The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-03-07

RIO JANEIRO. Feb. 26. via Monte
vidco. March A. Copyrighted lS9i. by the
Associated Press-The reports of the
loss of the rebel transport Venus have
been confirmed. but the details Of the
loss of the vessel are as yet meager.
on Friday morning the armed rebel
transports Jupiter. Marte and Venus.
which were lying off Porto Madama, took
up positions off Porto Madama and
opened a bombardment against the gov
ernment batteries. The guns in the
batteries responded quickly and quite a
lively fire was exchanged Suddenly
there was a terrific roar heard above the
booming OF the guns and it was al once
conjectured that an explosion had Oc-
CURED. At first IL was thought that dis
aster had befallen the transport Marte-
Immediately the sound of the explosion
was heard the men in the batteries and
elsewhere along the shore saw a huge
cloud column Of reddish-brown smoke
ascending, and spreading out to wide
dimensions as # rose.
It was seen as the smoke cleared away
a little that the explosion had occurred
on the Venus. The vessel had been torn
in half. and almost Immediately after
ward the stern half Of the wreck went
TO the bottom. The bow half was on fire
and in a few minutes the flames were
raging furiously. This portion Of the
Venus floated for half-hour and then
went down. The Venus was commanded
by Capt VaSconeellos. He with three
officers and twenty-nine men made up
the complement of the vessel. Every
the crew were seen for time on the for
ward part Of the vessel as it drifted help
lessly burning and efforts were made TO
rescue them. but the boats that We're
despatched on this work were slow in
reaching the scene of the disaster and by
the time they arrived the men on the
wreck We're forced by the fire into the
water Apparently they could not swim.
and before the boats could reach them
they sank
Many theories are current as TO the
cause of the disaster. The most prob
able Of these IS that a shot from the
shore batteries struck the Venus amid
ship and plowed its way through the
hull and boilers.
It is pretty certain that the magazine
did not explode, for the smoke. as stated
above. was of a reddish-brown color,
whereas the smoke of powder is grey.
At any rate, whatever the cause Of the
explosion. its force must have been ter
rife. as the vessel was blown into halves
as though made of cardboard.
1t is generally believed that the insur-
rection here and in the south is virtually
over. The rebels are losing at all points
and TO an impartial observer the end OF
the long-drawn-out struggle is In sight.
BY far the most bloody battle that has
been fought during the revolt took place
early in the morning OF Feb. at Armaco
mountain. when the insurgents lost 250
men As the entire rebel force nere
numbers less than 500 men, their loss on
this occasion was very serious blow 10
them.
The rebels at first repuIsed the, govern
ment troops. but the discovery Of a large
supply of whisky proved fatal to the at
tacking force. The rebels devoted them
selves to drinking the whisky. with the
re suit that in very short time many
of them were placed hors du combat.
1t was while the greater number OF
the rebels were I'm a helplessly intoxicated
condition that the severe loss was in
flicted upon them by the government
troops. Those who were uninjursd and
had sense enough to fee took TO their
boats and soon placed themselves out
side the range of fire.