Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-18

ruler Is certainly somewhat startling"
| AsToNIsHED AT THE NEWS
The English steamship Plate arrived today
from Rio Janeiro, Brazil, from which port she
sailed October "a. Chief Officer Hugh was
astonished when informed of the revolution
| there and that the country now was repub-
lie. At the time the vessel sailed there was no
premonitory signs of any outbreak. Every
| thing was quiet and the wheels of the govern
ment under the empire we're running smoothly.
| DOM PEDRO EXPECTED IT.
The Paris correspondent of the London Daily
Ne,cs SAYS: The republican council at Rio
Janeiro decided few months ago that the
anniversary of the French revolution was the
! most propitious occasion on which to proclaim
the republic. The leaders of the party we're
| SO confident of success that they ordered a
| number of republican flags to be made in this
city. In the new flag the imperial crown is re-
| placed by Phrygian cap. 1t is reported that
| Dom Pedro recently expressed to his prime
minister the opinion that the government had
not much longer to live. Among the causes
/ that led to the revolution were the tyrannical
| measures to which the government resorted in
order to secure the return of its supporters at
| the last election, when many electors were
| arrested and imprisoned.
THE Ex-PRIME MINISTER EXPELLED.
dispatch from Rio de Janeiro by way Of
| Oporto says that the former prime minister to
Brazil has been ordered to leave the country
| and that he will sail Immediately on board the
| Ralilia.
| THE ARMY AND NAVY.
The army on a war footing numbers 29, 900
| men, but at this time does not exceed Is, 900.
In peace it has engineers, TIA; artillery, 2,572;
cavalry, 2,41O; infantry, 1851, and transport,
4O2, or a total of 1859 Service in the army.
| Is obligatory. Exemption from military duty
can be bought by either personal substitution
| or the payment of $500. Duration of service is
| six years in the active army and three years IN
| the reserve. decree of August, 1888. re-
organized the army on the following footing
There are battalions of engineers, composed
| OF companies; 4 regiments of artillery with 4
| six-gun batteries, and battalions with six
| gun batteries. The infantry force numbers
"a battalions, each battalion consisting of
companies. Besides the above there are $3.50
gendarmes, force organized after the French
| gendarmerie. The whole number of officers is
$50.
The Brazilian navy has about fifty vessels in
the active list. exclusive of the torpedo fotila,
and dozen of this number are armored. The
| armored vessels are, for the most part, designed
for coast defense vessels. Among the more
| notable of the armored vessels are the twin
| screw cruisers Riachuelo and Aquidabon, and
the Solimoes. an armored battleship. The
Rlachuelo and Aquldabon were built in Eng
land; the former was launched in 1888 and
was completed in 1884. and the latter was
launched and completed in 1885. Both vessels
are protected by belt of armor (steel faced),
ii inches thick and each has two turrets pro-
tected by 10-lnch armor. The principal arma-
ment consists of four twenty-ton breech-load-
ing guns carried in the turrets, and there is an
auxiliary armament Of six In one ship, and in
the other four seventy-four Founders and ma
chine guns. Both vessels are built of steel.
The Riachuelo is 305 feet long, 81 feet broad
and of ), 700 tons displacement.
The Aquidabon is $50 feet long. Both YES
sells contain all modern improvements in con-
struction and equipment and they constitute
most valuable addition to the naval strength of
Brazil.
The Solimoes and Javari are two powerful
double-turreted ships of light draught, suitable
for coast defense or river service; they are of
about $500 tons displacement and z, 200 horse
power, with Pinch armor and four 10-inch
Whitworth guns.
The Brazilian navy is manned bv $3.50 Off
GERS and men, including marines; there are five
arsenals. at Rio Janeiro. Para, Pernambuco,
Balm and Lodario de Matte Crosse.
COFFEE GOING UP.
Baltimore importers are deeply interested in
the news of the revolution in Brazil. On the
coffee market this morning prices went up one
quarter cent a pound in consequence of the
news. The telegraph wires were busy all the
morning pouring Ill orders for coffee, and the
demand from all parts of the country was
strong. There was a rush on the part of deal
ers and jObbers to secure supplies in order to
be protected should the trouble develop serious
proportions. The annual coffee importation to
Baltimore reaches 100000 bags, and this trade
has developed a large export trade in flour also.
OUR RUBBER TRADE.
"A dispatch from one of our correspondents
| this forenoon" said George A. Allen. the Bos-
ton rubber importer, Saturday, ''says that the
empire will not expire without a struggle l.,
however. believe that it will, and that things
will be settled peacefully"
should it result in civil war; however. and
| the expectation of rubber from Brazil should
cease, it would not be long before the rub
Der manufacturers of this country would be
obliged to shut down. There is only a COMPARE
lively small supply of rubber In the country
and although African gums used to some
extent the manufacturers cannot get along
without Para rubber"
Mr.. Alden is undoubtedly the best posted
man on Brazil to be found IL Boston. When
he was last In the empire there was ample evil
dence OF growing sentiment in favor of a
republican form of government. and that senti-
ment was receiving the support of the best
people of the country. Some of the liberal
acts of the emperor, such as freeing the slaves
got the government into debt and caused some
unfavorable comment, but nothing lessened
the love of the people for the old emperor.
Mr.. Alden believes that the present revolu-
| ton is not directed against him. More likely
! ii is directed against his daughter. who. under
| the monarchical form of government, would be
| his successor to the throne. She is Roman
Catholic, and large part of the people, who
| are themselves Catholics, believing that on the
! throne she would be tool of the pope and the
! more bigoted members of the church. have all
| but vowed she shall never reign in Brazil.
IF the imperial government should take
| action in the matter" said Mr.. Alden and send
| its ships up there to blockade the coast the
| rubber supply would be cut off. / do not how
ever, anticipate any trouble of this sort. About
| eighteen thousand tons of rubber are exported
| from Para every year, and three-quarters OF the
| total export comes to the United States"
CAN THE EMPIRE FIGHT?
| Mr.. John G. Redman, chancellor of the Bra
lillian consulate in New York says the out
break is confined to an instruction of soldiers
! in barracks at Rio.
| .'Seabor ia Fonseca. who is said to have been
/ proclaimed president by the insurgents has
doubtless melted the revolt Last July the
| regiment which he commanded had quarrel
| with body of police Ill Rio. Col. Fonseca
sustained his men. and, for refusing to abide
] by the decision of the minister of war. he was
/ about to be cOurt-mIrtialed. but was saved by
| the pardon of the empeJor. In this Dom
| Pedro allowed his generosity to lead him into
| error. There about 5000 troops i'll Rio
and if it is true that the insurgents have made
| the ministry prisoners the soldiers must have
| possession of the capital. The other troops
| are scattered over the empire i'll seaport towns,
80. Il