The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-07
yALUEOF TORPEDOES.
How the Big Brazilian Ironclad
,Aquidaban Was Sunk.
unHuRT BY OTHER MISSILES.
The BraxEIfaa War showed the Value 81
Armored ships and Their Val
nerabiIfty TO Terpedoss.


is the vol une annually complied by sns
bureau of naval intelligence. entitled,
Notes on the Years Naval Progress
The work lie always of value 90 students OF
naval development, and this year Is OF
par ticular interest because OF the
broad scope OF its contents, and
especially in view Of its inclusion OF an
article on the revolt in Brazil. contributed
by Lieut.. c. Rogers, who. IS m agent OF
the intelligence Office. was with the Amer
lean feet at Rio, and was q eyewitness OF
the operations IN that haroor, ending in
the final surrender Of the rebelli0us Adj
miral Gama
Lieut. Rogers describes In great detail
the various engagements between the
rebel feet and the government forts. As
he nears the end of the struggle he gives
an account of the sinking of the famous
ironclad Aquidaban, the details of
which have not been made known
in this country. 1t seems that
after Gama's surrender at Rio the
government sent q considerable squadron
in pursuit Of the Aqnidaban. The vessel
was discovered AZ anchor in the northern
entrance Of Santa Catarina strait. about
mile from Fort Santa Cruz. To
divert attention from the real pur-
pose, which was to attack the
Aquidaban with torpedo boats, the Sam
paio, Silvado. Two and Alfonso steamed
along the western shore until the Aquida-
ban was discovered at anchor. This was
on the night of April l6 The sky was
overcast. heavy rain was falling. and the
commander of the Sampaio reported that Ii
was so dark that he was less than 200
yards from the Aquidaban when be dis
covered her. The crew of the latter was
expecting q small steamer from Desterro
that night, and. mistaking the Sam
piao for her, did not FIRE at once.
The Aquida ban was leading toward the
south. When first seen by the Sampaio
she bore on the starboard. and the latter
therefore turned TO starboari to launch
the bow torpedo. This, by some mistake
of the officer in charge of it, was fired before
the vessel was in position and without ef-
feet. The Sampaio then backed. and turn
ing under the stern of the Aquidaban ran
slowly along the port side. probably
not more than twenty yards from her. In
this remarkable position, however. it was
not until the Sapaio was nearly past the
battleship that the torpedo was fred. 1t
strnck with terrific effect about twenty
feet above the stern OF the Aquidaban,
lifting her considerably above the water
The Sampaio then steamed ahead at full
speed. When the first torpedo was
launched. the Aquidaban opened fire on
the Sampaio and her consorts from the
Nordenieldts and two of 5.7-inch guns.
The SampaIo was struck thirty-lve times
in the upper works and three in the hull
by the Nordenfeldt 1-inch steel projectiles.
One of them penetr ated the starboard bow,
near the water line. Two OF them struck
Hotchkiss rapid-fring 3-pounder, one
hitting the brsech square and jamming the
breech blocks tightly, while the other
penetrated the wall of the gun d.
rectly, near the cartridge chamber,
TO q depth of an inch, or three-fourths of
it's thickness, but without injury to the
bore, so that 1t could be still fred. Except
ing cadet, who lost q finger, no
one on board the Sampaio was
hurt Her escape was due to the dark
ness of the night, coupled with such
proximity TO the battleship that the
iatter's project les went over her.
The Pedro Alfonso launched two of her
torpedoes. The breaking of q pipe con-
nected with the air compressor prevented
the firing of the bow tube. so that both
these torpedoes were launched from the
after tube. The Silvado was about to FIRE
q torpedo when her commander discos-
cred thatthe Sampaio was between his boat
and the battleship. As matter of techni-
cal interest, il is proper TO remark that-the
Ivo left the squadron with the fiotilla, but,
being un able 10 maintain sufficient steam
fail Of
under the guns of the Tiradentes The
torpedo fired by the sampaio was of the
Sehwartz-kopftype. containing lbs pounds
OF guneotton. The attack on the Aquidaban
was not renewed until the next day, when IL
was discovered that she had been
abandoned by her crew. The big battle
ship, drawing twenty feet, was found in
twenty-four feet of water with the two for
ward compartments full of water, and
with a terrible hole in her. She was
foAtea ana brought to Rio under her own
steam.
Lieut.. Rogers secured valuable informa-
ton in the war. He says that the disci-
pline OF the rebels was good. apparently,
and their courage and bravery admitted
no question. The ships generally fought
at long range. the commanders SEEM
ing TO be outstanding their resources
from the outset, and with the excep-
ton Of the Aquidaban were undermined
and seemed 10 be acting on waiting poll
icy. expecting reinforcements from the
south. The army tugs and launches did
good service. They we're very ciive and
effective at night in transporting men and
material, aad during the dsy did
much hghting. Armed with revoly-
ing cannon and rapid-aring guns.
aud harricaded by cotton bales
or boiler iron, behind which we're armed
crews, they we're ugly opponents. Their
work in Rio hAFbor showed that under the
practical conditions of nearly any var
such port resources could be well utilized
as AuxilliaTies in the defense of q harbor.
river or bay.
SmOkciess powaer Was used on board
the TamandaTe only. Upon the DISCHARGE
Of one IF her 6-ineh guns a small yellow-
ish-red cloud OF smoke vas seen for a fsw
moments sad then disappeared quickly.
AT no time did 10 interfere with her firing
Great vas the contrast when one Of the
AQaidAb4n's turrst guns was fred. A
thick, heavy cloud CT smoke thai almost
snvsloped the ship MAS the invarlahle re-
salt. drifting slowly away, unless a strong
breeze was blowing.
one important note BY Lieai. Roger,
touches the life Of the great gun. He
saws thai Il the reported expenditure %
ammunition lie cogrecs. the grea, guns did
Dot gave oas. for most Of thsn we're fred
81 sea 10 hsseen minags rouass,
as IS generally conceded 10 lie tia
practice Of heavy artillery. Most OF the
battery Cred almost continuously. al loux
range aud With extreme elevation. and a,