The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-01-26
BRAZILIAN NAVY
loses BIG Vessel
lRONCLAD AQUIDABAN Is SUNK
BY EXPLOSION OF A POWDER
MAGAZINE.
Loss of Life Is Enormous-A Total of
GIG Officers and Men, Including
Four Admirals Killed or Drowned,
and SO Are Wounded.

Rio Janeiro, Jan. 23.-rhe Brazilian
turreC ship Aquidaban has been sunk
at Port Jacarepagua as the result of an
explosion. The vessel practically was
demolished. 1t sank almost instantly.
The cruiser Barosa has arrived here
from Port Jacarepagua with those in
jured by the explosion of the Aquida-
ban. The Aquidaban blew up at 10:45
O'Clock Sunday night. Nearly all the
officers were killed or injured. The
dead number 212 and the injured Sc.
Four Admirals Perish.
Four rear admirals persisted on the
Aquidaban, which had been used for
the accommodation of a number of
navy officers and men attached to the
fotilla escorting the cruiser Barroso.
The Barroso had on board the minis
ter OF marine and his staff, who were
inspecting sites for new arsenal. The
explosion occurred in the powder
magazine The vessel sank in three
minutes.
The following members of the COM
mittee which left the arsenal on board
the -iquidaban accompanying the min
lister of marine, were drowned: Rear
Admiral Rodrigo Jose da Rocha Rear
Admiral Francisco Calheiros da Graca,
Rear Admiral Joao Candida Brazil,
and Capt. Alves de Larrigo. Two COM
mandeTs, two German photographers
and one reporter also were drowned.
No Chance for Life.
The information in hand shows that
none of the sailors or officers had a
chance for life. The center of the big
engine of war was hurled outward and
upward. Men were thrown high into
the ar, to fall stunned or mangled in
to the sea. Spars fell among the men,
but most of the latter were unable to
grasp at anything in an effort to keep
afioat till assistance might arrive.
b Others of the sailors who occupied
portions of the vessel not rent asun-
der by the explosion jumped into the
ocean and sought TO swim from the
shattered hull far enough not to be
drawn down in the vortex produced by
it's sinking. So rapidly did the vessel
sink, however. that few were able to
take more than few strokes.
One Officer Saved.
Fire burst from the center of the
ship simultaneously with the explos-
ion, and while the vessel settled the
flames arose in the splintered decks.
One or two small boats were launched
by the coolest heads. but these were of
little avail in saving life. One of them
was swamped by the crowd that
jumped into it in the panic on board.
Another put off with one officer and
several sailors inside and managed to
make land. Smaller warships and
merchant craft near the scene of the
disaster steamed out as swiftly as pos
sible TO pick up possible survivors.
They found few, so sudden and COM
plete was the wreck of the Aquidaban.
The Aquidaban was of 1850 tons
displacement and 6,200-horse power,
She was built in England in 1885 at q
cost of 1,725, 900. she had five torpedo
tubes. Her crew numbered $50 officers
and men.
In the Brazilian revolution the Aqui-
dabon played prominent part. She
was tCrpedoed and sunk by the Sam
paio and when lifted she was renamed
the White QuartO de Mao. This name
however was discarded later and the
vessel given her original name.
~@~D~aa-a. 49, xA,~1u