Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-25
EXPLOSION AND SINKING OF HIS
ToRic AouIRADAN A HoRRl-
BILE TRAGEDY
THE DEAD NUMBER 1856
In Addition to These Thlrty-six Men
Were Injured When the Aquidaban
Was Sunk on sunday-vessel Had
an Interesting Hlstory-Was Rebel
Flagship.

| show that the armored cruiser Aquiba-
dan, whose loss was reported by the
Associated Press yesterday, carried to
the bottom 1876 people when it sank at
Port JacarepaguasSa Saturday as the re-
suit OF the explosion Of its powder
magazine. Thirty-six were injured.
Nearly all the officers were killed or
injured,
Four Rear AdmiraIs Killed.
Among the dead are four officers
high in rank in the Brazilian navy
They are:
Rear Admiral Jose da Rocha.
Rear Admiral Francisco Calherros
da Graca.
Rear Admiral Joas Candida Brazil.
Capt. Alves de Larrigo.
Two commanders, two German pho
among the dead.
Selecting Arsenal Site.
The presence of so many high Off
GERS on board is explained by the fact
that the minister of marine and his
staff were making visit of inspection
of the various ports in Rio Janeiro
bay to select site for new arsenal.
The minister was on board the cruiser
Barroza, but owing to It's limited ac-
Communications a number Of rear adj
mirals of his staff were given quarters
on board the Aqiubadan.
4 Port Jacarepagua is in Rio Janeiro
bay, seventeen miles southwest of the
city of Janeiro The explosion occurred
as the squadron was at anchor and it's
cause has not been ascertained. The
Aquibadan sank in three minutes.
The cruiser Barrosa has arrived here
with the injured on board.
| Was Historic Flagship.
The armored cruiser Aquidaban
4 was the flagship of Admiral Mello's
fleet during his sensational rebellion
! against Brazil in 1893 and 1894. 1t was
4 the Aquidabans which, during that re
4 bellion, nearly brought on naval en-
i gagement with the famous American
white squadron" under Rear Admiral
Benham In the harbor Of Rio Janerio
Mello was minister Of marine in the
Brazilian cabinet and the idol of the
Brazilian navy. The navy, after a Sc
ries Of political intrigues had deposed
President Fonseca and elevated Peix
y. 4
ed to grant immunity to naval others
concerned with the rebellion in the
! province Of Rio Grande do Sui, and
Mello in anger resigned from the cab
i met.
!, On September 5, 1903, Rear Admiral
! Mells went on board the cruiser Aquid
i aban in Rio Janerio Iarbor and hoisted
j the flag of rebellion. He was Joined
4 by the entire Brazilian fleet of ten
cruisers and ginboats and six torpedo
boats.
j MelIo Sends an uItimatum,
4 The next day Mello sent an ultimat
UNI to Peixoto demanding his resigna
ton. Peixoto refused, and civil wal
followed in which the army and the
forts remained loyal to Peixoto.
i The rebellion, the most novel OF its
kind in the history Of the new world
was watched with keen interest by
all the powers. The United States
4 England. France, Italy, Spain an6
i Portugal all sent fleets to Rio Janiere
harbor to protect the interests of theil
respective citizens. and each of these
4 nations, at one time or another during
Il Lie ClVll Wal, Was ASdliy uadWA iuCS
the conflict on one side or the other
Fouy members Of the Brazilian gov
eminent who had joined the Mello re
i bellion took refuge on board the
Aquidaban and set UP a}"provisiona
i government under Mello's presidency
The cruiser was the capital of this pro
visional government and its first act
was to conquer a landing place in or
der to secure a foothold on shore.
Mello's feet bombarded the port q
Metheroy in the bay Of Rio Janiero or
/ September Is, 1893 and this = attack
was repeated at intervals and unit
Mello succeeded in capturing mum
j Der Of forts, thus obtaining a capita
on shore.
i Plot to Torpedo Cruiser Falls.
i The cruiser Aquibadan was the main
strength Of the rebellion and Presi
dent Peixoto anxiously sought its de
i struction.s, His forts wasted vast guam
: titles of shell in the repeated efforts
to sink the Aqufbadan, but the ship
heavily armored, usually came un
scatched from every engagement.
I Finally Peixoto hired an American
1 sailor to torpedo the Aquibadan. The
American made elaborate prepare
\ lions, securing a torpedo large
enough to blow the rebel cruiser Out
i Of the water. The torpedo was