Page:A history of Chile.djvu/390

 352 A HISTORY OF CHILE heard from the other vessels, the "Imperial" went on her way north. The "Condell" and "Lynch" had found the enemy's flagship, "Blanco Encalada, " accompanied by a smaller boat, in the harbor. Stealing upon her from opposite sides, they torpedoed her and sank her in less than three minutes. Coming out of the harbor, the "Lynch" and "Con- dell" met the transport "Aconcagua," upon which they immediately opened fire. The latter fought desper- ately for an hour and a half when she ceased firings which was accepted as a signal of surrender. At the moment of surrender a warship, supposed by the "Lynch" and "Condell" to be the "Esmeralda," was sighted. She was apparently steering to cut off their retreat from the harbor. She was discovered to be the British man-of-war, "Warspite;" but by the time this discovery had been made the "Aconcagua" had escaped and crept under the guns of the forts in the harbor, where she could not be taken by the plucky torpedo- boats. Throughout the engagement the forts had fired constantly, but their shots had fallen wide of the mark. The loss on the "Blanco Encalada" was two hundred and forty-five. One man was killed and ten wounded on the torpedo-boats. The losses on the "Aconcagua" were considerable, as she was crowded with troops. The "Condell" and "Lynch" were crippled, princi- pally by the damage caused by the discharge of their own heavy guns, and were obliged to put back to Val- paraiso for repairs. Learning of this, Captain Garin returned to Valparaiso with the "Imperial," May 7th. The return of the government fleet to Valparaiso seems to have been hailed with applause. Crowds gathered upon the wharves and the adjacent hills, bands played, voices rent the air and flags waved everywhere. Doubtless the oppositionists in Valparaiso at this time