Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-05
PREPARING TO FIGHT,
Both Sides in Brazil Are Making
Ready for Hostile Action.


The officers in command Of the ships be-
longing to the government Of President
'Peixoto Of Brazil have received instruc-
tons to Immediately embark provisions,
coal and other supplies and to proceed with
all possible haste to Pernambuco, where
they will join the cruisers Nictheroy and
America. and prepare for a combined move
ment against Admiral De Mello and Admit
raj Da CANA The resources of Peixoto be-
ing nearly exhausted, immediate action is
necessary.
1t is also said that the agents in Europe
Of President Peixoto have been instructed
to do their utmost to raise the money nee
essary to provision the two war vessels of
Brazil. which are now at Touion, in order
that they may be sent as soon as possible
to reinforce the fleet in Brazilian waters.
Report also has 1t that negotiations have
been in progress between President Peixoto
and the United States minister at Rio de
Janeiro looking to a. settlement of The dis
pute by the Intervention of the United
States fleet now at Rio de Janeiro.
1t is also reported that Admiral De Mello
Is on his way to Rio de Janero with re-
Inducements for Admiral Da CANA, and
that upon their arrival at that port the
rebel admirals will proceed to attack the
new Brazilian cruisers fitted out in New
York
The officers of the bark Merritt, which
arrived at New York yesterday from Per,
nambuco, Brazil confirm the report of the
execution of ten cadets. a carpenter end a
boatswain of the Paranhyba. The men
were marched to the public plaza and shot
down in the presence of the citizens. Popu-
lar sympathy in Pernambuco is with Mello,
the Merritt's officers say.
Another Pernambuco Story.
The British steamship Chilean, Capt.
Fetters, arrived at Philadelphia yesterday
from Pernambuco. The Chilean left the
Brazilian port on December 10, and Capt.
Fetters was in Pernambuco when the sail
ors from the guard ship Paranhyba were
shot.
Capt Fetters says the men executed were
not naval cadets. but ordinary seamen.
Ten of them were charged with disloyalty
and plotting to overthrow the government.
They were taken ashore and five of them
were shot off-hand in the plaza of the city.
After the shooting of the five sailors the
military authorities decided that a court
martial might be more in order than SIM
ply shooting men down like dogs. and one
was held and the other five men escaped
with Imprisonment in a fortress. The Mic
theroy and the gunboat Aurora arrived at
Pernambuco while the Chilean was in port
trouble with the crew of the Nictheroy.
The Aurora was In the harbor a week be-
fore she was turned over to The Brizilian
government, as her captain insisted UPON
the final installment of the purchase money
being paid before he gave Peixoto possess
sion Of the boat. The price paid by the
Brazilian government for the Aurora was
$4,000, which Melted the Armstrong;. the
boats builders. a nice profit, as she cost
only 10000. Capt. Fetters denied that
the English armorers aboard the Aurora
were offered f2 a day to enlist in the Era
lillian service, and he says 10 such offer
was made, or would have been accepted II
made. as the men were determined TO re-
turn home.
Capt. Fetter's account of the doings in
Pernambuco gives an unpleasant impress
sion Of the city as a place of residence just
now. The city is under martial law, and
the soldiery that roam its streets are not
too strict in their ideas in regard TO what
Is theirs and what belongs to other people.
No person Is allowed on the streets after
9 o'clock at night. and the press gangs
scour the city and impress every able
bodied man they fancy for the navy and
the army.