New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-14

REPORT THAT MELLO DARE NOT FIRE ON h1O
roR FEAR THAT PRISONERS WILL BE
KILLED IN RETALIATION-A FRENCH
SHIP SEIZED BY MELLo
The steamer Peninsular arrived here yesterday
from Brazilian ports r. q. Yimeney. who was
one of the passengers on the steamer, said that
there was much fear in Rio about expressing
any opinion hostile to the government Of Peixo-
to- and the prisons in Rio were filed with people
who had expressed themselves in favor Of Mello
The people OF Rio, he said, believed that Mello
had not fired on the city because he feared
that Peixoto would put the prisoners to death.
At Bahia no one would express an opinion
one way or another. There were no men-of-
war in the harbor Of Bahia. There was ono
small guard boat in the narbor Of Pernambuco.
While the steamer was at Pernambuco jose
Marianne was arrested for sympathizing Win
Mello. He was a prominent citizen.
The captain of the Peninsuar said that the
Rio News" paper published In English IN tho
Brazilian capital has been suspended by the
Government. Other papers favorable to Mello
had been suppressed.
When the ship at Para the people were
just recovering from the of a threatened
attack by Indians from up the Amazon River.
Mello. he said. had recruited his navy by I'M
pressing merchant vessels into ms service
1t was reported that British vessels are sup
plying Meo with provisions at the Quarantine
Island outside of Rio, where he is lying.
In the steerage Of the Pennsular were Tour
sailors who had left the bark Moses Il. Tower
an old Brazilian trader. for fear OF being ex-
posed to the chances of war. They said busi-
ness was languishng in Brazil and wages were
low.
The steamship Federation, also from Brazilian
ports, reported that she nearly struck by
shell while in the harbor Of Rio. The shell
came within fifty yards Of her. Firing was
lively between the Government forts and the
ships Of Mello when the Federation was in Rio.
She stopped at ST. Thomas on her way up. ana
saw the Nictheroy and America In the harbor
there. Three experts who went to st. Thomas ON
the Nictheroy to drill the men IN the use OF
her dynamite gun were passengers from st.
Thomas to Newport News on the Federation.
The America and Nictheroy have each had con-
siderable target practice. The Nictheroy went
outside Of st. Thomas while the Federation was
there, and fired at Sail Rock, off the coast Her
attempts to hit IT with the dynamite gun were
not successful, but the work OF the other guns
was good.
seized by Mello, with the aid Of the armed
steamer Jupiter, is the property OF the Com.
pagne des Chargeurs-Reuns, and Is commanded
by Captain Luce. She is a freight vessel plying
between Havre and South American ports. put
during certain seasons Of the year. In case
cargo can be secured at this port or New.Or-
leans she Is dispatched here. In August OF last
wear she arrived here from Santos with cargo
Of coffee, and left here on August last with
general cargo for Dunkirk and Havre. AFTER
reaching Havre. where she was laid up Tor apout
two months she started for Cardiff. and left
that port on October last with cargo OF coal
for Montevideo and Buenos Ayres. The Para
hyba has speed Of only thirteen Knots an
hour. and. therefore she was probably apprpri-
ated by the insurgents merely for her cargo. for
as a means Of defence or an instrument or war.
fare she would be almost useless
The Comparnie des Chargeurs- Reunis. in con-
nectjon with the Compa9ne Generate Transat-
iantiaue. operate a combined freight and passen-
ger service between New-York and and south
american ports by way OF Havre. The French
flagship Arethuse, Admiral de Libran, is now
at Rio de Janeiro.