The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-07
! HOW SHE SANK
The Last Fight of the
Aquidaban.
BEATEN IN DARKNESS.
Even Then Her Enemies
Feared Her.
THEY CAME UP STEALTHILY.
Firing Two Torpedoes at Close
Range.
SOME VERY THRILLING HISTORY.
Final Scene of the Naval Rebellion
Which Convulsed Brazil for
So Many Months.
THEY CAME UP STEALTHILY.
Firing Two Torpedoes at Close
Range.
SOME VERY THRILLING HISTORY.

WASHINGTON. Oct. Elm press and
about to issue ia the course of a week is the
yllume annually compiled by the Bureau
Of Naval Intelligence, entitled. Notes on
the Years Naval Progress"
The work is always of value to students
of naval developments and this year is of
particular 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 Lieutenant
G. Rogers, who, as agent OF the intelli-
gence Office, was with the American fleet
at Rio and was an eyewitness of the oper-
ations in that harbor, ending In the final
surrender of the rebelIious Admiral da
Cana.
Lieutenant Rogers describes in great
detail the various engagements between the
rebel fleet and the Government forts. and
as he nears the end of the struggle he
gives an account of the sinking of the
famous ironclsd Aauidabau. the details of
which have not been made known in this
country.
It seems that after Da Gams's surrender
at Rio the Government sent considerable
squadron in pursuit OF the Aquidab ban.
Tne vessel was discovered at anchor in the
northern entrance of Santa Catarina Strait,
about a mile from Fort Santagaus. To
divert attention from the real purpose.
which was to attack the Aquidaban with
torpedo boats, the Sampiao, Silvado, Ivo
and Alfonso steamed along the western
shore Until the Aquidaban was discovered
at anchor. This was on the night Of April
16. The sky was overcast. a heavy rain
was falling ami the commander of the
SawDlao Ieported it SO dark that he was
less than 200 yards from the Aquidaban
when he discovered her. The crew of the
latter was expecting small steamer from
Desterro that night, and mistaking the
Sampiao for her. did not fire at once.
The Aauidaban was heading toward the
south. When first seen by the Sampao
she bore on the starboard bow. The lat
ter, therefore, turned to starboard 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 effect. The Sampiao then back ed,
and, turning under the stern Of the Aquid-
aban, steamed slowly along the port side,
probably not more than twenty yards
from her. In this remarkable position,
however, il was not until the Sampiao was
nearly past the battle-ship that the tor
pedo was fired. 1t struck with terrific
the Aquidaban. lifting her considerably
above the water. The SamDiao then
steamed ahead at full speed.
When the first torpedo was launched
the Aquidaban opened fire on the Sampiao
and her consorts from the Nordenfeldts
and two of the 81 inch guns. The SAM
Diao was struck thirty-five times 10 the up-
per works and three in the bull by the
Nordenfeldt one-inch steel projectles One
OF them penetrated the starboard bow
near the water line. Two of them struck
Hotchkiss rapid-frIng three FOUNDER,
one hitting the breech square and jamming
the breech blocks tightly, while the other
penetrated the wall of the gun directly
near the cartridge chamber to the depth of
an inch or three-quarters Of its thickness,
but without Injury TO the bore, so that it
could still be fired.
Excepting cadet, who lost finger, no
one on board the Sampiao was hurt. Her
escape was due 20 the darkness of the
night, coupled with such proximity to the
battleship that the latters proiectile went
over. The Pedro Alfonso launched two of
her iorpedoes. The breaking of a nine
connected with the air-compresser nrs.
vented the firing of the bow tube. so that
both these torpedoes were launched from
the after tube.
The Silyado was about to fire torpedo
when her commander discovered that thu
Sampfao was between his boat ana ,be
battle-ship. As matter of technical in
terest IL Is proper TO remark that the Edro
Ivo left the squadron with the f1otilla, but
being unable to maintain sufficient steam
pressure fell out OF line and took refuge
under the guns of the sTiradentes. The
torpedo fired By the Sampiao was of the
Schwartzkopf type, containing IL
pounds of guncotton.
The attack On the Aquidaban was mo-
renewed until next day, when it was dis
covered that she had been abandoned by
her crew. The big battle-ship. drawing
twenty feet, was found in twenty-four fee
of water with the two forward cOmpart
ments full of water and with a terrible
hole in her. She was foated and brought
to Rio under her own steam.
Lieutenant Rogers secured valuable in.
formation in the war. He says that the
discipline of the rebels was good appar.
emily, and their courage and bravery ad.
mitted no question. The ships generally
fought at long range. the commanders
seeming to be outstanding their resources
from the outset, and. with the exception
OF the Aquidaban. the rebel ships were
undermanned, and seemed to be acting on
a waiting policy, expecting reinforce
ments from the south.
The army tugs and launches did good
service. They were very active and effec
tive at night transporting men and MI
terlal, and during the day did much fight
.ng. Armed with revolving cannon ant
irapd-firiDg guns. barrieaded by cottor
Daes or boiler-iron, behind which wer,