The Portland daily press., 1894-01-17
NO MERCY In This WAR.
MellO's Forces Said To Have Burned
Two Of Their Prisoners.

WHILE PEIxOTO's GUNS HAVE
BEEN TURNED ON A HOSPITAL.
The Seige of Bage Raised and the Insur-
gents Routed-Mello Preparing to Land
Troops at Rio-Besides Burning Their
Prisoners, the Insurgents Are Said To
Be Destroying Villages with the
Torch-Cruiser New York at Bio.
Copyright 1894, by the United Press.)
Rio Janeiro, January 1.-The minister
of foreign affairs, acting for President
Peixoto, authorizes the representatives
OF the United Press to send the follow
ing. 1.-The siese.of Bage by the insurgents
forces has been raised. After the rebels
resisted for 18 days the sorties OF the
government troops, comm anded by
General Carlos Telles, the latter made a
final sortie and put the insurgents to
flight. 1t was complete rout for the
insurgents who abandoned their baggage
and nun itions of war. The government
loss was thirty-six killed and ninety
wounded. The insurgents lost four hum
dred killed and wounded. Two days
after the battle one of the two columns
despatched to the relief of Bage arrived
at that town. The relieving column
started in pursuit of the insurgents, but
it is understood here. did not succeed in
catching up with the main body of the
insurgents. 1t was found that the in
surgents sacked several houses and
several men were found with their
throats cut, Two government soldiers
were captured by the enemy and were
burned alive General Carneco, who is
on the frontier between the States of
Parana and Santa Catarina, recently
fought an engagement with the insur-
gents and defeated them. The British
steamer Holda has arrived from Porto
Allegro, the capital of Rio Grande do Sui
and reports that the government is in
undisturbed possession of the coast of
that state. 4"
London, January IA dispatch dated
at Rio Janeiro on January 10 was re-
ceived here last evening. 1t said that the
government shore batteries were keeping
up heavy artillery fire upon the insur-
gent forts on Villegaignon and Cobras
Islands. On January the government
Boaueran, with its stores of ammunition,
but the insurgents drove them off. Eight
of the government troops were killed and
ten others were wounded.
The garrison of Nictheroy had been
increased and all preparations had been
made for severe fighting. The insurgents
were still claiming to have the sympathy
o. ho 10 i,,p po6 30 Il
but they had fewer hopes than formerly
of strong reinforcements from these
places.
General Saraiva was reported to be
marching toward Parangua on the coast
with the insurgent army of the south,
to meet Admiral Mello who was reported
to be awaiting him with the Republica
and two transports Mello was expected
to operate at sea in harmony with
Saraiva's operations on land. The next
attack, 1t was said, would be directed
against Santas.
AS previously stated the government
gunners at Nictheroy on the sixth fired
eight shells at the insurgent hospital,
which is on Enchades island. The build
ing was hit by five of the shells, and it
has been ascertained that two of it's in
mates were killed and ten others were
wounded SO severely that they died
withinssa few hours.
The failure of the government vessels
at Pernambuco and Montevideo to sail
for Rio was ascrlbed to the fact that any
attempt they might make to enter the
bay in the face of the fire from Vile
gaignon and Cobras would be futile and
perhaps disastrous The insurgents had
taken possession of Conceicao island
with $50 marines on January 9, 9,andsthere
had been some fighting there in the eve
ming.
Buenos Ayres, January 16. Dispatches
received here last night from Rio Janeiro
state that the insurgent warship Aquida-
ban had taken up position in front of
the Custom house, and was preparing to
land troops
island. Forty of the government troops
were killed and sixty captured. The
government has sent reinforcements to
Nictheroy.
The insurgents are reported to be burn
ingsvillages in the State of Rio Grande do
Sui and butchering the captives they
make. The government forces on Satur-
day tried to capture the insurgent cruiser
Guanabana. TIE vessel poured hot
fire into the attacking force at close
quarters and drove them off after in
fllcting heavy loss on them.
Washington, January 16-The United
States naval force at Rio Janeiro has
been increased to five cruisers by the
arrival OF the cruiser New York there
last night. This morning Secretary
Herbert received a cable message to that
effect from Rear Admiral Benham. On
January 4, the New York left St. Lucia,
where she stopped for coal and covered
the distance at an averge rate of fifteen
knots an hour or $50 knots day. The
other United States vessels at Rio are
the San Francisco, Charleston, Detroit
and Newark.
The admission Of Admiral da Cana,
contained in the dispatches from Rio
Janeiro published this morning regard
ing the possible length of time the in
surgents in the Bay of Rio can hold out
under existing conditions was confirmed
by advices received in Washington.
These advices state that Da Gama's
position is more critical than he admits.
His forces are without fresh water and
their food supply is said to be growing
limited. 1t is conceded that if the in
surgents gained a foothold in Nictheroy,
their possession could be greatly i'm
proved. But the probability of their
effecting a landing becomes more remote
every day. Minister Mendonca has been
informed that the five torpedo boats
which sailed from Germany some time
since, touched the Canary islands eight