The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-27
Battle I'm Rio HarbOr.

10 tue EultOf il II GNtHihB ptdia '
What was the disturbance in Rio Janeiro
harbor in 1894 wherein the United States
warships were engaged? X. w.
1.-THE famous Battle of ~uchadas oc-
CURED on January 20, 1894, in Rio Janeiro
harbor, where Evans's men have just been
feted. Admiral Willard II. Brownson,
whose controversy with Mr.. Roosevelt has
given him notoriety, was in of
the Detroit. The naVa forces of Brazil
were in rebellion against the executive
authority of the republic and their fleet
lay anchored off the city of Rio. Occa-
sionally exchanging shots with the govern
ment forces on land. The port was block
AIDED. The bay was filled with the ships
of several nations loaded with cargoes
which they were not permitted to dis
charge. Commerce between Rio and the
rest of the world was completely sus-
pended, and the owners of the merchant
ships were suffering heavy losses as well
as serious embarrassment because OF the
detention. There was also a formidable
fleet of men-of-war from England, France,
Germany, Italy and the United States ly-
ing at anchor up the bay idly awaiting
Developments. This situation had been toll
rated for more than six months, when
the late Admiral A. IL. X. Benham, of the
United States Navy, arrived to take COM
mand of the American squadron, which
consisted of the cruisers New York, san
Francisco, Charleston and Newark and
the gunboats Detroit and Yantic. Ills flag
had been floating from the topnlast Of
the San Francisco but two days when
something began to happen. He sent for
the masters of four American barques
that had been anchored for six months or
so in the little hay of Dnchadas. in the
harbor of Rio, waiting for permission TO
discharge their cargoes of provisions and
-four, and told them to put their COM
plants in writing, so that haS could have
son etbing to act upon. Two of them
complained that they had been fired upon
by the insurgent ships while the United
States flag was floating from their masts.
After letters had passed between Admiral
Benham and the insurgent commander re-
lating to this matter, Admiral Benham an
nounccd that he proposed to send the
| American baruues into the harbor under a
naval convoy. The next morning Brown
son cleared the Detroit for action and,
followed by an American merchantmen
i started through the long lane of Brazil
ian warships. The rebel ships cleared foi
action as the American craft approached
One of them fired a shot across the De
troit's bow to stop her. But Brownson
didn't stop. He kept right on, and wher
within hailing distance Of one of thu
armorclads he sans out in Spanish:
"If you fire again we'll return the fire
and if you respond to that we'll sink YOU
Another shot from the Brazilian was
fired close to the Detroit. Hit her be
tween wind and water" commanded
Brownson to the captain of a six-pounder
but the man mistook and fired over th'
battleship. Then Brownson sailed TN
Detroit close up to the Brazilian. As thu
Detroit completed her maneuvering Brown
son turned to a marine and said: "Pu
a musket ball in her sternpost." II thu
Brazilian had responded she could hav'
blown the Detroit out Of the water. Blu
she did not.
That last shot ended the blockade anc
incidentally the revolution.-Ed.1