Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-01

IVhc fleets will be Is not known,
s. betN is one thing that is evident to
Is body, and that is that the Ameri-
,Merchant vessels are protected in
w part Of the bay.
Admiral Benham said last night that
,kdmlral Da Cana, by his failure to
Surrender, had lost an easy way out of
his trouble. lie said;
However, that is nothing to me, but
we have established our principle"
THINGS WERE HOT.
RIo JANEIRo, Jan. 30.-Notwith-
standing the speedy ending OF yester-
days hostlities, conflict between the
American and insurgent fleets is still
possible. Admiral Da CANA is angry
because the younger insurgent officers
are eager to fight. The admiral said to
the United Press correspondent to-day:
ut would lie better to be conquered by
q foreign power than to yield later to
Peixoto."
The tug and launches promised to the
bark Good News were not furnished.
The insurgent steamer Parahyba an
chored in threatening position this
morning, and may fire when she starts
in tomorrow. In that case serious
conflict Is inevitable.
The situation was extremely delicate
yesterday when the Detroit was beside
the Good News. The Guauabara and
Trajana had their guns loaded and
aimed on oil the American vessels, while
two heavy insurgent tugs were ready to
ram the Detroit.
The Guana6ara and Traiana together
have eight splendid rifles, but when the
Detroit fired u six.pound shell into the
Guanabara, and Captain Brownson
warned them that ii another gun was
fired, even by accident, he would sinl;
them, and advised that they take the
men from their guns, they weakened
Admiral Benham had the Newark
ready to aid the Detroit, while the New
York, Charleston and San Francisco
were alert TO receive the Aquidaban and
Tamandare, which were under steam.
Admiral Benham said to-day: "lf
Admiral Da CANA was contending for
any principle or position in which any
civilized nation would sustain him, lie
ought to make Il fight, but he is wrong
in law everywhere"
The commander of the Austrian war
sup uuD dShtl thGuI 4Aullllul pCuudIl
TO be allowed to help in case of q fight.
The German naval officers applaud Ben
ham. The English officers naturally
are in opposition, while not denying
that Benhan's position is lawful.
Benham now has two propositions re-
garding arbitration, but he will not re-
veal them. A settlement by such means
however, is at present improbable,
While angry at his decision the insur-
gents comment upon Benham's great
courtesy and tact in the negotiations.
The day before the conflict Benhan
notified the city authorities that ltit
water front would likely be endangered
A consultation of the senior officers
of foreign navy vessels will be held to.
morrow on the United States steamship
San Francisco.
MUST RESPECT OUR FLAG.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-When The
Navy Department closed at o'clock
this afternoon, Secretary Herbert hal
received no further news concerning thu
critical condition of affairs at Rio thar
that contained in United Press dis
patches.
1t was positively asserted at the State
Department that Secretary Gresham haC
received nothing whatever from Ministe
| Thompson, and that his only informa
ton as TO Rio complications was OBJ
| tained from Admiral Benham's dis
patches as furnished by the Navy
Department.
The cable message from Benham
giving an account of the vigorous
measures taken by him to stop inter
ference with American merchantmen
by Da Cana, was received by secretar,
Herbert at 10 O'clock last night, while
small informal dance was in progress
at the Seretary's house. II was trans
mitted in naval cipher, and the Secretary
Immediately sent for Lieutenant Mill
gan, the cipher translator of the Nav,
Department. Until o'clock this morn
ing Lieutenant Milligan worked on tn
message, and at that hour handed
translated copy to the Secretary, VIII
had remained up to receive it. A cop.
was Immediately prepared for Secretar,
Gresham, and it was delivered at HI
hotel at 5 o'clock this morning.
Members of the Senate committee Of
foreign relations, and of the House com
mittee on foreign affairs who have seel
the dispatch, say its purport is to til
following effect:
Admiral Benham, finding that Ad
miral Da Cana persisted in rockies
firing that endangered the safety q
American merchant vessels, entered
protest. Da Cana paid no heed to thii
and yesterday Benham sought to war
the insurgent admiral by clearing hi
decks for action. When Da Cana re
fused TO take this hint, Benham fire
several shots across the bow of ID
Canals flagship. This had an immeliai
and salutary effect, and the matte
ended at that point, SO far as Admire
Benham's dispatches disclose.
The American squadron, consistin
of the cruiser New York, the finest shi
in the navy, the cruisers Detroit, Newarl
Charleston and the flagship San Frar
cisco, are of course overwhelming
superior to anything that Da CANA ha
to bring against them.
The news of Admiral Benham's actio
was regarded as of such Importance tn;
Secretary Herbert laid the matter befoi
President Cleveland at an early hor
this morning, and the two discussed ii
situation until the Cabinet met at
o'clock. The questions presented wei
considered at the meeting, and pre-
dispatches from Rio were also CAREFUL
read in the hope that they would thro
some new light on the aspect of affair
After the meeting adjourned Secretar
Herbert declined to make public an
information sent by Admiral Benhar
lie said, however, that he had heal
nothing from the admiral concernir
the reported surrender of Da Cana
Benham, but if anything additions
came in from Rio he would make
public, provided it had no political bea