The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-08
THE OPERA BOUFFEW AR
The Recent "Bombardment" Of
Rio dc Janeiro.
AVERY GREAT WASTE OF POWDER.

Much Firing, but Trinins Damage to Life
or Property Cannon Balls Glanced
from tho Aquidaban's Turrots Like
Peas.
NEW YORK, Feb s.--The special cores
pondent of the Associated Press in Rio
Janeiro writes us follows under date of
Jan. l2
The comparative quiet which has pre-
vailed here for ten days or more was
rudely interrupted yesterday by furious
encounter between the Aquidaban and
the forts, followed by an attack by the
rebel fleet and the batteries in their pos
session upon the shore defenses of the
city. M..s.... .....
Later in the day another fight took
place at Santa Ana and Ionas da Areia.
All the fighting, however, only resulted
In the killing of four men and the NOR
tally wounding of II fifth. These were all
citizens of Rio. What loss, il any, the
rebels sustained Is not 'snOwn.
II has been rumored for two days that
the Aquidahan had returned from the
north, and that after trip to Destcrro
she was waiting outside for good chance
to run in. Consequently the forts, both
Royernnc mt and rebel, were on the qui
vive, ready TO help or hinder the move
nent as opportunity offered. in spite of
this the entry of the Aquidaban was
something of surprise to all.
Instantly the firing began from Fort
Santa Cruz, and n moment later Fort st.
John joined in the fight. Little Fort
Lage, further inside the bay, also sent her
quota to increase the hail of missiles
which ratified around the daring Aquid-
bban. At that range, however, not n
shot reached its mark, and without deign-
Ing a reply the big black ship pressed
silently on into the narrow channel be
tween the fortresses.
Further on Fort Santa Cruz was not
three hundred yards away from the Aquid-
ahan and worked her guns furiously, send
Ing plunging fire down upon the decks
OF the warship. St. John, n mile away
sent her heaviest proiectilcs against the
rebel ships broadside while Fort Lage
swept her decks with n raking fire. A ship
could hardly he subjected to u more severe
test. and yet the Aquidaban passed rapidly
on apparently unnjured Such shots as
struck her glanced from her turrets or re-
bounded like peas from her arInor. When
Just opposite Fort Santa Cruz, in he mar
rowest and most dangerous place. she
seemed to awake. From her huge guns
fire spurted dangerously and their heavy
projectiles rushed forth against her sides
Fort Xillegaignou, far up the harbor,
now came into action and by her rapid
hro attempted to draw off attention from
che Aquidaban. For half an hour the
Eight continued, until at last the Aquida-
ban dropped anchor alongside the Tam
nndare, out of range of all hostile bat
teries
Then it wns time to count results. Per
hhps 400 shots had been fired at ranges
from 800 yards to two miles Yet, go far
ar can he learned absolutely no damage
was done
uuuRThc aqdidaban, though struck several
Zines, was practically unhurt. while not
q single shot, either from her batteries or
from Fort Nillegaignou, struck any one
OF the government forts.
Later the Guanabara, one of the rebel
torpedo cruisers. opened FIRE on the shore
batteries erected to protect the cust ON
house This was answered from the
shore, but neither side seemed TO do much
damage A little later at Cubras Island
the cruiser TrHiauo joined the GuHnabara
and still later tho libertAide, with Ad
niirnl da GHna's flag flying, also came
into action. The latter. however, content Cd
herself with firing three heavy prnjertiies
which iashed over the shore dcfcnses and
buried themselves in the heart Of the city
Tha only fatalities reported were cnuset
by the explosion in the city of heavy
shell, fired by the Guanahara, whict
killed four men: Pedro Maintttl, po
licemun; Manitcl de Jesus Gadarela,
shoemaker tmerico Duarte, an apgthe
cary and Manuel GUnsalves de Silva
medical student.