New-York tribune., 1894-01-08
ALMOST READY TO FIGHT.
PEIXOTO'S FLEET WILL SOON NUMBER
TWENTY ONE VESSELS.
WHEN THEY ARE ASSEMBLED ADMIRAL DuAIIO
WILL START IN SEARCH or MEiAo'
CONFIDENT THAT HE CAN
END TIE WAR.
T8Y TgLEcIArI TO THK TGifCNE.l


Washington Jan. Tn conversation with
Tribune correspondent to-day Minister Men
donca had much Of interest to say concerning
the Brazilian situation. more particularly or IFS
military aspect From what he said IL seems 10
be certain that crisis at Rio is imminent ana
that an end TO the rebellion IS to be reached
through q great naval battle. Senior MendOnca
entertains no doHb. Of the final success OF Pei-
xo.o's arms lie had Just received word. he
said from Mr. Flint. Brazil's business represeh-
tative at York. that the Riachuelo ana
BENJAMIN Constant which have been undergo
ing repairs at Toulon since October would SAL
for Pernambuco almost immediately Reports 10
the contrary notwithstanding, the vessels are
now practically ready for sea. They require
only provisions and stores. and it is expected
that they will start for Brazil within few days
To RENDEZVOUS AT PERNAMBUCo.
The vessels will go direct 20 Penambuco, stop
ping on the way perhaps for coal. Under laVor-
able conditions they should reach their destiha-
ton within sixteen days. At Pernambuco 'he
ships will be met by the Nictheroy. the America
the Aurora and eight torpedo boats. Before 'he
ships reach Pernambuco the Pirating VIII nave
made that port When last heard from, on the
81 of this month the Prating was at Martinique
ready to sail. Two additional torpedo boats pur-
Pernambuco, and their arrival is daily expected
II is not generally known that PeixotO has, in
addition to the above mentioned vessels, seven
efficient ships--three cruisers and four gunboats.
Such is the fact Minister Mendonca says. At a
point between Para and Maceno are the First or
March and the Parnahlba. cruisers and the
Cabedello Braconnot and the Guarani, gunboats
AT Mon;evileo are the Tlradantes and the Bahia
Yesterday Minister Mendonca received nforma-
ton that the latter two vessels were at sea
practising with their batteries the oihcers ana
men Of these seven ships are loyal 10 PeiXoto'
The vessels will shortly join the rendezvous at
Pernambuco with the other ships of the loyal
fleet Admiral Duarto one Of Brazi1s bravest
and best officers. will command the feet. The
Admiral is now on board the Nictheroy which
ne has made his flagship
Although he has no special advices on the sub
1ect. Minister Mendonca believes that as soon as
all the vessels Of the loyal fleet have come to-
gether Admiral Duarto VIII devote lew
days to squadron exercises and thereafter go IN
search of the fleets OF Melf' and Da Gama Mlii,
ister Mendonca expects that the engagement VIII
be hot and decisive one. and that win the
Riachuelo to take care OF the AquldaDah theIc
Is every reason to look for the success or eXotos
squadron.
NOTIFICATIONS OF RIO HAREOr
Tn his remarks to-day Minister Mendonca cor
of officers and men of the Brazilian Navy WHO
have toined the rebels He said that there were
100 officers Of various grades in the navy. vi
these only thirty-eght have Joined the ins"r-
gents OF the 5000 men in the navy, less ina"
1000 are under Mcllo's command Inc rest are
either loyal or neutral. The Minister also edre
an interesting account Of the number ana classes
of fortifcatons in the city and harbor Oh NO,
and the number and disposition OF t!e IolCSs
attached to them. IN the list he included 'i,S
vessels in the inner harbor under conmanuu % ot
Da Cana and those outside III colh'Ia'I" %
Melo 1t was something of a surprise TO learn
that Peixoto possessed two strong forts on
shore armed with many krupp ana NInst,ome IIs S'I
puns The forts are called Castle Hill ana sam
bento Senior Mendonca said that theE aie
situated on two separate hills, or spurs OF me tne
mountains which are only short distance iroin
the water. The Custom House. against Whcn
Da Gama's machine-guns fire has recently pevt
directed. and the commercial part OF no ae
between and under the forts. me forts coiIl-
,nand the harbor perfectly, as thelr guns can
be trained upon the insurgent lor's aha slnps, p
Under the agreement OF OCTOBER o, ilaue pn.
paiyoto and the foreign naval commanders az
1eio Castle Hill and Sambento have kept silent
They viii remain SO. Minister Mendonca said as
long as Meilo and Da Cana respect their part
of the agreement not 10 iire on the CITY.
NUMBER OF MEN ENGAGED
Tn the Government forts and in the city proper
1,sixoto has about 5000 regulars and 5000 mil
tia men on duty. In Nictheroy there are
900 regulars Opposed to this force Mello has
two forts in the harbor. Vegaignon and Cobras.
At the beginning Of the rebellion Nillegaignon
was a strong fortress. 1t has been considerably
damaged by the fire from the Government oaI-
terles and It's efficiency almost destroyed. IL
has only about 900 men. q number OF whom,
owing TO wounds and sickness, are unfit for
service II was this fort that Da Cana held
as a neutral station until he joined Mell0s
cause Cobras Island Is a fortress OF the
masonry type, and could be readily Knocked 70
pieces with modern artillery, such as that IN
Castle Hill and Sambento. Cobras mas 6o9
men, In the inner harbor Da CANA has the
Tamaydore the Trajano and the Guanabara,
two small gunboats, three converted merchant
shps and a number Of steam launches. The
Tamavdore the flagship has only half OF her
battery on board and only one Of her boilers
is in a serviceabe condition. Outside or no.
Nfelo has the Aquidaban, flagship; the Repup-
lica and three converted merchantmen
pRocBEss OF THE FIGHTING AT RIO.