The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-05
GREAT BRITAIN AND BRtzIL.
A Bit or Ensiand's Buiiyine that, Dia No,
Work.

Work.
A forgotten page Of history. the story writ
ten on which Is interesting juat now because OF
Great Britain's attempt to seize tho brazilian
island of Trinidad. tells of the trouble between
tho All.Grabber and the empire tnow the re-
public) OF Brazil rather more than thirty
years ago. We were engaged then in our civil
war, and had as little interest in the events
that happened outside Of this country as a
Frenchman has of things that happen outside
Of Paris. So the history of Great Brltain's
incidence. and OF tho rebuko given TO her, Will
DO almost news to most Americans.
The matter started with n rumor. Her Brit
tannlc Majesty's Consul at Rio Grande do Sui.
q Brazilian port. heard early In June, 1851,
that tho local magistrate Mt Albardao had said
that tho bodies Of some English sailors had
been washed ashore, but that there had been no
wreck. Albardao was in a wild and half-peo-
pied part of the consular district of Rio Grando
do Sui. and the Consul decided at once that o
British vessel had been lured ashore and its
crew murdered. SO he went in person to AL
bardao to prove his case.
When he got there tho alcalde was away;
but in his house the Consul found goods taken
from a vessel ashore which had evidently never
been wet by the sea. The next day the Consul
found on the shore the wreck of u British YES
sci, the Prince of Wales. He went back to
Rio Grande and reported TO the Brazilian au-
thorities, demanding that the bodies of ten
English sailors be brought to that city. There
was delay, and finally at his own expense the
Consul brought four bodies b Rio Grande and
had them buried. An inT' est was held at
Albardao by n special Braz llan Commissioner
and by a local official, who happened to be the
brother.in.law Of the alcalde of the town. The
British consulate sent no representative. In
Eantemher fha BRAZILIAN Goyernment offerpd
TO compensate the owners Of the vessel for any
loss caused by It's officials. The Consul de-
manded that another investigation be held;
this Brazil refused, but IN August, 1869, IL
dismissed the alcalde and another local official
for culpable neglect of duty in connection with
the wreck Of the Prince of Wales.
Just two months earlier, however, Great
Britain had put another chip on her shoulder
for some one to knock Off. On June 7. 1869.
three officers of the British man-of-war Forte.
one of them the chaplain. were arrested and
detained a night ard day in the guard house of
Rio Janeiro. The British Minister, a Mr.. Chris
tie, protested against this as an outrage. He
represented to the Brazilian Minister for For
eign Affairs that the three officers, having
dined quietly, were returning quietly to their
boat when they were challenged by a sentry;
they protested quietly against his insulting
language, whereupon he wounded one of them,
and, calling assistance. forcibly arrested them
and caused their confinement for nearly tw en-
ty.four hours.
The Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs
made an investigation Of the case, and from
the sworn testimony of the Englishman who
kept the hotel at which the three officers had
been dining. learned that the officers had been
drinking deeply and were very drunk. Other
witnesses swOre that the three officers were
noisy and ms, lied passers by on the street; that
tho sentry rpnnaStp1 Them TO re quiet. where
upon they insulted him; and. finally, that they
were not in uniform, and refused 10 give their
As a Dago's Investigation is worthless, and
as even an Englishman is a liar II he says what
Christie ignored the Brazilian explanation and
demanded the dismissal oi two brazilian off:
GERS, the rcprimnnding OF several others, and
the severe punishment. of the sentry.
All this had taken time. on Dec. 8; 1862;
said that he insisted on a definite and definitive
answer by Dec. 20. lie did not get an answer.
but on Dec. 20 the Brazilian Government re-
piled, setting forth again the results of its in
vestigation, and refusing to make any further
exclamation in the Latter OF the officers Of the
Forte. and qualifying its previous offer of com.
pensation in the Prince OF Wales matter by
saying that It would pay any indemnity only
On Dec. 80 Mr.. Christie posted a notice on
the doors Of the British consulate seemingly
mentI that the Brazilian Government having
refused the satisfaction demanded; Admiral
Warren; o r. n, h had been IN INSTRUCTED Inst sam, to to, retail sWar.
rem, with the cruisers %Stromboli and Curfew.
had left the harbor Of RE. on the SAM day
to Rio of the capture of IA Brazilian vessel by
the British squadron. There was great excite
,g mSn' 9, IN is a. the GlsSs t wmlGn in retarned w wish ,h Ds
report that the squadron had seized six Brazilian
tSsie s.rS S%s G we're rsS Worth t s ESQ ,ooc. ~ The in Mltn
nation In Brazil was intense. Meetings were
held to protest asainst the action Of the British
the foreign residents. even the. British civil
ians, said that Mr.. Christie had gone too far.
The German residents, made a formal protest.
So great was the popular Indignation that the
Emperor had to address the people urging
them to maintain peace and do nothing rash.
Lists Of volunteers were opened and filled i'm
mediately; a popular loan was opened. and
bankers and business Arms in Brazil.
ON the same day. Jan. Il, 1863. Mr.. Christie,
'eemingly rather alarmed, proposed to the Bra
lillian Government that he should return the
ak vessels, that Brazil should pay, under pro-
test, TO the owners of the Prilce of Wales
the Kine Of the BeIgians should be asked to de-
eide whether the treatment of the officers of
the honor of the British navy. The Brazilian
relations between treat Britain and the en-
pire became more pacific.
But the popular excitement still ran high.
The, Municipal Chamber of Rio ,Janeiro for.
fer their patriotic action. Political differences
were forgotten. At a meeting of the commit
tee To solicit subscriptions In case # foreign
var, held ut the house of Viscount %Ipanema.
the secretary was the leader of the Ultra itadi-
cal Republican party. AT this meeting the
major domo OF the Emperor announced his Mai
esty's subscription Of $4,000 francs u month
for SO long u time as it might be needed. the
! Empress's subscription of 10000 francs, and
5000 francs a month, and the subscription OF
each Of the imperial PrinCcsses of 5000 francs
a month. The number of volunteers increased
daily; tho Emperor inspected the forts and
urged on the work; and every means was taken
to put the empire In shape for war.
On Feb. ~, 1869, the Brazilian Minister In
London paid the Prince Of Wales indemnity
TO the British Foreign Secretary under pro-
te,t. About the same time u question as to
Mr.. Christie's authority was asked IN the
House of Commons, and Mr., Austin Henry
L.ayard, then II member Of the Government,
replied that In every act the British Minister
TO brazil had proceeded under instructions
from the Foreign ONCE. On May ~ the Bra
lillian Minister In London closed his legation,
and on June u Mr., Christie left Rio Janeiru,
Hut BrnHil's hour OF triumph was near. on
June Is the King or the b~elgians decided On
tirely in favor Of Brazil, that the arrest OF tho
/ three officers of the Forte was proper, and did
not cOnstltute.Rn insult TO tho honor Of the
british navy. His Mnicsty's decision WAS
approved In every country ,of Europe even
Portugal, more bound to Great Britain by ties
of gratitude than 10 Brazil by ties Of blood,