The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-31

Cruiser Detroit sends - stx-pound shot
Into the GnAnnbNta-Tbe Insurgents Ar.
Then Eager for reaee aud Get M-There
May Bo Trouble Yet. ThouEh-Da cams
Waited TO Escape Ait Ills Ills by Sur
rendering TO Denhnm-IIi- YouuE Omoers
Bitterly Oppose the Idea-The SIiuatIon-
oapvrg,i 1891 ~ II. Uaa,i r,a.
Rto DE J,NE1Ro Jan. 3O-The American
bark Julia Rollins. Capt. kiehne. from Balti-
more and tho American schooner Mile ]. H.,
Capt Suttls. from New York. were fred on By
the insurgents during night foray last week.
Admiral Saldanha dn CANA. the commander OF
tho insurgent forces here, visited Rear Adj
miral Benham. commander OF the American
squadron. and was en- phatically told that the
insurgents must at once abandon the idea
that they could will, lmpunlty fire upon Ameri-
can vessels Admiral Benham asserted that
American ships would be protected by his fleet
no matter in what part OF the harbor they mlaht
happen TO be.
Admiral da CANA protested against this
decision, but finally apparently Yielded the
point.
On Saturday the American bark Amy. Capt.
| Blackford. from Baltimore. the American bark
Good News Capt. Myrlck also from baltimore.
and the Julia Rollins gave notice that they
were going to tho saudrc plors. Admiral ia
Cana learned Of this and on Sunday he nOti-
| fled Admiral Bcnham that n the three vessels
attempted to go to tho piers referred to lie
| would fire on thom.
Admiral Benham at once replied that the
vessels could 90 to the piers II they wanted to
| and that he would send the Detroit TO protect
| them. II the Detroit could n ot furnish sufl-
| cient protection every vessel OF the American
| squadron would be employed in tho work II
| protection.
| Early yesterday morning i've insurgont tugs
| and armed merchantmen proceeded to the
place where the American vessels wero lying at
| anchor. and lowered about them. apparently
| waiting for them to get under way, whom they
| would fire upon them.
There was great activity displayed on board
tho American war ships. and soon the sharp
! tones OF the boatswains' whistles could be
| heard piping the crews to clear the ships for
| action.
| At 3 o'clock the Detroit holsted her anchors
and with shotted guns steamed in beside tho
| insurgent war ships Traiano and Guanabara.
| both OF which were lying close to the Good
| News. As the Detroit took up her position .
| musket was fired from the Guanabara at the
| Good News.
The Detroit at once fred a slx-pound shot
| across the bows Of tho Guanabara, whereupon
the latter vessel replied with what is supposed
| to have boon blank cartridge The Detroit
then turned one OF her guns upon the Guana4
| bara and sent q small shell into her stern post
and was on the point Of delivering b broadsidA
at the insurgent ship whom the Guanabara sigf
| nailed that she would stop firing.
| In the mean time an American citizen q. n
| Relhns who has acted as the agent Of Admiral
| dR Cana in the arbitration negotiations had
| visited all three Of the American merchant4
men and offered to have them towed at thS
| expense OF the insurgents II they would not I'D
| TO the piers. This the Captains Of the MARI
chantmen agreed to. This arrangement waa
reported to Admiral do CANA on board his
flagship. the Liberiads. He then saidi
1T is too late. The glass is broken. Unjust
| yield to this foreign feet OF superior force. I
will resign and give my sword to the Amerl-
| can Admiral"
| Later in the day Admiral da CANA called o
council OF his officers. expecting that all OF
| them would sock an asylum on board the
| American feet, but the younger officers would
not yield. II was said at the council that
Admiral Benham had offered Admiral da
| CANA and his officers asylum on board OF the
American war ships.
What the final result OF the trouble between
| the fleets will be Is not known. but there 10
| ono thing that Is evident to everybody and
| that Is that tho American merchant vessels
| are protected in every part OF the baT
Admiral Benham said last night that Ad-
| miral da Cana. by his failure to surrender.
had lost an easy way out Of his trouble. lie
| added:
However that Is nothing to me. but we
| have established our principle"
A conflict between the American and insur-
gent ieets is still possible. Admiral da Cana
| is angry because the younger insurgent off,
| GERS are eager TO fight The Admiral said 10
the United Press correspondent to-day; lt
| would be better to be conquered by foreign
| power than to yield later to Peixoto."
The tug and launches promised TO the bark
| Good News were not furnished. The insur-
| gent steamer Parahyba anchored Ia a threat
| enihg position near her this morning and may
| FIRE when she starts in tomorrow. In that
case a serious conflict is inevitable.
The situation was extremely delicate yes
terday when tho Detroit was beside tho Good
News. The Guanahara and Tralsno had their
guns loaded and aimed on all the American
vessels. whilo two heavy insurEent tugs wore
ready to ram the Detroit.
The Guanabara and TIaIano together have
| eight splendid rifles; but when the Detroit
fired a siI-pound shell into the Guanabara. and
Capt Brownson warned them that II another
gun was lrod. even by accident, he would sink
them. and advised they take the men from
their guns. they weakened.
Admiral Benham had the Newark ready to
aid tho Detroit. while the New York. Charles
ton. and San Francisco were alert to receive
the Aquidaban and TamSndare. which were
under steam.
Admiral Bsnham said to-day: IT Admiral
dA Cana was contsnding for any principle or
position In which any civilized nation would
sustain him. he ought TO make light; but he
Is wrong in law everywhere"
The commander OF the Austrian Warship
has ask ed Rear Admiral Bsnham TO be allowed
to help 10 case OF a fight The German naval
officers applaud Benham. The English Officers
naturally are In opposition. while not denying
that Benham's position Is lawful
Benham now has two propositions regarding
arbitration. but he will not reveal them.
settlement b. such means. however. 10
at present improbable. While angry at
his decision the insurgents comment
upon Bsnham's great courtesy and tact In the
negotiations The day before the cOnfios