The fight between the small Russian steamer ' Vesta' and
'the Turkish ironclad which she beat off in the Black Sea teems to have been as interesting an affair as that between the Huascar ' and the ' Shah.' The ' Vesta,' a converted wooden trading steamer, armed with five 6-inch mortars and two 9-pounders, was, of course, no match at close quarters for a turret iron-clad, armed with 10-inch or 11-inch guns. She could not steam more than twelve knots an hour, and the ironclad sailed much faster. The latter had every advantage. Her shells set fire to the ' Vesta's ' hold, and prevented the use of 'lance torpedoes. The captain and most of his officers were wounded—one of them in 17 places—the engines were only saved from destruction by an improvised fortification of hammocks .and mattresses, and the rudder became unworkable. In a few minntes the ' Vesta ' would have been rammed and sunk, had mot a lucky shell from a mortar burst inside the turret of the iron- clad. The shell must have done much damage, for she gave up the contest and steamed away. Had the ' Vesta' had more powerful engines and one heavy gun, "the little cargo boat " might have been too much for the ironclad. The advantage of speed and armour-piercing guns for wooden vessels seems the anoral of this brisk fight, as Mr. Smith will doubtless note.
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