Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-31
Shots Fired at The Insurgents.


4 dispatch from Rio Janeiro say:
Admiral Beuham has taken yigorou:
measures to compel the insurgents tc
respect the rights Of American shipping
in the harbor, The affair came about
in this way The American bark Julis
Rollins. Captain kiehne. from Balti
more, and the American schooner
Mile ]. H. Captain Suttle, from New
York. were fred on by The insurgents
during nigh: foray last week. Adj
nir3l ia Cana. the commander
OF the insurgent forces there. visit
cd Rear Admiral Benham. commander
Of the American squadron. and was
emphat;cally told that the insurgents
must al once abandon the idea that they
could with impuniiy dze upon American
/ vessels Admiral Ben5an asserted tina
American ships would Dc protected ny
1 his feet. 10 matter il what part o! the
harbor they might happen 10 be. Ad-
mirai d. Cana protested against this
decision. oui finally apparently yielded
the point
On Saturday the American bark
Amy, Captain Biackford, from Balti-
more. the American bark Good News,
Captain Myrick. also from Baltimore,
and the Julia Rollins gave notice that
they were going 10 the Saudre piers.
Admiral da Cana learned OF this and
sunday he notified Admiral Benham
that If the three vessels attempted TO
90 to the piers referred to he would fire
on them. Admiral Benham replied that
the vessels would 90 to the piers
if they wanted TO and that he
would send the Detroit to pro-
tect them. If the Detroit could not
furnish sufficient protection. every yes
sci of the American squadron would be
employed in the work OF protection.
Early Monday morning five insurgent
tugs and armed merchantmen proceed.
ed to the place where the American
vessels were lying al anchor and how
cred about them, apparently waiting
for them to get under way. when they
would fire upon them. There was
great activity displayed on board the
American warships, and soon the sharp
tones of the boatswain's whistles could
be heard piping the crews to clear the
ships for action.
At five o'clock the Detroit with shot
ted guns, steamed in beside the insur-
gent warships Trajano and Guanabari.
both OF which were lying close to the
Good News. As the Detroit took up
her position q musket was fired from
the Guanabara at the Good News.
The Detroit at once fred six-pound
shot across the bows OF the Guanabara.
whereupon the latter vessel replied
with what is supposed to have been q
blank cartridge. The Detroit then
turned one of her guns upon the Guam
abara and sent q small shell into her
stern post and was on the point of de-
livering a broadside at the insurgent
ship, when the Guarabsra signaled that
she would stop firing.
In the meantime an American citi-
zen, G.. NJ Rollins, who has acted as
the agent of Admiral da Cana in the
arbitration negotiations, had visited all
three of the American merchantmen
and offered to have them towed at the
expense Of the insurgents if they would
not go to the piers. This the captains
of the merchantmen agreed to. This
arrangement was reported to Admiral
da Cana on board his flagship, the Lib
erdade. He then said
1T is too late. The glass is broken
l must yield to this foreign fleet of su-
perior force l will resign, and give
my sword TO the American admiral
Later in the day Admiral da Cana
called council of his officers, expect
ing that all OF them would seek an asy-
lum on board the American feet, but
the younger officers would not yield.
It was stated at the council that Admit
raj Benham had Off rel Admiral da
Cana and his officers asylum on board
of the American warships.
The American merchant vessels are
now protected in every part of the bay.
Admiral Beuham said that Admired da
Cana, by his failure to surrender bad
lost an easy way out of his trouble. He
added However, that is nothing to
me, but we have established our princi
Pile"
After the Cabinet meeting yesterday
evening Secretary Herbert denied the
rumors that Da Cana had surrendered
to Admiral Benham.