The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-08
lcopyrigAtta, 1891, bv pe Associated prt,a,

Copyrighted, is0t, BY 9e Associated Prt,al
Rio De JANErno. Feb. Tho COM
parattve quiet which has prevailed hero
for ten days or more was rpdely inter.
rupted yesterday by furious encounter
between tho Aquidaban and tho forts,
followed by an attack by tho rebel fleet
and tho batteries in their possession
upon tho shore detenses OF the city.
Later in the day another fight took
place at Santa Anna and Pontc da
Areia. All the fighting, howevor, only
resulted in tho killing Of four men and
the. mortal wounding of fifth. These
were all citizens OF Rio. What loss, il
any. the rebels sustained is not known.
It had been rumored for two days that
the Aquidaban had returned from tho
north, and that, after n trip to Destcrre,
she was waiting outside tho bay for
good chance to run in.
+ Consequently, tho forces OF the gov
ernment and the rebels were on the qui
tfrc ready to help or retard as oppor-
tunity offered. In spite OF this the ar
rival Of tho Aquidaban. was something
Of n surprise to all. The night OF jan
uary IL was unusually cold. sudden
squnll lashing the waters Of the bay and
coast into white caps and leaving behind
heavy, low-lying fog. Under cover OF
this the Aquidaban approached and
was almost under tho shadow OF Fort
Santa Cruz before she was seen. This
was at 4:20 4. M, about an hour before
sunrise. @
Instantly the firing began from Fort
: Santa Cruz, and moment later Fort St.
John joined IN the fight. Little Fort
Iage, further inside tho bay, also sent
hor quota to increase the hail OF mis-.
siles which ratified around tho daring
Aquidaban- At that range, however,
/. not q shot reached its mark and tho
/. ship pressed sient!yon into the narrow
channel between the fortresses. When
Just opposite Fort Santa Cruz, in tho
narrowest and most dangerous place,
she seemed to awake. From hor huge
guns fire spurted dangerously and their
heavy projectles rushed forth against
her enemies.
Fort Villegaignon, far up the harbor.
now came into action, and by her rapid
flte attempted to draw of attention
from the Aquidaban. For half an hour
the fight continued, until at last tho
Aquidaban dropped anchor alongside
4 the Tamandare, out Of range OF all hos
& tile batteries. gl
Then it was time to count results.
I Perhaps 800 shots had been fred at
ranges OF from 600 yards to two miles
I with guns OF from nine calibro down to
elk Founders, yet 80 for MS can be
learned, absolutely nodamage was done.
E1hc 4quidaban, though struck hcav-
lily several times, was practically un-
hurt, while not q single shot, either
from her batteries or from Fort Vile
gaignon, struck any one OF the govern
ment forts.
Later the Guanabara, one OF tho rebel
\ tnrpedo cruisers opened fire at 5:35
! q. m. on tho shorc batteries erected to
protect tho custom house.
Tho only fatalities reported wero
caused by the explosion in tho city OF q
heavy shell firod by the Guanabara,
which killed four mon named Pedro
Ma!netti, policeman; Manuel de Jesus
Gadara, n shoemaker; America Duarte.
an apothecary; Manuel Gonzalves Silva,
a'medical student.
Z Late in the evening few more small
shots were fred into the city and m I'M.
known man was badly injured.