The Indianapolis journal., 1894-03-12

started away in a yawl to carry a line to
their ship on its way to the piers. AS these
sailors pulled away a marine on the Ira
1ano Ieveled his musket and fired shot
over their heads. Then two of the heaviest
insurgent tugs began to get into position
Tor ramming the white Yankee.
AT tndt moment tiny blood-red roll Of
bunting hung just beneath the San Fran
cisco's truck-the signal for all the Ameri-
can fleet TO begin the battle-and a Yankee
quartermaster with a strong hand held the
nalliards. eager to fling the signal to the
breeze The moment the shot was fired
captain Brownson turned 10 the gunner,
VINO stood at a six-pOunder. and ordered
him TO fire into the Trajano, striking her at
the water line, six feet abaft the stem.
me gunner misunderstood the order and
nred across the Trajano's bow. Thereat
sell
'Trajano. ahoyr he shouted 'If you fire
persist 1 will sink you"
A CRITICAL MOMENT.
1t was a critical moment. The accidental
discharge Of one of the Trajano's guns by
the excited crews that stood behind them
would have left Captain Brownson no al
tentative. The Trajano's guns were mod
ern rifles. and they were aimed at the
Yankee. The shot would have gone clear
through the Detroit, and the Detroit would
have replied with broadside at a range
Of but sixty yards; and then, with helm
hard aport, she would have run in between
the Trajano and the Guanabara, out of
range of their guns and where she could
have riddled their hulls with her rapid
fire guns and swept their unprotected decks
with the wicked man-killersA called the sec
ondary battery.
Happily, as IS known the shot was not
fired, although the insurgents were still
ugly Instead blank shot was fired to lee
ward as a protest. To thiJ no attention
was paid.
Turning to the bark Amy, Captain Brown
son saw that her sailors had been intimi-
dated somewhat by the shot fired over
them.
You go ahead" he shouted to Them
"and I'll protect you"
So the sailors rowed on with the warp
line, while the Detroit steamed slowly
ahead until she began to lap the hull of the
Gunabara. Here, as on the Trajano, the
crew stood ready at their guns-four six
Aim at the Gunabara," ordered Capt
Brownson, and at the word the Detroit s
four broadside and two pivot rifles swung
around from the Trajano as though moved
by one man and pointed their muZZleS at
the old insurgent cruiser. Then turning to
the insurgent crew, Captain Brownson told
them to be right careful what they did, for
even an accidental shot would be consid-
cred intentional. He finished his warn
ing by waving his hand at a guns crew
that showed exceptional nervousness and
told them they had better get away from
the gun entirely.
The crew of the Gunabara were Brazil
English. But they were looking at short
taw into the muzzles of guns that were
eloquent in appearance. If silent and when
Brownson's hand was waved they didn't
stop to argue or even shrug their shoul-
derS; they went away.
The Detroit steamed on until clear of the
Gunabara and then turned square across
her stern and stopped. She now had the
two insurgent ships that threatened the
Amy where she could rake them fore ana ana
aft and sink them in five minutes. Inc
Liberdade, with three small rifles, was near
by, and the tugs had their noses We'll
pointed but should the insurgent admiral
still wish to fight, the Detroit would not
need any help The other members of the
white squadron could look after the mont
tor Aquidaban and the armed merchant
ships.
Although Admiral Cana did not want TO
fight he was like a boy who was sulky
enough to need a whipping. Seeing the
sailors of the Amy carrying out the wharf
line he ordered a blank shot from cannon
fired at them from the Guanabara- AS this
was plainly only matter OF form, capt.
Brownson replied with a muSket mem
her of the crew fired a bullet into the
Guanabara'S stern.
officer sent to Admiral Cana to say that
while there was no wish TO take active
steps, the American merchant Shlps Woulu
be protected In going to the piers, that
any shots fired at them would be returned,
and that If the shooting were persisted IN
the insurgent ships would be sunk. In
reply CANA sent word thas if ha was fired
on by the American ship he would instant
lean admiral on hearing this Captain
BrOWnson sent the cadet back TO say that
the Guanabara had been fired on and hit.
The haste with which the cadet was sent
on this mission makes the American colony
here think that the Yankee naval sailors
were to a man willing TO have CANA sur
the yellow fever port. But as was cabled
to the Sun, Cana did not surrender: He
enthusiastic youngsters and his British
hackers would not let him.
A BRITISH BACKER.
OF the British hackers more will be told
another time. but there was one man men,
toned in the cable of whom something
should be said now This, is c. NJ. Rollins.
OF New York. Rollins has been mystery
to the English-speaking people Of the port.
He came here on the steamer Wordsworth
about Dec l. He lived on the Wordsworth
for a time. and then moved to the Van
dyke a hulk owned by the Lamport &
Holt line and used as a warehouse. Here
he lived with the manager off shore of
the line. In some way ne got acquainted
with Cana and the two became good
friends. 1t on this account that Cana
opened negotiations for compromise with
the government through Admiral Benham.
When people learned this, there were many
wild conjectures about Rollins These con-
lectures were the wilder because Rollins
did not choose TO tell people why he came
here. and further. because he said he was
authorized by Mr.. Taylor, OF the New York
Hsrlad to send letters TO that paper. while
the Herald'S special representative pub
lished a note in o Paiz saying that Rollins
was fraud.
Rollins tried to get the American barks
TO remain out In the bay, and promised
them the free use OF tug and lighters IL
they would DO AT first they agreed to
this, but afterward went TO the piers. Rol-
Inns would have supplied Lamport & Holt
lighters and tugs had they remained. and
il is guessed that Cana would have paid
the bill through Rollins.
To fully understand the result of Ad-
miral Benhams action 1t should be said
that until the Detroit opened the way the
port was practically blockaded to all COM
Ships had been lying in port four months.
waiting opportunity to discharge and load.
Cana had all OF the tugs of the barbor,
save two belonging to the Lamport & Holt
line, one TO Wilson, Sons d Co., one under
the German flag. and one that was cap
tured by the British naval fleet when Boy
ton tried TO blow up the Aquidaban with
it, This last was used as a British war
ship tender, but occesiontlly towed mer-
chant ship. The lines tugs were naturally
10 be had by other ships, but rarely and at
high prices. Lighters were equally scarce.
CANA would not let the ships go to the
piers, and was in this supported by the
foreign war ships so long as Captain Lang,
OF the British ship Sirius. dominated the
foreign fleet
The coming of Benham changed all this.
The Yankee barks led the way to the piers
led at the head OF a great procession.
The ships of other nations locked yardarmS
and crushed tenders that they might get
into the line. Time has been when the
American flag and the American naval fleet
have been jeered and scoffed at in foreign
ports, and American citizens inSulted be-