The Washington times., 1894-10-07
TORPEDO And BATTLESHIP
Details of the Sinking Of the Famous
Ironclad Aquidaban.
HER GUNS WE'RE PONERLESS
Lifted Out of the Water and Then Sank in
Twenty-four Feet-Resisting Power of
Heavy Armor-striking Advantages of
Smokeless Powder-Lieut. Rogers Story.

In press and about to issue in the course of
a week is the volume annually compiled by
the Bureau OF Naval Intelligence, entitled
"Notes on the Years Naval Progress. The
work is always OF value to students OF naval
development, and this year Is of particular in
terest because of the broad scope Of its con-
tents, and especially in view OF its inclusion
of an article on the revolt in Brazil, contrib
uted by Lieut.. G. G. Rogers, who. as an agen
of the intelligence office, was with the Ameri-
can feet at Rio and was an eyewitness Of the
operations in that harbor, ending in the final
surrender of the rebellious admiral, Da CANA.
Lieut.. Rogers describes in great detail the
various engagements between the rebel fleet
and the government forts, and as he nears
the end OF the struggle he gives an account of
the sinking of the famous ironclad Aquid-
aban the details OF which have not before
been made known in this country.
1t seems that after Da Ganas surrender at
Rio, the government sent considerable
squadron in pursuit of the Aquidaban The
vessel was discovered at anchor in the
northern entrance of Santa Catharina Strait,
about mile from Fort Santa Crus. To direct
attention from the real purpose, which was TO
attack the Aquidaban with torpedo boats, the
vessels of the government squadron began
vigorous fire on the fort. Meanwhile the
four torpedo boats the Sampaio. Silvado. Ivo.
and Alfonso steamed along the western shore
until the Aquidaban was discovered at an
chor. This was on the night of April 16.
The sky was overcast, a heavy rain was
falling, and the commander of the Sampaio
reported it so dark that he was less than 200
yards from the Aquidaban when he discovered
her. The crew of the latter were expecting a
small steamer from Desterro that night and
mistaking the Sampaio for her, did not fire at
once.
STRUCK BY THE TORPEDO.
The Aquidabap was heading toward the
south. When first seen by the Gustavo Sam
paio she bore on the starboard to launch the
bow torpedo. This, by some mistake of the
officer n charge of it, was fired before the
vessel was in position and without effect.
The Sampaio then backed and, turning under
the stern of the Aquidaban. steamed slowly
along the port side. probably not more than
twenty yards from her.
In this remarkable position however il
was not until the Sampaio was nearly past
the bettle-ship that the starboard after tor
pedo WIS fired. 1t struck with terrific effect
about twenty feet abaft the stern Of the
Aquidaban. lifting the bow considerably out
of the water. The Sampaio then dashed
ahead at full speed TO rejoin the squadron.
Before the first torpedo was launched the
Aquidaban opened fire on the Sampaio and
her consorus froLn the Nordenfeldts and two
OF the 5.7-inch guns.
The Sampaio was hit thirty-five times in
the uppor works, and three in the hull by
Nordenfeldt one-inch steel projectiles. One
OF them penetrated the starboard bow near
the water line, damaging the dfstiller Two
OF them struck HotchSiss rapid-hring three
FOUNDER, one hitting the breech square and
jamming the breechlock slightly while the
other penetrated the wall of the gun directly
over the cartridge chamber to the depth of an
inch. orthree-fourths of its thickness, but
without injury to the bore. so that il could
still be fired. Excepting a cadet who lost
finger, no one on board the Sampaio was
hurt. Her escape was due to the darkness of
the night. coupled with such proximity TO the
battle-ship that the latter's proiectiles went
over her.
FOUND N TwENTY-FoUR FEET OF WATER.
The torpedo fired by the sampaio was of
the Schwartzkofftype,c ,contsinng 125 pounds of
gun cotton The attack on the Aquidaban
was not renewed until the next day, when it
was discovered that she had been abandoned
by her crew. who had escaped TO the main
land. The big battleship, drawing twenty
feet aft was found in twenty-four feet OF
water with her two forward compartments
full of water and with terrible hole in her.
She was floated and brought to Rio under her
own steam.
Lieut. Rogers secured valuable information
in the war. He says that the discipline OF the
rebels was good apparently and their courage
and bravery admitted of no question. The
ships generally fought at long range. the
commander seeming to be outstanding their
resources from the outset: with the exception
o, the Aquidaban they were undermined
and seemed to be acting on waiting policy,
expecting reinforcements from the south.
The armed tugs and launches did good
service. They were very active and efficient
at night transporting men aud material, and
during the day did much fighting. Armed
with revolving cannon and rapid firing guns,
barricaded by cotton bales or boiler iron, be-
hind which were armed crews. they were ugly
antagonists. Their work in Rio harbor
showed that, under the practical conditions
of nearly any war. such port resources could
be we'll utilized as auxiIiaries in the defense
OF a harbor, river, or bay.
ADVANTAGE OF sNoKELEss POWDER.
SmokeIess powder was used on board the
Tamandare only. Upon the discharge of one
of her six-inch guns a small, yellowish-red
cloud o: smoke was seen for few moments;
it dissipated quickly, and at no time would
it have interfered with her firing. Great was
the contrast when one OF the Aquidaban'
turret guns was fired; a thick, heavy cloud OF
smoke that almost enveloped the ship was the
invariable result drifting slowly away, unless
a strong breeze was blowing.
One important note by Lieut.. Rogers
touches the life of great guns. He says that
ii the reported expenditures of ammunition
be correct, the great guns did not give out,
for most of them were fired ten to fifteen times
as many rounds as is generally conceded 10
be the life of heavy artillery. Most of the
batteries fired almost continuously at long
ranges and with extreme elevation. and at the
close of the revolt, after six months use, did
fair shooting.
In view of the question which has arisen
since the Japanese cruisers defeated the
Chinese battleships at Yalu as TO the actual
value of armored ships here is some interest
ing information about the Aquidaban. which
sustained the brunt of the battles with the
forts. She is a double-turret ship built in
1885. citadel and turret armor 10 inches
thick armor belt to II inches thick, speed
knots. Says the report:
HER ARAioR STOOD IN GOOD STEAD.
In February the port side of the Aquidaban
showed that she had been hit many times. but
with the exception of a bent port shutter
there was no evidence of injury. The linden
tations that were visible seemed to have been
made by small projectiles. An authentic re-
port states that during an action between the
ships and the forts on the 30th OF September
this vessel was hit five times. A siX-inch she'll
passed through the de,k into the admirals
cabin and burst there. Bulkheads were de-
stroyed. but no fire resulted.
six-inch solid shot penetrated the star
board side and hit six inch shell standing in
a rack on the gun deck; the shell, which was
fused, exploded, wounding one officer and