The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-30
EXCITEMENT IN Rio.
Eur Fleet in the Brazilian Harbol
Cleared for Action
TO PROTECT AMERICAN VESSELS.

However Unfortunately Both Sides May
lombard Each Others Property the
United States Intends to Defend Amer
loan Gram in Brazilian Ports.
RIO DE JANRIRo. Jan. 80.-This has been
one Of the most exciting days that Rio de
Janeiro has experienced since the COM
mencement of hostilities between the in
surgents and the Brazilian government
The United States naval feet stationed in
this harbor has furnished the excitement
Provoked beyond the endurance OF
patience by the continued carelessness of
the gunners aboard the rebel warship
Aquidaban, and tried by the indifference
shown on the part of the revolutionary
admiral to all his protests that American
vessels entering and lea, o. the harbor
were not afforded proper protection by the
rebel feet, Admiral Benham yesterday
made demonstration with the American
war vessels under his command which
has taught a much needed lesson to the
belligerents on both sides, and which will
do lbtedly have the effect, hereafter, of
. curing proper recognition of the rights
OF al vessels carrying the Am erican flag.
The cause of the trouble was the treat
m mt TO which three American Banks
were subject to on last Saturday by the
, fndiscrimate fusillade from the insurgent
warship. The American vessels were the
bark Amy, the bark Good News and the
bark Julia Rollins. The Amy sailed from
Baltimore on Dec. O. and arrived here last
Friday. The Good News arrived in Rio
harbor Jan. 8, from Bahia The Julia
Rollins arrived here on Jan. 49, from
Baltimore, which port she left on Dec T.
I'm Satp I'D Ia. III.
Choir, all three vessels were endangered by
the chance shots fired by the insurgents.
These whistled through the rigging and
pa ct the men at work on the decks. Many
OF the crews Of the three vessels mar
rowly escaped being shot After suffer
ing great deal of annoyance and run
ming great risks in the hope that the in
surgents would realize the folly of their
action and put a stop to their reckless fir
ing, the three captains held hurried
conference and determined to appeal to
to the United States warships, and TO
request that the barks be given an es-
cort to the wharves.
Upon being appealed to by the captains
of the banks Admiral Benham sent one Of
his officers to the Aquidaban with orders
to Iacquaint Admiral da Cana with the
facts in the case and to ask him TO have
an end put to the reckless cunning. Da
Cana was apparently in very bad humor
when the American officer arrived on
board the Aquidaban, and with many
EXPLANATIONS OF rmpatience he listened to
the recital of the American captains
grievances. When the American officer
had finished making his statement Da
Cana, with a shrug of his shoulder, said
in very sharp tone, 1T is not my fault.
The American ship captains should know
enough to keep themselves and their
crews out of the range OF our guns.
shall not take any notice of this matter"
I, This curt response to his message
aroused the ire of Admiral Benham, and
he determined to make such a showingthat
1t would produce lasting effect upon the
insurgents. Yesterday, however the
greatest activity prevailed on board the
feet Shortly after daybreak the decks
of the flagship New York. of the Newark,
San Francisco Detroit and other United
States war vessels here were cleared for
action and their anchors were rrised.
! Admiral Benham then sent word to the
captains of the Good News, Julia Rol-
Inns and Amy that he was prepared to
keep his promise to them, and til at as
soon as they were ready to proceed he
would escort them to the wharves At this
moment Captains Kichne, of the Julia Rol-
llins, and Myrtck, of the Good News weak
ened, and despite their vigorous protesta-
tions and urgent demands of Saturday,
they returned word that they did not care
to embitter the insurgent admiral by put
ting themselves under the escort of the
United States naval feet. Captain Black
ford, of the Amy, however, showed him
self of sterner stuff and announced that
he would get ready at once and accept the
protection which Admiral Benham ad
offered him.
1 Accordingly, the Amy took her position
in the ranks of the United States war yes
sells and the formidable procession started
on its way up Rio harbor. The news that
something important was taking place
aboard the American warships rapidly
spread both on shore and aboard the ships
Of all the foreign fleets represented at this
port. The fleet rs it approached nearer to
Rio came quite close to the shore causing
intense excitement among both soldiers
and civilians on land and the sailors on
board the various vessels. The Amy pro
ceeded on her way to the wharf and was
safely Inoored there.
:, Complaints in great number have been
made to the home government by foreig II
merchants and ship captains, and the
commendable performance of duty by
Admiral Benham in affording safety to
the owners of American craft will doubt
less result In similar orders being issued
for like action on the part of the COM
manders of other foreign fleets at this port
Admiral de Mello is now at Curitiba,
capital Of the state of Parana and has or
ganized provisional government in Sar.
ana. He proposes moving north immedi-
atey. General Saraiva, with his troops,
is on the frontier of Sac Paule. The in.
surgents occupied the island of Bon Jesus,
q, which commands portion of the north
of the city, and seized some artillery and
few prisoners. The government war
, ships Nictheroy, Aurora and Parnahy ba
, are now at Bahia and the remainder OF
! the fleet is expected there.
: The inactivity OF the government is
causing discomfort among its partisan
7 ashore. A heavy artillery fire between
the forts continues daily. The British
: warship Sirius left yesterday for Parana
and Desterro in order to ascertain the
position OF the insurgents.
I Little BOY burned to Death.
! PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 30-John Dough.
erty, aged years, of 1925 Union street
!! was burned to death by his clothes taking
hre from the kitchen range.
lows Ex-LeEislAtor Drops Dead.
| MARsHALLTowN, Ia, Jan. 30-President