The Indianapolis journal., 1894-03-12
A MEMORABLE SCENE
Story OF the Cruiser Detroit's
Warlike Display RetOld.
how an American Vessel Was Protected
and the Saucy Brazilian Insur-
gents Completely Awed.

by an American war ship at another ship
WITHIN thirty years was fired from the De
tIolt early on the morning OF Jan. - at the
insurgent Brazilian ship TraJano in this
harbor. A second shot was fired a few min
surgent Brazilian lying not far from the
one first assaulted. Some OF the facts or
this incident were told in the sun on the
next day after they occurred, but the whole
story will be found OF interest even at the
date when this can be published after trans
mission TO New York by mail.
The trouble which made the firing neces-
sary arose unexpectedly early in the last
week of January. For some time before that
date Admiral Cana. the inSurgent leader,
had been in communication with Aomiral
Benham with view of enlisting the serv-
fees of the American admiral as a mediator
I'm compromising the fight that had been
wasting the substance OF the nation for
more than four months. So far as any one
could see, Cana was sincere In saying that
he desired peace and would make all hon.
orable concessions TO obtain II. Peixoto's
government was notified OF these negotia-
tions, and In answer promise TO submit
propositions for peace was obtained. Rut
before the government had had sufficient
captains of American merchant vessels made
application TO Admiral Benham for protec-
ton from the fre OK the Insurgents while en-
Insurgents had notified the merchantmen
that IL they attempted to go to the. piers to
discharge cargo they would be fired upon.
This matter was brought TO the attention
or CANA when, as a private citizen, he
called on lehman TO talk over the proposi-
position at length. He did not wish, he
said, TO prevent the American ships. from
dlscharginS their cargoeS; he wanted only
that they discharge into lighters while
moored in the bay in order that he might
inspect their cargoes and search for muni-
tons Of war destined for the government.
He added that this right had been conceded
TO him by all the foreign naval commanders
theretofOre-Captain Lang. the British SEN
Tor officer, Captain Picking, the American
senior officer before Benham's arrival, and
others had united in prohibiting the land
ing or even search light intended Tor gov
ernment use and the machine had In con-
sequence been sent around TO santos ana
TO blockade the port of Rio on the ground
that he was the Brazilian master ahoat-
that the government could not junction to
bay.
BENHAMS CONTENTION.
To this position Benham at once objected
He piled up all the laws and decisions In
Admiralty bearing the subject, and
proved that an insurgent TO whom bellig-
erent rights had been accorded could not
lawfully interfere with the movements of
foreign ships within any harbor. 1t was
not intended that American ships should
cross any line OF fire or serve as a bul-
wark for government troops. 1t was stated
that they would assume the risk Of dam
age from fire when at the piers If govern
ment troops took refuge behind them, and
all risk of damage from stray shots. The
and freedom from search at the hands CT
an unrecogniZed insurgent, no matter what
their cargOeS.
To the plain statements of authorities, TO
the bearing OF Admiralty decisions. and
TO the friendly arguments of the American
admiral the tnsurgent admiral remained
impervious. 1t therefore became necessary
for Admiral Benham to say plainly that
t.,;I tne american t M merchant ships S should go
might wish them to do, and that any in
terference with such movements would be
affable and courteous, as ID now appears,
Cana did not believe force would be used,
and so reiterated the threat TO fire on the
first American ship that tried TO so TO the
piers.
It was on sunday. Jan 2s; that the issue
was joined verbally. Admiral Benham acted
decisively and at once. The captains of
the various American naval ships in the
harbor were called on board the flagship
diately TO prepare their ships for action at
daylight the next morning, that being the
wanted to start for the piers.
At o'clock that evening the work OF
stripping ship began on the white squadron.
The transformation thus wrought was re
uarkable. With their awnings spread. their
boats at the davits, and thsir bunting aloft,
they had seemed to tower out OF the water,
and the English officers had jocosely re-
marked that mora beautiful targets could
scarcely be found. And so they seemed as
the sun went down. But with the break
of day not awning or a Stanchfon or
a boat davit was i'm sight to obstruct the
view or the sweep Of the long black guns
and the wall-sided ships had shrunk down
into the sembance OF tigers ready TO spring.
and were ready TO fight The white steam
was Kissing from the safety valve pipes on
the Aquidaban and the Tamandare. lying
Well up the bay above Wanna island, and
the chains of their anchors had been hove
short, ready for tripping on an instants
Guanabara and the fleet of armed tugs
had been augmented by almost the entire
force garrisoning Cobras and ViLlegaignon.
The IiherUalP. with her little blue ensign
nuttering from the flag hallardS on the
main, showing that Admiral Cana was on
board. was also under steam and, with the
Trajano and the Guanabara, was lying
just north OF Enchados island and within
pistol shot OF the trim Yankee bark Amy.
one OF the number that wished to so 10
the piers TO discharge.
Away TO the north of these lay the
Yankee barkentine Good News, a hand
some craft, too; but not alone. for one of
the swift Brazilian coasters, the Parahyba.
which Mello had seized and armed, was at
anchor not far away with steam up and
crew at the guns; SO. too, the bark Agate
was guarded by one or these armed steam
ers as she lay at anchor in the merchant
fleet. With the American fleet stripped for
battle, with the American merchant ships
under the guns of the insurGent fleet, and
with the crews of all on deck and ready
for action. the picture on the bay as day
light came was one TO thrill every spec
THE DETROIT STARTS.
At o'clock sharp the Detroit. with Capt.
W. II. Brownson on the bridge, got up her
anchor and steamed slowly in toward the
city. heading through between Enchados
and Cobras islands. As if this had been
signal prearranged for the occasion, two
of the insurgent tugs left the vicinity of the
Liberdade. Garua's flagship, and started
In toward the north part of the city, where
shipping piers are. They at once opened
fire the soldiers stationed at intervals
behind sandbags on the bulkheads. 1t had
been and still is the custom of these tugs
10 so assault the north littOral of the city,
but on that morning they were making a
live line Of fire against the piers. which the
American ships had no right to cross.
Fortunately, as IL appeared. the Detroit,
On getting her anchor to the hawse pipe,
found il badly fouled. and here
ample excuse for proceeding slowly. She
did so. She did not want TO so with the
Yankee clippers to the piers at time when
the act would interfere with legitimate.
the tugs swept up and down the beach.
pouring a hail OF NOrdcnfelt proJectiles on
the piers. and then a bullet from soldiers
rifle struck and killed the nephew OF Ad-
miral Cana, a young officer on one or the
tugs and both drew of, though their fire
was kept up until they We're a mile away,
among the merchant ships.
Then, when the last shot had been fired
and the smoke OF the fight was still ha 1g
the Detroit came slowly around EnchadOs
island and within sixty yards OF the Ira
tano as she lay at anchor. Every man was
at his post on the Yankee cruiser, the gun
e.s<.-z--..s----.-E-.s-----