that he could not get away, owing to his inferior speed, he determined to fight, first ordering the Union to leave as fast as possible, since she would be the only naval hope of Peru in case of the Huascar's loss. As she was of superior speed, she had no difficulty in getting away, though her commander greatly regretted parting company with the Huascar in the time of the latter's danger.
At 25 minutes past nine o'clock the Huascar fired the first shot at a distance of about 3,000 yards; it was aimed at the Cochrane and fell short. A second and a third shots were fired with the same result; the Huascar's fourth shot penetrated the armor plating of the Cochrane, and passed through the galley, and then the Cochrane began to return her adversary's fire. Her fourth shot struck the Huascar's turret and temporarily disabled it, but it was soon in order again. The Huascar's turret was worked by hand, while that of the Cochrane was operated by steam. The fifth shot from the Huascar struck the armor of the Cochrane but did not penetrate it, and then, as the ships had closed considerably, Admiral Grau tried to ram his adversary.
The manœuvre was defeated by the Cochrane, which turned very quickly by using her twin screws; she could turn in half the space required by the Huascar, and her commander, Captain Latorre, showed great judgment and coolness in handling her. The ships were now fighting at distances varying from 300 to 50 yards, and a steady fire from rifles and machine guns was maintained on both sides. Exactly half an hour after the first shot was fired a shell from the Cochrane exploded in the Huascar's pilot tower, in which were Admiral Grau and one of his lieutenants. Both were killed, and so terrific was the explosion that the bodies were literally blown into fragments, the largest piece of the gallant admiral that was afterwards found and recognizable being a portion of one leg.
Up to the time of the bursting of the shell in the pilot tower the Huascar had been skilfully handled: the firing
