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At 5 145 p. m. the planes took off, while Coquimbo's citizenry with their wives and baby carriages lined the shore. U. S. observers, remembering the difficulties of U. S. Army pilots in hitting the unarmed Mt. Shasta (TIME, Aug. 24), wondered what success they would have. The Chilean aviators did not actually sink anything but they had an unanswerable alibi: It was their duty not to damage valuable government property more than was absolutely necessary. In the line of duty they hit the General O'Higgins right on the nose. Her prow burst into flames which were quickly put out. There was no score on the Almirante Latorre but her two blazing anti-aircraft guns perforated one of the planes' wings. One bomb landed full on a ship's launch, killed eight men.
As the battle waxed hotter the spectators on shore suddenly realized that this was not just a glorified spectacle for their amusement. Bullets whined in their direction. They stampeded, baby carriages and all. For just such an emergency the Government had two special trains waiting at the station, but it was not enough. Most of Coquimbo's citizenry took to the mountains, on foot.
Many of the rebels tried to do the same. As the bombs whistled about their ears they dove gracefully overboard, swam ashore but were captured. After half an hour's bombardment the planes returned to land. The aviators sent word that next time they would really try to hit the fleet. Coquimbo's rebels believed them. They all surrendered.
* Not to be confused with most Latin-American navies is the Chilean. Their battle fleet is modernized, the Almirante Latorre is a first-class vessel. Laid down for Chile in England in 1911, she was bought by the British at the beginning of the War and served as the Canada. Chile finally received her in 1920. In 1929 she went back to Great Britain to be overhauled, modernized.