Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
HIS LATEST NOV
Admiral Mello Escapes From Rio and
Steams South.
Probably Needs Repairs-Great Inter-
est in Tests of New Ordnance
on Brasilfan Ships.


The situation in Brazil has assumed a
new and important phase and startling
developments MAY be expected in the near
future Late yesterday afternoon the Sec
retary OF State received a cable message
| from Minister Thompson at Rio follows:
| Admiral Mello left the bay this morning
| on the Aquidaban, going south"
Similar Information was also received at
the Navy Department from Capt. Picking,
commanding the naval forces at Rio. The
high tariff on cable messages probably ac-
| counts for the meager information contain
ed In the official dispatches. The officials
here are. therefore. ignorant of the reasons
for Mello's departure and the strength Of
the insurgent fleet remaining in the harbor
of Rio.
Probably Needs Repairs.
| 1t is, however, surmised that he has
| taken his flagship toward Desterro to join
| the forces with the revolutionists in that
vicinity, leaving the partial siege of Rio
| to be prosecuted by the vessels remaining
In that port There has been a supposi-
ton er rtertained here that the admiral when
| he left Rio, which movement was expected
by the officials. would steam to the north
with the intention of meeting the Nicthe-
roy, lately FL Cid. 1t was thought proba-
| Bile In that case that the light unarmored
| ironclad with her heavy rified guns But
| the fact that Mello has gone south gives
color to the story that his vessel is in bad
condition and unfit to cope with the fleet
cruiser. 1t is probable also that the hull
| or the warship is so foul from long
posure to the quiet tropical waters of Rio
bay that the commander has found it abso-
lutely necessary to go to some safe place
where her bottom may be cleaned. Mean
while the further movements of the
Aquidaban are the object of great solici-
pected that when she next appears in port
the nearest United States diplomatic or
consular officer will promptly report the
fact.
Ran the Forts.
Although the method Of the departure Of
Mello from the harbor of Rio is a matter
for conjecture In the absence of authentic
news, naval officers do not think that it
was necessarily attended with hard fighting
The two loyal forts at the mouth of the bay
of Rio. which is at that point a mile wide
are located on each side of the channel.
Naval officers say 1t would not be a difficult
matter tor vessel to steam past these
forts without injury. the chance that she
would be seriously crippled by shot from
the forts being very small. The departure
Of the Aquidab ban has not been unlooke ed
for by officers who have been students of
the situation.
| Could Run Away.
| The Aquidaban is a powerful ironclad of
4.3OO tons displacement and carries S-inch
and 1O-inch rifles. She is in a more or less
disabled condition. $50
| Minister Mendonca- IS not alarmed for the
safety of the two steamers America and
Nictheroy, which are now en- route from
New York to aid the Peixoto government
Both vessels. the minister says. could easily
run away from the Aauidaba which is a.
slow sailer. Senior Mendonca thinks that
the rebel flagship, IL she really be on the
ocean, Will probably put in at some of the
large cities on the coast where the friends
or the insurgents may furnish the crew
with food and supplies. He does not be-
ieve that the rebel admiral will lombard
these cities as he would gain nothing by
such course and only arouse the enmity
OF the Inhabitants.
| Interesting Tests.
The operations of the Brazilian fleet re-
Gently fitted out at New York will be watch
ed with deep interest by the ordnance officers
of the army and navy. They involve the
practical test of four different American de-
vices for use in the discharge Of high tor
pedo explosives. possibly for the first time
in actual warfare. Gun cotton. the high
explosive used in our own navy. will prob
ably be the material employed in all four
devices.
The steamship Nictheroy carries a pneu-
matte gun. This weapon can beyond ques-
ton. throw with perfect safety charges of
several hundred pounds Of high explosive
1t Is regularly adopted by our army as an
auxiliary defense for the harbors of New
York, Boston and San Francisco. Three
such guns. also are found the Vesuvius;
and although their trial at Port Royal
n Mod fol lure frDv 1ATA
also was conducted in very smooth water
instead of seaway. yet the conclusion of
the Sicard board was that 1.-The pneumatic
system as installed on board the Vesuvius
Is, on the whole of decided value in naval
warfare"
Although Capt. Sampson, the present
chief of naval ordnance. takes a less ia
vorable view of the gun for naval purposes
ordnance experts generally will await a
practical trial of the great torpedo with in
tense interest
Submarine Guns.
The submarine gun mounted on the De-
stroyer. as invented by Ericsson and rem
dered more efficient by Lassol, is a second
invention of great interest In trials at
Newport it has shown its ability to shoot
through steel torpedo nets. Its range is
only about 200 yards and in this respect
1t is far inferior to the marine torpedo and
still more to the pneumatic gun. The De-
stroyer too, Is an unarmored vessel, and
would therefore be exposed to destruction
before getting up to the range of it's gun.
Ordnance officers, however, appreciate the
value OF the submarine gun when used
on an armor-clad ram, which could thus
discharge its projectile before striking the
hostile ship with its PROV, and give the lat
ter less chance of escaping bys speed or a
quick maneuver. Should the DESTROYER be
accompanied and protected by an armor-
clad like the Riachuelo it would have n
better chance of showing it's capabilities in
battle.
A third American device is the Howell
torpedo, which, like the Whitehead, has
been adopted in our navy A leading point
of difference between the two systems is
that while the motive power Of the White
head is compressed air, that of the Howell
is the energy stored in a heavy fly wheel
previously spun up to high revolving
speed by a steam turbine motor attached
to the launching tube of the vessel from
which 1t Is sent out. The Howell torpedo
has always been accurate and now its
speed and range have been improved until
they are very satisfactory. A favorable
report has just been made on its recent
trials at Newport. but a demonstration of
its efficiency in actual warfare, such as the
Whitehead torpedo has had, is now awaited
Another Torpedo.
The fourth device that may now for the
first time he nut to a practical tast 10 tbo