The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-08
HOwtbe Rebel Cruiser ~Aquidaban Passed
the Government Forts WithOuta
Sign of Injury.
CAST INTO THE CITY
But No Damage Done Except the
killing Of Four NoncOmbatants.
Silver Tumbling Down in Price in Eng
land-RiOts i'm Russia and India
Other Foreign News.

NEW YORK, Feb. THE Associated
Press correspondent at Rio Janeiro. writ
ing under date of Jan. II, says: The COM
parative quiet which has prevailed here for
ten days or more was rudely interrupted
yesterday by a furious encounter between
the Aquidaban and the forts, followed by
an attack by the rebel fleet and the bat
teries in their possession, upon the shore
defeases of the city. Later in the day an
other fight took place at Santa Anna and
Ponta Da Areia- All the fighting. how
ever, only resulted in the killing of four
men and the MORALLY wounding of the
fifth. These were all citizens of Rio. What
loss, If any, the rebels sustained Is not
known.
1t had been rumored for two days that
the Aquidaban had returned from the
north and that, after q trip to Desterro,
she was awaiting outside the bay for a
good chance to run in. Consequently the
forces Of the government and the rebels
were on the qui vive, ready to help or re-
tard, as opportunity offered. In spite of
this the arrival of the Aquidaban was
something of a surprise to all. The night
of Jan. IL was unusually cold, a sudden
squall thrashiLg the waters of the bay
and coast into white caps and leaving be-
hind a heavy, low-lying fog. Under cover
of this the Aquidaban approached, and was
almost under the shadow Of Fort Santa
Cruz before she was seen. This was at
4:20 a. m, about an hour before sunrise.
Instantly the firing began from Fort Santa
Cruz. and a moment later Fort St John
joined In the fight. Little Fort Lage,
further inside the bay, also sent her quota
to incresase the hail of missiles which rat
tied around the daring AQuidaban. At that
range, however, not p shot reached its
mark, and. without d~eigning a reply, the
big black ship kept silent on into the mar
row channel between the fortresses. Fur
Their on Fort Santa Cruz, not three hum
dred yards from the Aquidaban, worked her
guns furiously, sending a plunging fire
down upon the decks of the warshlp. st.
John, a mile away, sent her heaviest pro-
while Fort Lage swept her decks with a
raking fire. a ship could hardly be sub
jected to a more severe test, and yet the
Aquidaban passed rapidly on, apparently
uninjured. Such shots as truck her glanced
from her turretS or rebounded like peas
firm her armcr.
When just opposite Fort Santa Cruz. in
the narrowest and most dangerous place,
the Aquidaban seemed to awake. From her
huge guns fire Spurted dangerously, and
her enemies. Fort Nillegaignon, far up the
harbor, now came into action, and by her
rapid fire attempted to draw off attention
from the .Aquidaban;, For half an hour the
fight continued, until at last the Aquidaban
dropped anchor alongside the Tamanlare.
out of range OF all hostile batteries. Then
ii was time to count results. Perhaps three
hundred shots had been fired at ranges from
six hundred yards to two miles. with guns
of from nine calibre down to six-pounders.
Yet, SO far as can be learned, absolutely no
damage was done. The Aquidaban, though
struck heavily several times, was practical
" unhUrt. while not q single shot. either
from her batteries or from Fort Villegaig-
non struck any one of the government forts.
Later the Guanabara, one of the rebel
torpedo cruisers, opened fire at 5:35 n. m.
on the shore batteries erected TO protect the
the shore. but neither side seemed TO do
much damage. A little later Cobras island
and the cruiser Trajano Joined the Guiana
bara, and still later the Iibertad, with Adj
miral Da Gama's flag flying, also came into
action. The latter, however, contented him.
self with firing three heavy projectiles,
which passed over the shore defenses and
buried themselves in the heart of the city.
The only fatalities reported were caused by
the explosion of a heavy shell fired by the
Guanabara. which killed four men in the
Manuel De Jesus Gadarela, a shoemaker;
America Quartz, an apothecary, and Man.
uel Gonzales De Sila, a medical student.
The fire ceased after a while, only to be
renewed at 3 p. m. against Santa Anna and
Ponta Da Ariea, where ii was replied to by
the batteries there mounted and by those at
| Madame and De Velho. Little damage was
done. This was a good days fighting for
Rio de Janeiro. Later in the evening a few
and an unknown man was badly injured.
Contre Admiral Julio De Novouha has as
sumed command of the governments naval
forces here and elsewhere.