On 6 March 1866, during the Chincha Islands War, the Spanish steam frigate "Blanca" captured the Chilean sidewheel steamer "Paquete de Maule" in the Gulf of Arauco.
"Paquete de Maule" was a 400-ton sidewheel steamer built by Lawrence &amp; Foulks in 1861 at Williamsburg, New York for G. K. Stevenson &amp; Co., who planned to operate the vessel between Valparaiso and Maule. During the war, the "Paquete de Maule" served as an auxiliary ship to the Chilean fleet and it was unarmed. On March 6, 1866, while en route from Lota to Montevideo (and being accompanied by "Independencia") with a crew of 7 men, and officer and 126 sailors destined to complete the crews of the Peruvian ironclads "Huascar" and "Independencia", it was captured by the Spanish frigate "Blanca", commanded by Juan Bautista Topete.
The Spanish ship didn't detect the Chilean "Independencia" pailebot and it was able to escape taking refuge in the shallow areas.
The "Paquete de Maule" sailing under the British colors in a vain attempt to avoid capture. Once the Spanish were on board, her crew alleged to be British citizens, but the unconvinced Spanish officers arrested them. Spanish civilians imprisoned in Lima were offered in exchange for Lynch and his crew, but Méndez Núñez refused.
The "Paquete de Maule", added to the Spanish fleet as an auxiliary ship, armed with two cannons, took part in the Battle of Callao. On 10 May 1866 she was burned and scuttled near the San Lorenzo island since the Spanish couldn't take it with them on their retreat towards the Philippines.
Notes.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;