The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-04-27
BROWNSON'S SMILE.
A STORY OF THE COMMANDER THAT
sAlLoRMeN LOVE TO TELL.
How the Detroit Brokc Up what tho in-
surxent Admiral Gated n "Biockadc."
An incident That ricaacs Men who
Have sccn smiling Men right

An incident That ricaacs Men who
Have sccn smiling Men right.
II wns IN January. 1894. TINT tho
civil war IN Brazil was coming 10 u cli-
max In tho hnrbor ut Rio. Admiral da
CANA of the insurgents was In tho hnr-
bor with several ships. Of war. Tho gov
ernmcnt held the city. hut while tho in
surgcnt admiral held the water no ship.
ping could 20 up IN tho front ms long M
he said IL couldn't. and ho said no
Various governments were affected by
this embargo blockade" tho admiral
called IL. Great Britain was concerned
chiefly, but the United States wns a
good second. with Germany and other
nations as well.
Europe looked to America TO do some.
thing in the matter and was naturally
diflidcnt about interfering In family
rows on this side of tho wnter At last
Admiral Bcnhnm was sent down 20 take
charge of the United States fleet in Rio
harbor The flagship was the San Fran
cisco, aud ON sunday, Jan. 2S, Admiral
Benhnm called on his captains to come
aboard. Among them was Commander
Brownson of the Detroit II is said that
after the conference this commander
came back to his ship smiling However
that may be- he certainly smiled next
morning just after O'Clock that even
ing-it was calm ms could he, almost
the Yankee naval ships were seen To he
in hustle. The canvas awnings faded
away, md in the night certain sounds
were heard aboard them, mt which vnri-
Gus listeners put their hands cup shaped
behind their ears to listen harder. On
the morning of the Goth thcro was u
change in the appearance of the Yankee
fleet IL had taken oil its coat, waist
coat and shirt, so to speak, and was just
eying itself when day dawnod To SEQ
how good its training had been.
The insurgent ships Aquidaban and
Tamandarc were up the bay above vi
ana island with their cables short,
ready to trip. The Trajano and Guiana
bara, na we'll as the fleet of armed tugs,
were crowded with men from the gar
risons Of Cobras and Nillegalgon. Tho
Liberdadc few the little blue onfiLn,
lying with the Trajano and Guanabara
north of Enchados island, II few yards
from the American bark Amy, one of
the boats kept out by the blockade. The
Parahyba was lying with its teeth. so
to speak, ut the throat Of the Yankee
barkentine Good News,
Commander Brownson on the Detroit
got his ship under way, having hoisted
anchor at O o'clock, and headed toward
the city between Enchados and Cobras
islands. Her crew was at Ter guns,
and as eager lot of men ne one could
see anywhere ut that time. Tho anchor
got foulod in the Detroit's hawse hole,
and that was ample excuse for proceed
ing slowly. which was convenient,
while couple of insurgent tugs made
snuttor ut tho northern littorul of tho
city, as they had been doing long
time After couple of men had been
killed aboard the tugs they drew back,
and tho Detroit, with everything clear,
rounded Euchados island and came
along starboard side to starboard Of the
TraJano. The men looked through their
sights and then up Mt Commander
Brownson Gu tho bridge The story of
what they saw is tradition in tho
navy now aud always will be SO long as
men like Brownson are in command.
The commander was smiling.
A man OH the Trajano raised mus.
ket and fired bullet over the heads of
sailors pulling away in boat with a
line from tho Amy to ship ut anchor
that the Amy might be warped to the
forbidden docks. Two heavy insurgent
tugs came around with their rams
pointed ut the side of the Detroit. On
the San Francisco the red flag of battle
had been run up to the fore truck in
stops. A quartermaster stood with his
hand OH tho halyards eager to break it
out, with his eyes fixed OH the admiral,
who was looking at the Detroit for the
sign which would cause him to give the
quartermaster the order 80 ardently de.
sired
When the insurgent shot was fred,
Commander Brownson turned to the
gunner at a one FOUNDER, and with o
scarcely perceptible increase of the
p smile ordered the man to shoot into the
Trajano ut the water line six feet abaft
the stern. The order was misunder-
stood, and the shot went across the in
surgents' bow. Thereupon Captain
Brownson hailed:
"Trajano, ahoyr' he shouted. "If
you fire again, | will return the fire,
and il you persist will sink you"
The Trajanos crews were excited. II
nervous finger had pulled trigger,
the fight would have been ON.
Eut-the shot did not sound, The sail
ors ON the Amy's yawl waited to see
what they were to do next.
"You 60 ahead" Commander Brown
son shouted, land I'll protect you'll"
The sailors went.
'Aim at the Guanabaral' ordered
Commander Brownson. And the greasy
black muzzles of the Detroit's broadside
and the two pivot guns swung around,
looking bigger and bigger every mo.
ment, till they stopped, leveled at the
rruiser One particularly nervous gun