The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-31

lft9tttaOian Ao bthhs .H..nI
copyrighted, 1891 dvthe Auociated prcu1
sRlo De JANEIRo, Jan. S0.-Thc fol-
r lowing statement has been madc to the
Associated Press correspondent byAd.
4tniral Bcnham, commander OF tho
limited States fleet in this harbor:
"The insurSent forces on Cobras Is
Hand last Friday fred upon ship fly-
Sfug the United States flag. / protested
ITO Admiral Saldanha dn Cana against
this action and his response was that he
n had warned the commander OF tho chip
sIihen 1t was ut tho bar at Rio do Janei-
no rs 10 tho whereabouts OF tho danger
Zinc. I ordered Anmiral da Cana to
Gease firing.
Both tho guns on the Island OF
Cobras and tho guns OF the insurgent
Trajano opened fro Saturday
upon the bark Agate, n vessel hailing
Sdrom Now York.
Il warned Admiral da Cana at once
that il the fro was repeated I wonld
sfre back. / also warned him that If no
touched IN American ship, or American
goods, would consider him pirato. I
Hold him that I would protect Ameri.
can property absolutely from the fire OF
chs guns, and that l should retaliate
E4upon him for any damage done unless
~ was entirely apparent that the dam.
Z age was due to chance Shots"
s Admiral Benham says that he notified
tAdmitnl do Cana unotticially that fir
ling by the insurgents. upon the wharves
dor the purpose merely OF creating terror
and to prolong blockade would not be
pcrmitted SO .ar as Americans and
ptAmerlcan vessels were concerned. To
this communication the insurgent ad.
emirai made no auswer.
Il ESCORTED THE VESSELS.
s The captains OF three American ves-
Fsels, Admiral Benham continues, init
mated that they wanted to 90 to tho
5fwharves and the American admiral
.saotified Admiral da CANA that twas
CHS intention to convey them at sunrise
ION Monday. Fearing trouble Admiral
Benham ordered that the vessels OF his
Effect be cleared for action.
The three ships referred to were the
Fanny, the Good News and the julia
Rollins. The captains OF two of tho
sships weakened and failed TO come into
$the harbor.
The Amy was the only ono that ven.
tured in, and sho was escorted by the
n United States cruiser Detroit. AS q
y sprecautlop against any possible aggres-
( sive action on the part OF tho insurgents,
tho cruisers Now York. Charleston and
Z Newark were assigned TO watch the
Z actions OF da Gama's ships Aquidaban
I and Tamanrando, while tho Detroit and
!, the San Francisco wcro signalled to
take positions near the Traiano aud
the Guanabara. These precautions cor
tain!y proved effective, and the insur-.
gents, in the face OF the formidable mr.
ray OF American vessels, made but tho
4 feeblost attempt to hinder tho Amy's
progress 10 her wharf.
No guns were opened upon her by da
Gama's vessels, and as a matter OF
course the American vessels did not
fire upon the insurgent ships.
ONLY THREE SHOTS FIRED.
Tho insurgent protest consisted OF
this:
AS tho Amy got abreast OF the Guam
S abara marine on the last named vea-
gel aimed n musket ut her and fired.
a Two musket shots were tirod at the
Guanabara and the Trajano from the
!. Amy's escort, tho Detroit, in return.
This was MI tho firing done during
the Amy's trip, and it was enough. All
opposition ceased at once, and the use
OF heavy guns was not considered neccs-
sary at any time.
Tho reason that the other two ships
! which had notified Admiral Benham
that they wish to go to their wharves
/ failed to do 40, Ia that their commanders
X were persuaded from entering tho har-
z Dor by man OF the name ot,Rollins,
who il believed to be the agent OF an
English frm which has bcon furnishing
the robcls with money.
AT lute hour Admiral da Cana con-
Z terrcd with his officers upon the advia-
ability oil surrendering to tho Detroit
4 In consequence Of the musket shots
fired. he was dissuaded from doing
so, but it is thought possible that he
may yot decide to surrender to the
American commander. ~
There is no doubt that Admiral da
\ Cana is in had way. A proposcd
compromise has been refused by PeiX-
5 oto's government, and 1t seems to be
I only matter Of time when he will have
to give up the struggle. The comp!ica-
\ tions oil the insurgent situation are in
creased BY the absence OF Admiral do
< Me!lo. Tho failure OF tho latter admi..
.iral to arrive here to the assistance Of
the insurgents has given riso to the 70.
} port that ho Is dead. s .l5.i4
Tho commanders OF sixteen warships
here, including five American and four
English aud French, navo sent messages
4 10 Admiral Benham congratulating him
upon his prompt action. 'tsS
5. The Austrian commander cleared
4 ship and mado ready to help tho Amer
lean admiral in case help was necessary.
Alarming reports have been received
j here OF government disasters at Curu.
,iba,{ parangua and Antonio. 1t Is
stated that these places have been cap
4 tnfed BY tho insurgents, aud that the
government troops hnvo fed, abandon
y doning ,heirarms andmunitioua OF war.
RS9:WHAr: SENATOR'S SAY.
ss$Ali Endorse Admiral Benhnm's Action
Il y; senator shernan's View.
N tsaF. r.