Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-10-19
TALES OF TIL e AMAZON.


The People of Manaos Thought the Will
.mington on a War Like Errand.
London letter in Chicago Record.
H. j. Fall of Para and Manaos,
Brazil, came over on the Etruria with
me, and told stories about the Amazon
which we're quite worth hearing. For
IA years he has been buying rubber
and Brazil nuts, and incidentally OK
ploring the headwaters of the great
river, with the result that he probably
knows more about that part OF South
America than any one else on earth,
The voyage of the Wilmington up the
in South America than it did at home
When the United States government
decided to send that queer looking
cruiser into the heart OF Brazil there
were formalities to be arranged different
from those for the cruise of the Nash
vile up the Mississippi. The Federal
government of the United States of
Brazil was asked to permit the voyage,
and in duo course acceded to the re-
quest Our Secretary of the Navy, hav-
ing obtained this permission, instructed
the commander of the Wilmington to
sail from Para on certain day. That
day came, and the American man of
war steamed up the river.
That is not the end Of the story. The
Federal government of the Brazilian
Republic had neglected to transmit to
| the State governments along the river
| the fact that this permission had been
asked and granted. The commander of
the Wilmington was informed that tho
| information had not vet been sent out,
but he did not admit that the matter
concerned him. Permission had been
granted by the Brazilian government,
| and the United States government had
told him to 60 ahead. So he went No
one was particularly disturbed till
Manaos was reached, for, though that
city is 1000 miles up the river, ocean
going craft are not novelty there.
1t was when the Wilmington turned
her bow up the river one Sunday and
steamed west from Manaos that the
trouble hogan. The people of that city
resented the action as an affront TIC
their country and an invasion OF theii
territory by hostile force. After the
nleasant fashion Of the hotheaded, they
Immediately proceeded to mob the
United States Consulate. Mr.. Fal
himself, though an Englishman, is the
consular agent of the United States al
Manaos, so it was his office they were
after. He happened to be down the
river himself at the time, SO there
was no one present who took any par
tioular interest in the affair. Meeting
no opposi ton, the mob had little to. dc
but break the windows, make speeches
and go away again. No American flag
was found to tear up or trainple upon
SO that an insult to the national emblem
did not enter into the programme. Ane
all this time the Wilmington was calmly
steaming up the river.
Next day, when the Federal govern
ment of Brazil learned what had hap
pened, apologies were profered with thu
utmost haste, and detailed information
was tclegraphed up the river to th,
OBJECT that the mission of the Viii
mington was peaceful one. under
taken with the full permission ant
approval of the authorities. lfith
incident hau not ended when j
did, the result might have been mucl
more serious, and the Wilmington woul,
have had chance to fight herself gu
of situation quite as trying as tina
dav at Cardenas. No one can douh
that the vessel would have given n goo'
.. account Of herself, with her ligh
draught, ugly fighting top and heav
stern chasers. Queer rs she looks, sh
is just as well adapted for the Amazo
as for those shallow rivers of China TO
which she was planned.