Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30
FIGHTING IN BRAZIL.
The Slow Progress Of the Revolution
at Rio.
A NAVAL OFFICERS LETTER.
The Effect Of the Firing Upon the
People Of the City.
STORIES OF THE REVOLUTION.

The following interesting account of the
Brazilian revolution is taken from a private
letter of a naval officer on duty at Rio ia
metro, under date of November %:
On All Souls day (November y the
streets were filled with a great concourse of
people bound for the cemeteries. This is
the great day for decorating graves in this
country. Artificial as well as natural flow
ers are used for this purpose. and some of
the former are very beautiful and some
very curious. They make them OF many
different materials, bisque being the pretti-
est and most expensive. But they make
them also of tin, wire, beads, &c, ana these
are the ones used principally by the lower
or poorer classes. 1t is hard to realize, with
out seeing them. how flowers of such ma
terial could look well. but many of them
are really beautiful, and certainly show
wonderful workmanship. The shop windows
were filled with these wares for a week pre-
vious. This fashion of so decorating graves
mas been custom here for a great many
years, and. like a number of other Brazilian
customs, is borrowed from the French.
The weather is bright and delightful al
| though much too warm for comfort. While
you at home are gradually increasing your
garments We down here are making ours as
light possible.
The Magaxfne Explosion.
On the night Of November 3 there trans
pired an event Of the greatest importance,
no less than the explosion of a magazine,
which, report has 1t, belonged to the gov
eminent, and was blown up by it in order
10 prevent the powder from falling into
Meiio's hands. 1 since learned, though,
from a fairly good source that the maya
zine was already in the possession of Mello,
and the explosion was probably the result
or carelessness. although the government,
understand, claims 1t for a heroic exploit
for their side. The sad part of the acct
dent was the killing OF three English naval
officers and one man and the wounding Of
eleven men. They were on the island where
the magazine was situated at the time Of
the explosion getting sand. 1t seems that
loose powder was strewn around the island
and In all probability lighted match or a
discarded cigar was the cause of the de-
rplorabie calamity. Some Brazilian officers
also. unhappily. met their death in the
same way.
The Effect i'm Rio.
Some Of the scenes In the town when the
great noise was heard were really ludri-
crous. The conclusion was so great that
although over three miles distant, quanti-
ties Of window glass was broken, and II was
very evident from the behavior of the peo-
pie that they thought Mello had at last
fulfilled his promise of long standing to
lombard the city. They rushed out Of
houses and cafes. yelling and gesticuating
and running in all directions. 1 saw a gen.
tieman and some ladies just coming out OF
theater. The gentleman, in great excite
ment, tumbled the ladies into a carriage.
jumped In himself and away they drove at
furious rate. No one was hurt, of course,
but the excitement among these excitable
people was intense. They are always in
fear of the threatened bomba rdment, how
ever, and so perhaps the commotion was
but natural. The stores Of munitions Of
war were very large at this magazine, and
will be a serious loss to Mello.
Lively Bombnrdment
On the afternoon of November there was
a right lively bombardment of Fort Vile
gagnon by the loyal forts, and some ex-
ceiient shots were made. The government
has put up a heavy gun at San Joao, which
hits Villegagnon three times out Of four.
The barracks on the little island on which
Villegagnon is situated have been demolish-
ed, so that the men must live inside of the
fort. which. in the approaching hot weather,
will be terrible suffering.
Mel1O Called Down by the Germans.
There is a funny story going the rounds
concerning Mello and one of the German
officers from a German man-of-war Mello's
people took a small boat filed with provi-
sions. belonging to German firm on shore
AS soon as the fact was reported to the
German commander, an officer Immediately
went over to see Meilo and as the story
goes, took out his watch and said to Mello
Il gif you five minutes to gif back de
dings." Mello thought a while and when
three minutes of the five were up, the Ger
man officer told him he had better hurry up
as there were only two minutes left. Inside
of that time Meiio decided to give up the
provisionsI Such is the force of argument
backed by guns Mello's excuse, it is said
was that he could not control his men on
by the crew Of one of his transports He
was told then that, If that were the case
they would be controlled for him, IL they
interfered with provisions belonging to for
eigners
Another man-of-war arrived on the Tth-
Dutch ship-making fifteen in the foreign
fleet at that date. The Italian admiral is
senior Of the foreign fleet and all the con-
Italian flagship.
On the Sth Santa Cruz fired a few random
shots at the Aquidaban, lying down the
bay, and was lucky enough to hit both the
Aquidaban and torpedo boat alongside Of
her. The torpedo boat began to iii and
tilted forward. her stern and about half her
length being out of water. In about ten
minutes she stood straight up on end stern
in midair. and down she went. This is
another loss on the 9th: one of bis torpedo
experts. 1t seems that the steamer on
which the officer was travelling was signaled
to stop Immediately, and they then sent
over and took of the officer and over to the
fort under arrest. Melio's neglect to do
anything to keep his officer from being TAX
en- to the fort is inexplicable. as he must, of
course have known that he was on that
steamer. l am told that they sent over to
the fort from the British fleet to know why
a passenger had been seized from Off
British steamer. OF their reply / have heard
nothing, but they did not get the man. Now
one Of the English men-of-war convoys
British steamers out past the forts.
In the last day or two there has been more
or less firing. principally with small arms,
between Villegagnon and the shore. Rio
side. In consequence of this much uneasi-
ness is felt on shore, so that many shops
were closed, or ready to close.
On the 14th Of November the foreign
fleet was increased by an Austrian Ship
making eighteen in all.
On the morning of the 18th lively bonn.
bardment of Villegagnon began, and is still
going on. The big gun on Fort San Joao
fired On the AQuidaban This ship also
fred some of her smaller guns. something
she has not done for some time
The president, at reception he held the
18th in honor of the anniversary of the
republic said that the revolution would
soon come to end the government
had nearly finished its work looking to that
result.
The health of Rio is excellent, its death
rate being now much lower than that of
New York city.
On the ODD the monitor Javary suddenly