The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-22
Tho situation in Southern Brazil.


30 far as any trustworthy information
may be cleaned from indefinite and con.
ficting kilograms. the whole province oi
Rio Grande do Sui Is In revolt against the
authority Of Marshal DEoDoRo DA FoNsECA
The insurgents ore masters not only Of the
interior country and Of minor seaports. but
also Of Porto Allegro. the capital Of the
province. situated at the extreme end OF q
long bay known as Lagoa dos Spatos. They
hold. moreover, the town known as Sac
Pedro do Rio Grande. which commands the
mouth Of the same estuary. As the latter
place is fortified. and as precautions have
been taken to block the channel by sunken
ships. 1t is difficult to sec how the dictator
can recapture the provincial capital. not
withstanding the fact that most Of the Bra
lillian navy is at his disposal.
Assuming that FoNsEoA's opponents have
complete control OF Rio Grande do Sui. and
that. owing to Typographical peculiaritles.
the recovery Of the province would be as
difficult to-day as 1t has proved in previous
rebellions. we see that the inhabitants have
three courses before them. They may as
sert their independence and organize o sep
arate republic; they may combine with
Uruguay to form q new confederation; or,
putting themselves forward as champions
Of the dissolved Congress against the coup
detat. they may make an aggressive move
ment against FoNsEoA. II they resolve
upon the latter course. they will labor un-
der great disadvantages as compared with
the Congressional party in Chill. The lat
tor had command Of all the powerful vessels
belonging to the national navy. and there
fore. as soon as their military force had
acquired sufficient volume and discipline,
they were. able to transport it by sea
to any strategic point selected. The
revolutlonists in Rio Grande do Sui are in a
very different position. They cannot move
platoon Of soldiers or pound Of ammuni-
ton by sea. and land march from Porto
Allegro to Rio Janeiro would be long and
difficult. Moreover. even II we assume the
truth Of the report that the little coastwise
province Of Santa Catherine is In sympathy
with Rio Grande. we must recognize 1t as
no less certain. according to all our tele-
grams, that strenuous resistance would be
offered to the rebels by the province Of Sac
Paulo. whose resources In men and money
are at least twice as large as those Of Rio
Grande. Immediately north of the rich
coffee plantations of Sac Paulo lie the PROV
ince and city of Rio Janeiro. which between
them have population Of about million
and a half. and Of which. according to the
latest advices. the dictator is the undis-
puted master. So far. then. as the facts
are known to us. 1t seems probable that the
Rio Grande revolutionists will not attempt
a northward march. and that. should they
do 80. they will experience defeat.
AS for union with Uruguay, nothing
but the desire OF gaining Immediate assist
ance In the shape of munitions OF war and
perhaps OF military and naval reinforce
ments. would commend such project to
thrifty and Intelligent citizens OF Rio
Grande do Sui. 1t Is true that formerly,
when tho Banda Oriental was still prov
tnce OF Brazil. there was good deal of
sympathy between Its inhabitants and
those OF the adjoining province on the
north. But that feeling has long since died
out. and Rio Grande would have more to
lose than gain by federation with Its south
ern neighbor. 1t is much larger In area.
and according to tho latest estimate 1t has
q population Of some 100000 against Uru-
guay's 10000. The seaport towns OF Rio
Grande, which now have promising COM
merciAl future. would through the exten-
sion Of Uruguayan railways find them
selves outrivalled by Montsvideo. Then
again. the foreign debt Of Uruguay Is