The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-08
A RAKINa FIRE.
How the Aquidaban Ran tho Gauntlet
of the Forts.

How the Aquidaban Ran tho Gauntlet
of the Forts.
Rio DE JANEIRo, Jan. 13.-[Copyright-
ed, 1894, by the Associated Press.l The
comparative quiet which had prevailed
here for 10 days was interrupted yester-
day by an encounter between the
Aquidabsn and the fort, followed by an
attack by the rebel feet and batteries
upon the shore defenses OF the city.
Later in the day another fight took
place at Santa Ana and Ponts da Arcia.
All the fighting, however, only resulted
in the killing of four men on shore and
MORALLY wounding a filth. The loss
the rebels sustained is not known.
The arrival of the Aquidaban was
something CT surprise to all. The
night of January 18th WIS unusually
cold. Under cover OF fog the Adquid-
aban approached and was almost under
the shadow of Fort Santa Cruz before
she was seen. This WAS at 4 20 a. m.
Instantly firing began from Santa
Cruz, and 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 Aquidaban. At that range, how
ever, not shot reached the mark, and
without deigning to reply the big black
ship passed silently on into the narrow
channel between the fortresses. Further
on, Fort Santa Cruz, not 500 yards away
from the Aquidaban, worked her guns
furiously, sending a plunging fire down
upon the decks of the war ship. st.
John, mile away, sent the heaviest
projectiles against the rebel ships broad
side, while Fort Lage swept her decks
with a raking fire. The ship could
hardly be subjected to a more severe
test. and the Aquidaban was apparently
uninjured. For half an hour the fight
Continued, until the Aquidabsn
dropped anchor alongside the
Tamandere. out of range OF
all the hostile batteries. Perhaps
800 shots were fred, at ranges from 600
yards to two miles, with guns from 9
inches caliber to Founders, yet abso-
lutely no damage was done. The Aquid-
sbsn, slthough struck heavily several
times, WAS practically unhurt, and while
not single shot, either from her bat
teries or from Fort Villegoignon struck
any one of the government forts.
Later the Guenabara, one of the rebel
torpedo cruisers, opened fire (at s .35
o. m.) on the shore batteries erected to
protect the custom houee. Later Oobrae
island and the cruiser Trajano Joined
the Guanabara, and still later the Lib
ertad. with Da Gama'a flag flying, also
came in action. The latter, however,
contented herself with firing three
heavy projectiles which paseed over
the shore defenses and buried them
selves in the heart of the city. The
only fatalities reported were caused by
the explosion in the city of heavy
shell, fired by the Guanabara, which
killed four men, namely: Pedre Main
etti, q policeman; Manuel de Jesus
Gadarela, shoemaker; America
Duarte, an apothecary; Manuel Coma
lea de Silva, medical student.
The fire ceased after awhile, only to
be renewed at p. m. against Santa
Ana and Ponta ds Arcia, where it was
replied to by the batteries there and at
Madame and Do Vellio. The action was
desultory, little damage being done.
Later in the evening Jew more shotH
were fired into the city and an unknown
man was badly injured.
Admiral Julio de Nououha has as
sumed command of the governments
naval forces here and elsewhere.