The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-11-17
Brazil.

The United States may be involved in
the Brazilian imbroglio in two ways:
First, the undoubted enlisting of Amer
leans for service in Peixoto's newly
bought warships, done on the quiet
though it is, may bring on difficulty.
Second, it is observed that the agents of
the rebel-Mello now in this country en-
deavoring to purchase supplies are well
supplied with money. South American
revolutionists are always bankrupt to
begin. Where, then, does the rebel
Mello get his money if not from Europe!
1t seems not only possible but proba
BILE that behind the Brazilian revolution
is a movement to restore the empire and
seat young Prince Louis of Eu upon the
throne. This young man is lieutenant
in the Austrian army and nephew of the
late Dom Pedro. Both the Bourbon and
Austrian sympathies, not to say those Of
all the monarchies of Europe, would be
In the direction of restoring the empire
and putting this young man upon the
throne. Any open attempt toward this
end the United States would feel bound
to resent and prevent. The British min
lister at Washington says officially that
Great Britain will under no circum-
stances give any aid to Mello. The
British minister at Rio, on the other
hand, declares privately that En- land
would be glad to see the empire ;e,es-
tablished.
Meantime, when the historian de-
scribes this phase of Brazil's existence,
will he ever be able to find out really
what the Peixoto rebellion was about?
Usually III the South American repub-
lies matters would run along with com
parative smoothness if the army and
navy would agree to obey the congress.
But they will not. They desire to boss
the president and congress and endeavor
to do so by force. They are not educat-
ed beyond the idea Of military despo.
tism. In Brazil it happens just'now that
| the navy is i'll revolt against Peixoto,
while the army mostly sides with him.
Mello has no army, Peixoto has no navy,
SO thus far they have not been able to do
much else than sit back and glare at one
another.
| A curious custom exists in most of the
South American republics of allowing
by courtesy retiring president to nom
mate his successor. The Brazilian con-
gress, in order to oppose Peixoto's de-
sire, passed law that vice president
should not be eligible to succeed re-
firing president. This law Pei1oto We
toed. A motion was then introduced
into the Brazilian congress to lmpeach
him. 1t failed to carry, however. There
upon Admiral Mello broke out into open
rebellion aud attempted to blockade Rio
Janeiro with fleet Of six vessels He
bombarded the city Peixoto fled at
charge of Mello against Peixoto is that
he is using the army to strengthen him
self and make himself a military dictator.
| Previous to the rebellion of Mello there
had been in one of the Brazilian states
Rio Grande do Sul-a revolt, which,
however, the Peixoto government seems
to have been able to suppress without
much difficulty, but it began again when
Mello reyolted
Among the torpedo boats fitted out at
New York for Peixoto are the two fast
steam pleasure yachts Feiseen and Jave-
lin. They are being fitted up for purpose
their owners and builders little dreamed
of when they were first constructed. One
of them, the Javelin, belonged to Nor,
man L. Munro, the fiction publisher
The Ericsson dynamite cruiser De.
stroyer carries gun which is to be fired
under water. Neither submarine guns
nor dynamite guns have ever yet been
tested in actual warfare, and if it comes
to fighting all the world will learn the
value of them without any preliminary
tests. The contingent which sails fol
Brazil from America has already receiv.
ed the name of the torpedo fleet.