Evening star., 1894-01-30

shall have to protect our interests in Bra
lillian waters at any rate"
Il hope" said Senator Cullom, that the
American warship will knock them into
the deep blue sea-"
Upon reading the dispatches Senator Gray
of the foreign relations committee said: II
have great confidence In BENJAMIN his
discretion and his nerve. He 10 q man who
has impressed me most favorably. He has
strong and yet kind face, and reminds
one of Farragut 1 am glad he is there, as
ests. I think he has done the proper thing
so far. and believe his course will continue;
VIII be such as to commend the support of
the American people,
Chairman Cummings of the House naval
committee said that the action Of the ad-
mirai presented some serious questions and
might involve grave consequences, but he
would not discuss the question until more
foreign affairs committee had Just come
from the State Department, where he heard
no news of an unusual character.
Mr.. McCreary said that the foreign COM
cation unless a resolution was introduced
and referred to it.
Representatives Stirred.
A patriotic thrill ran through the House
of Representatives when, about 1 O'Clock,
word came through Associated Press ad-
vices that Admiral De Cana had surren-
dered to the American naval commander
War with Brazil" said Mr.. Doliver as he
passed among his associates.
When Mr.. Wilson, chairman Of the ways
and means committee, heard of the sur
render he remarked that De Cana mad
probably shown discretion in surrendering
to the American commander instead of to
the Piexoto government
MIR. Doliver OF Iowa, one of the leading
members OF the naval committee said con-
corning the questions of naval precedent
xrh rf.h 1t0h ari1 lxx,&.
wide discretion in taking such action as
seems to him best for the protection of
American interests. When II comes to a
question of such protection there is no
time for appealing to Congress for author
ity to act, even If the offender occupies the
attitude of n belligerant which the Rio in
surgents do not.
Case I'm Point.
There are precedents which fully sustain
raval commanders in using force to pro
tect American interests. without waiting
for instructions. The case Of the surrender
of Da Costa is one in point. Da Costa was
an Austrian. who had taken out first cit
izenship papers in this country. He was
seized by Austrians and taken aboard one
OF their gunboats. The American naval
commander thereupon trained his guns on
the Austrian gunboat and gave one hour
for the surrender of Da Costa. The sur
render was made, and the American COM
mander was upheld for his war-like step
in sustaining American interests.
In other cases Admiral Jouett has threat
ened to open fire on rebellious factions in
South America who have tried to blockade
rivers, set up unlawful custom houses and
otherwise impeded commerce.
Admiral Benham could go even further
in protecting American interests as against
the insurgents than he could against a
recognized power. De Gama's forces have
not even been recognized as belligerents by
any power. so that De Cana could be
treated as little more than a pirate"
Coal as Contraband.
1t was learned this afternoon that the
Brazilian insurgents had undertaken to
treat coal as contraband of war. and that
their objection to the entry of several
American merchant ships was mainly be-
cause they carried coal as part of their
cargo.
Admiral Benham refused to recognize the
right Of the insurgents to decide a ques-
ton of this kind as applied to American
ships and that the controversy between
them arose over this question. No Official
confirmation is obtainable of the report
that Admiral Cana had surrendered to the
American forces.