The sun., 1893-12-24
QUE COMMERCE. BLooKkD At RIO.
Consul General Towues Asks for Naval
Protection Tor Our Merchandise.

Consui-9enerai Towues Asks for Naval
Protection Tor Our Merchantmen.
wAsHISoroS. Dec 23-That no startling
events took place yesterday at Rio Janeiro.
such as the capture OF tho city and the reslg-
nation OF President Peixoto. was pretty con-
clusiyely shown to-day A cable message
from Consul-General Townes. dated at Rio last
night and received at the State Department
this morning. failed to confirm the sensational
reports In circulation The following 10 .
translation Of the despatch made at the Navy
Department:
The American masters OF merchant ves-
sells hold specific permits from the Brazilian
Government to land cargoes. The docks epec-
ihed are contiguous. Protection from shore
FIRE Is promised by the Government Instruct
Capt Picking commanding the United States
naval forces in Rio) to anchor of that point
for defence OF the merchantmen until the
question OF protection is equitaby settled
Insurgents make their line OF fire anywhere to
suit their purpose. thereby indefinitely block
ing neutral commerce without previous no.
tice"
To understand the despatch Il Is neoes-
sary to know that recently President Pelxoto
directed all merchantmen to move from
thels Hes l,, rsgnsr anSh9raGe Hin on the Custom
the line Of fire. This proved to be foolish
move ON PeiIcto's part. as It gave the insur-
and Euchades islands and their other fortified
possessions into the Custom House and Cow
merchantmen prevented them from landing
their cargoes with safety. and now Peixoto has
promising that the Government forces will
suspend firing while this Is being done, and
ington to direct Capt. Picking to piacs the
United states vessels in such a position as will
Rns them between s 6; The insurGent tire and the
Minister Mendonca found several communI-
cations from the Brazilian Government await
were not OF special Importance. however. he
him In that they denied, by their own exist
snce. the reported capture OF Rio by the In
OF Peixoto. The Minister was sEed what con-
eipsion ne had reached as TO the situation OF
counts OF battles printed this morning.
The news tS Is very eonilieting. he said.
true. Some Of them conflict with previous iS re-.
ports respecting the movements OF the rebels
under Gen. saraiya. You will remem Der that
the eve OF attacking San Paulo. with a force
variously reported at from 5000 to 5000
lacking the .Governrent troops at Ita-
Nty.rn, ,16y port port. q Sn,n,. the State Of Santa
from San Paulo. The result was unknown. but
the report said th9t the rebels had lost four
SO badly penned in that surrender seemed un-
Ayolda6le' But the same despatch said:
hlOtneT OF hellO \ steamers, the MHt6OTO Is
reported ashore at Barra-ltapaby While she
was reconnoitTinR the hArbor entrance she
it, TAP aground. and the GoyeLnment force Of ar
tilery there, which has forty guns. fired upon
her and kent up the cannonade till all her
fSfsW were ere kll,ed, DO not SEQ howit is posi-
piei9 both ot these things to be true Either |
one Is within the range Of probabilities but !
Another despatch" continued SIR. Men.
donea, dated bahia. has reported a battps |
near Boa Vista, the result OF which also had
know OF is one OF the old palaces in tho north. |
ern suburbs oi Rio. The only forces that could
ing the city, and body 81 marines from
Da Gama's boats ana forts in the haruor Al
the very outside he could not mass over 500
men at any one point and to me the idea that
this number could reach the heights OF Boa
Vista and make respectable stand against
months many attempts have been made hytho
rebels TO land in Aietheroy, across the bay
the 5000 militia defending the place. bees il
ssem feasible, thsn, that 300 men eOuldiand in
RiO scale the hillsidss. and make a stand
sgainst the 1900 troops which Teixoto has
defending the cityf"
pent for conference with Secretary Gresham.
but Jailed TO find him, II being half holiday.
Ihe purpose OF his visit could not be ascrr.
with the matter OF Protecting merchantmen
In unloading and taxing on cargo at Rio
The PrOtsetIOa OF A@srIsAn IutsFests.
In response to a telegram from President At
wood ofthe Maritime Association to the seere-
tarJ Of State al Washington. asking that proper
steps be taken By the United States Govern
ment 10 protect American commercial inter-
ssts In BTaz the following despatch has
been received by Mr. Atwood:
AafHFf Atf'sd Irssr tffif Ifsariatoa. TaFk.
AhsEeung y"ur tvlrsTIa of slst lnst. this GoVsru
mfAt 70 tahng ps 10 ascertain tna exact uIiltaTF
am c"uulrrrial st4affuu kH ant 0thrT Rrhgitau
!snts pa ofaer 10 us'rurt uaNa 1InlusnlrTa 10
tseL lSgIt uats AlgTluau rsfvrr-ls
b a. tEsauaH secretary Of StAfs.
AmT lea a. FDr=Ir= thFaa
ln even tllus. T,aua uIr tIarsuEs "G0ld seal
SA-nspasus - sAgtlsssi % Is iuIrt-u %. ana -fk