The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-14

Warfare. ..
RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan Copy.
righted, 1894, by the Associated Press
The comparative quiet which has pre-
vailed here for ten days or more was
rudely Interrupted yesterday by a furious
encounter between the Aquidaban and
the forts, followed by an attack by the
rebel fleet and the batteries in their pos
session upon the shore defences Of ths
city.
Later in the day another fight took
place at Santa Anna and Ponta da
Areia. All the fighting, however, only
resulted in the killing Of four men and
the mortaIly wounding OF fifth. These
were all citizens Of Rio. What loss, IL
any, the rebels sustained is not known.
It had been rumored for two days thai
the Aquidaban had returned from ths
north and that after trip 10 Desterro
she was waiting outside the bay for
good chance to run in. Consequently
the forces OF the government and ths
rebels were on the qui vive ready ta
help or retard as opportunity offered.
In spite OF this the arrival Of the
Aquidaban was something of a surprise
10 all.
The Rebel Ship steams IN.
The night Of Jan. II was unusually
cold, a sudden squall thrashing the
waters OF the bay and coast into white
caps and leaving behind a heavy, low
lying fog. Under cover of this the
Aquidaban approached and was almost
under the shadow Of TT. Santa Cruz be-
fore she was seen. This was at 4:20 a.
m, about an hour before sunrise. IN
stantly the firing began from TT. Santa
Cruz and a moment later Fr. st. John
Joined in the fight. Little Ft. Lage, fur
ther inside the bay, also sent her quota
to increase the hail of missiles. which
ratified around the daring Aquidaban. At
that range, however. not a shot reached
its mark and without deigning a reply
the big black ship kept silent on into
the narrow channel between the fort
Tesses. Further ON Ft Santa Cruz. not
800 yards away from the AQuidabau,
worked her guns furiously, sending II
plunging fire down upon the decks of
the Warship. St. John. a mile away, sent
her heaviest proiecules against the
rebel ships broadside, while FIT. Lage
swept her decks with a raking FIRE.
Aquidaban Uninjured.
A ship could hardly be subjected 20 a
more severe test and yet the Aquidaban
passed rapidly on, apparently uninjured.
Such shots as struck her glanced from
her turrets or rebounded like peas from
her armor. When just opposite Ft. Santa
Cruz, in the narrowest and most danger
Gus place, she seemed TO awake. From
her huge guns fire spurted dangerously
and their heavy projectles rushed forth
against her enemies.
Ft Nillegaign0n. far mp the haTbor.
now came into action. and by her rapid
fire attempted TO draw off attention from
the Aquidaban. For half an hour the
fight continued. until at last the AQuida-
ban dropped anchor alongside the Tam
andare out Of range Of all hostile bat
teries. Then it was time TO count re-
suits. Perhaps three hundred shots had
been fired at ranges from COO yards 10
two miles with guns Of from nine calber
down TO six Founders. Yet so far as can
be learned absolutely no damage was
done. The AQuidaban, though struck
heavily several times. was practically un-
hurt. while not single shot, either from
her batteries or from Ft. Nillegaignon,
struck any one Of the government forts.
Another Joins In.
Later the Guanabara. one Of the rebel
torpedo cruisers, opened fire at 5:35 a. N.
on the shore batteries erected to protect
the custom house. There was another
fire from the shore, but neither side
seemed to do much damage. 4 little
later Cobras island and the cruiser Ira
jano joined the Guanabara and still later
the Liberia. with Admiral da Gama's
flag flying also came into action. The
latter, however. Contented himself with
firing three heavy projectiles, which
passed over the shore defenses and bur
led themselves I'm the heart OF the city.
The only fatalities reported were
caused by the explosion i'm the city a.
heavy shell fired by the Guanabara.
which killed four men, namely: Pedro
Mainetti, a policeman; Manuel de Jesus
Gadarela, a shoemaker; Americo Duarte,
an apothecarv; Manuel Gonzales de Sia,
a medical student.
The fire ceased after a while. only 10
be renewed at 3 y. IN. against Santa An
na and Ponta da Ariea, where It was re-
piled to by the batteries there mounted
and by those at Madama and De NelhO.
The action was desultory, little damage
being done
This was good days lighting for Rio
de Janeiro. Later in the evening a few
more shots were fired into the city and
an unknown man was badly injured.
Admiral Julio de NovOuha has as
sumed command Of the governments
naval forces here and elsewhere.