The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-18
The Situation Serious for the Bra
lillian Government.
SKIRMISHING STILL CONTINUES.
Many business Houses About TO Clcss
Their oors-1he Chances Arc That
Melio's Cause VIII Eventually Be the
Winning One.

LONDON, Dec 49, = The Times, today,
publishes dispatch from Rio de Janeiro
saying
The manifesto of Admiral Da CANA,
the insurgent admiral in command at Rio
de Janeiro during the absence Of Admiral
de Mello, has produced excitement and
greatly increases the popularity Of the rev.
olution.
A messenger. who has returned from
Sac Paulo and Santos, states that the
monarchst element predominated every
where. The people are prepared to follow
the lead of Admiral Da CANA.
Ferdinando Leho, minister of justice
and OF the interior, resigned yesterday IN
consequences OF divergence of opinion
with President Peixoto concerning present
events. This shows that the position OF
President Peixoto is weakening.
have seen copy of two official dis
patches sent by the war minister to Rio
Grande who IL beginning 10 use every
effort TO protect the retreat Of General
Oscal and TO retrieve the great disaster
resulting from the defeat of General ISL
doro on Nov. %.
Several officers, during the past week,
have been arrested on suspicion OF COM
plicity in the revolution. The govern
ment has suspended the Rio News, an
English newspaper, whose editor Is an
American.
During the past weak there has been
some slight skirmishing in the vicinity OF
Nictheroy and Armacao with small casu-
alties and no result. The artillery fire of
the forts upon Fort Villegaignon con-
tinues daily without apparent alteration
of the situation.
Fort Badly Damaged.
On Wednesday night l visited Fort
Villegaignon in an insurgent launch.
When we passed between Cobras island
and Fort Villegaignon, the troops lining
the shore front opened heavy rife fire,
and Fort Villegaignon replied briskly,
killing and wounding 100 soldiers.
found the fortress to be much damaged;
all the buildings are in ruins and the
masonry Of the center, toward the mouth
of the harbor, Is much cut away in conse-
quence of the shelling il has received from
the government forts.
The guns were working we'll, but were
greatly exposed, and three of them were
dismounted. Two hundred officers and
men form the garrison; all were CHEEKY
and contented and confident of ultimate
success. examined the fortress thoro-
ughly and consider that it can resist for
two months longer.
On Saturday night 1900 government
troops, lining the shore near the war and
marine arsenals, opened heavy fire from
machine guns and rifles upon ,Cobrasisl-
and for the purpose of covering the ad-
vance of storming parties. Cobras island
replied strongly, causing the troops to
abandon the attempt after two hours
heavy firing, the government losing over
100 men and the insurgents having only
two men wounded. The firing on both
sides was very wild.
To Cut or Supplies.
The government proposes landing
troops upon the island OF Governador,
now belonging to the insurgents, for the
purpose of preventing supplies reaching
the insurgents. The latter are prepared
TO resist. Tomorrow the insurgents in
tend keeping up a continuous fire upon
the custom house and thus preventing all
future business.
Yesterday the insurgents seized the
steamer Parahyba. flying the Argentine
flag, carrying war material and provisions
and proceeding 10 Santos and Rio Grande.
The vessel refusing to heave to, the in
surgents fired, killing one and wo1nding
four. The Insurgents then boarded her.
Admiral de Mello wired on Saturday ask
ing Admiral Da CANA to send him
another transport TO carry troops.
Many important business houses propose
closing their doors until the end of the
revolution, "a they consider that the pres
ent situation is too dangerous. The
British minister has notified the commu-
nifty that much danger exists Mt the pres
ent time and advises residents to leave the
city Many people consider that the time
has arrived for recognition of the belli-
gerent status of the insurgents