injunctions to risk no further engagement. He confined himself to harrying the Chilean coast and capturing defenceless vessels, among others the Chilean transport "Rimac," with a regiment of cavalry, many munitions of war, and $500,000 of specie. By this time the Chilean Government, exasperated by the "Huascar's" depredations, sent the "Cochrane" to Valparaiso to be thoroughly overhauled. Her bottom was cleaned 1879 DEFEAT OF THE "HUASCAR" by divers. Captain Laterre, who had distinguished himself on the "Magallanes," was placed in command of her. When she emerged, after a month of repairs, her speed was eleven knots-one knot faster than that of the "Huascar." Admiral Riveros of the Chilean fleet now went in search of the "Huascar." Dividing his strong fleet into two squadrons, one of which was to steam inshore so as to drive the "Huascar" into the path of the other steaming on a parallel course, Admiral Riveros proceeded to Angamos Point. Early on the morning of October 8 the "Huascar" was sighted, together with the "Union." Her commander, Grau, steamed away at a speed of ten knots. Admiral Riveros, outdistanced as he was, held steadily on with the "Blanco" and "Covadonga." Next morning Grau sighted the smoke of the "Cochrane" out at sea, and tried to get out of his bad position between the two Chilean squadrons. His convoy, "l'Union," succeeded in getting away to the north, hotly pursued by the "Loa" and the "O'Higgins." The "Cochrane" overhauled the "Huascar," and, with the aid of the "Blanco," engaged her in fight. One of the "Cochrane's" first shots entered the "Huascar's" turret and put twelve men out of the fight, besides jamming the turret. The "Cochrane" manœuvred astern of the "Huascar," where her big turret guns could not reach her, and poured a hot rifle-fire from her high fighting tops and bridge on to the "Huascar's" upper deck. A nine-inch shell from the "Cochrane" struck the conning tower and Grau was blown to pieces. An officer at the steering wheel just below the Admiral was likewise killed. Commander Aguirre, upon whom the charge of the ship had devolved, was killed by another shot, which burst inside of the turret. Lieutenant Garrozon, the last surviving officer on the "Huascar,” finding that he could scarcely move her, resolved to scuttle the ship. Rather than go to the bottom some of the Peruvian seamen ran forward and waved towels in token of surrender. Both BLOWING UP OF CZAR'S TRAIN 1879 the "Cochrane" and "Blanco" sent boats, and, boarding the "Huascar," found the engineer engaged in opening the main injection valve. He was stopped at the point of a pistol. It was found that the "Huascar" had been hit by heavy projectiles nearly thirty times. Her killed and wounded numbered 64. Some 140 prisoners were taken, 35 of whom were English. The "Huascar," after her capture, was patched up and taken to Valparaiso, where she was repaired and refitted with a new armament. On November 15 she went to sea under the Chilean flag. A little later she succeeded in capturing the Peruvian gunboat "Pilcomayo." The transfer of this vessel to the Chilean fleet destroyed Peru's chances upon the sea. Henceforth Peru and Bolivia fought at a disadvantage. Late in the year, as the result of the naval disasters inflicted by Chile, insurrection broke out in Peru. President Prado was forced to resign the government and flee the country. Pierola was proclaimed Dictator. In the beginning of December the Emperor of Russia had a narrow escape from assassination. He was returning from Livadia to St. Petersburg, stopping over at Moscow. By accident or design the train conveying the imperial luggage was following instead of preceding the Czar's train. On entering the outskirts of Moscow a mine was exploded under the second train. Most of the cars were thrown off the track, but no lives were lost. It was found that the mine which was laid in a carefully built tunnel under the railway had been set off by electricity from a house in the vicinity. It was during the same week, some two months after General Roberts's arrival at Kabul, that the Afghans at the behest of their most fanatic leaders rose against the English in their country. One hundred thousand men took to arms. Roberts tried to prevent a coalition of the various bodies of tribesmen by sending one brigade under McPherson westward, and another under Baker toward Maidan. This left 1879 BATTLES ABOUT SHERPUR the British military post at Sherpur in a dangerously weak state. On December 11 McPherson's cavalry attempted to cut off a force of about 10,000 Afghans. The British lancers were repulsed and routed. Roberts now hastened up with his Highlanders, barely in time to secure McPherson's line of retreat. Baker's brigade was hastily summoned. On the following morning Colonel Money, with a part of McPherson's force, tried to dislodge the Afghans from the crest of the Takt-i-Shah. All day long the British fought without making material gains. On the next day the rest of McPherson's brigade and Baker's column, which had just arrived, threw themselves into the fight. The Afghans, dislodged from one position, held themselves in others. Their reenforcements were on the Asmei Heights. Colonel Jenkins of the Guides succeeded in storming these heights, but was soon after dislodged from the crest, losing two guns. It was at this time that Captain Voustan led a dashing charge of twelve Punjab horsemen up a steep conical hill, and himself killed five Afghans. For this he received the Victoria Cross. General Roberts was compelled to abandon the Asmei Heights and the Bala-Hissar. He fell back on his defences at Sherpur. The British were hard beset at Sherpur. On December 23 the Afghans atted in force. The fighting lasted all day, the Afghans bringing scag ladders to enter the works only to be repulsed with great slaughter. At nightfall a heavy snowstorm set in and the Afghans gave up their assault. The British casualties were sixty-five killed and wounded, among whom was BrigadierGeneral Hugh Gough. On Christmas Eve British reenforcements arrived under General Charles Gough and Colonel Hudson, and the Bala-Hissar was reoccupied. With the death of James Clerk-Maxwell, the famous Scottish physicist, a thinker was lost to England who contributed much to the advancement of electrical science. EVENTS OF 1880 Unsuccessful Attempt to Kill Czar Made at Winter Palace-Death of Flaubert-Afghans Pen in British at Charasia-Stewart Fights His Way from Kandahar to Kabul-Ayub Khan Routs Burrowes at Maiwand and Pens British in Kandahar-Roberts Marches from Sherpur to Kandahar-He Routs the Besieging Afghans and Ends WarKurds Massacre Armenians-Turkey Fails to Comply with Berlin Treaty-Powers Make Naval Demonstration on Albanian CoastThey Annex Dulcigno to Montenegro-Freycinet Ministry in France Expels Jesuits and Secularizes Education-De Lesseps Organizes Panama Canal Company-Garfield is Elected President of United States -Apaches are Driven into Mexico-Eberth Discovers Typhus Germ -Deaths of George Eliot, English Novelist, and Ole Bull, Norwegian Violinist-Cossacks Beat Turkomans at Geok Tepe-Boers Repudiate British Annexation of Transvaal They Beat British at Potchefstroom and Heidelburg Road. I -- N Russia another attempt was made to assassinate the the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, on February 17, the dining-room was blown up. Ten men of the Finland guard were killed, while fifty-three were wounded. After this affair Count Melikov was put at the head of a supreme executive committee with extraordinary powers. He consented to relax the severe restrictions on the students of the universities and higher technical schools. Count Alexei Tolstoy, the originator of these laws, resigned. Early in summer the Czarina died. Two months later the Emperor married again. The campaign against the Turkomans was resumed about the same time. For some time no appreciable gains were made on either side. Gustave Flaubert, the most refined writer and stylist of the French school of realism, died in May in his sixtieth year. Originally an ardent admirer of Victor Hugo and Byron, he suddenly changed from his extreme romanticism to that of realism. The result of this change was his famous work "Madame Bovary," the forerunner of the naturalistic productions of Goncourt and Zola. His "Salammbo," a powerful romance of ancient Carthage, is probably the most |