Evening journal., 1894-01-31
ONLY MUSKET SHOTS.
Admiral Benham's Account OF
the Incident at Rio.
DAGAMATALKs oFsURRENDERINe

An Austrian Warship Cleared For Action
In Order 20 Help the American Ships II
There Was n Row-Report That Admiral
Da Cana Threatened to Sink the Detroit.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 3i--A conflict be-
tween the American and insurgent fleets IL
possible ON account Of the action Of Admi-
raj Benham in protecting American COM
merce ~ the guns OF the Detroit Admiral
da Cana Is angry because the younger in
surgent officers are eager to fight.
The following statement has been made
to correspondent by Admiral Benham,
commander OF the United States fleet In
this harbor:
The insurgent forces ON Cobras island
last Friday fired upon a ship flying the
United States flag. protested to Admiral
Saldanha da Cana against this action, and
MS response was that he had warned the
commander Of the ship when IL was at the
bar at Rio de Janeiro as TO the wherea-
bouts of the danger line. I ordered Ad-
miral da CANA TO cease the firing. Both
the guns ON the island OF Cobras and the
guns OF the insurgent warship Trajano
opened fire Saturday upon the bark Agate,
a vessel hailing from New York / warned
Admiral da Cana at once that II the fire
was repeated would fire back. also
warned him that IL he touched an Ameri-
can ship or American goods would con-
slider him pirate told him that would
protect American property absolutely from
the fire Of his guns and that / should re-
taliate upon him for any damage done un-
less IL was entirely apparent that tho dam
age was due TO chance shotsn
Admiral Benham says that he notified
Admiral da Cana unofiicially that firing
by the insurgents upon the wharves for
the purpose merely OF creating terror and
TO prolong a blockade would not be- per-
mitted so far as Americans and American
vessels were concerned. To this communi-
cation the insurgent admiral made no an
swer The captains of three American ves-
sells, Admiral Benham continues, intimat-
ed that they wanted TO 90 20 the wharves,
and the American admiral notified Ad-
miral da CANA that Il was his intention to
convoy them at sunrise on Monday. Fear
ing trouble Admiral Benham ordered that
the vessels OF his fleet be cleared for action.
The three ships referred TO were the Amy,
the Good News and the Julia Rollins The
captains Of two OF the ships weakened and
failed TO come into the harbor
The Insurgents cowed.
The Amy was the only one that ventured
II
States cruiser Detroit As a precaution
against any possible aggressive action on
the part of theinsurgents the cruisers New
York, Charleston and Newark were as
signed 20 watch the actions of Da Canals
ships Aquidaban and Tamandare, while
the Detroit and San Francisco were sig
nailed 70 take positions near the rraiano
and the Guanabara
These precautions certainly proved eff
iectiye, aud the insurgents, in face OF the
formidable array OF American vessels
made.but the feeblest attempt TO hinder the
Amy's progress TO her wharf No guns
were opened upon her by Da Gama's YES
sells, and as a matter Of course the Ameri-
can vessels did not fire upon the insurgent
ships
The insurgent protest consisted OF this:
| As the Amy got abreast of the Guanabara
"A marine ON the last named vessel aimed a
musket at her and fired. Two musket
shots were fired at the Guanabara and the
Iaiano from the Amy's escort the De-
troit, Ia return.
This was all the firing done during the
Amy's trip, and it was enough. All oppo-
sition ceased at once, and the use of heavy
guns was not considered necessary at any
time. The reason that the other two ships
which had notified Admiral Benham that
they wished TO go TO their wharves failed
TO do so is that their commanders were per-
suaded from entering the harbor by man
named Rollins, who is believed to be the
agent Of an English firm which has been
furnishing the rebels with money.
Ia CANA May Surrender.
AZ n later hour Admiral da CANA con.
ferred with his officers upon the advisable
ity Of surreudering TO tie Detroit in con-
sequence of the musket shots fired. He
was dissuaded from doing so, but it is
thought possible that he may yet decide to
surrender to the American commander.
There is no doubt that Admiral da CANA
is in a bad way. A proposed compromise
has been refused by Peixoto's government,
and Il seems TO be only matter of time
when he will have TO give up the struggle.
The complications of the insurRent situa-
tion are increased by the absence Of Admit
raj de Mello. The failure of the latter adj
miral to arrive here to the assistance Of the
insurgent fleet has given rise to the report
that he is dead.
The commanders of 10 warships here in
| cluding five American and four English
and French, have sent messages TO Admi-
raj Benham congratulating him upon his
prompt action. The Austrian commander
cleared ship and made ready to help the
American admiral In case help was neces-
| sary.
Alarming reports have been received here
Of government disasters at Curutiba, Par
anagua and AntoninA It Is stated that
these places have been captured by the in
surgents and that the government troops
have fed, abandoning their arms and mu-
nitions Of war.
An Oniolai Account.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3i.-The following
details from the official advices Of the navy
department are learned concerning the
incidents on the 2eth at Rio de Janeiro:
Previous to the Goth Admiral Benham
had communicated with Admiral da Ca
ma, warning him against firing upon
American ships and refusing to allow the
insurgent commanders excuse that he had
given warming concerning where the dan
/ ger line was The commanders Of three
| American ships having signifed their de