Heavy cruiser guns shape battles ashore

At Iquique, Esmeralda's squadron bombardment helped outnumbered Congressional troops hold a strategic port until presidential forces capitulated. The 10-inch guns were difficult to aim against moving warships, but firing from offshore at ground positions made their weight of shell useful. At Concón her fire inflicted limited casualties but damaged morale, and she later joined attacks on forts near Viña del Mar. Against fixed positions and exposed ground forces, shell weight could matter even when the guns lacked precision.