THE CAUSE OF THE QUARREL BETWEEN GERMANY AND BRAZIL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 55, 10 February 1872, Page 3

THE CAUSE OF THE QUARREL BETWEEN GERMANY AND BRAZIL.

A Melbourne correspondent sends us the following translation from the " Australische Deutsche Zeitung: I ' One of the principal items of news received by the present mail consists in the fact that the Emperor of Germany has given orders to send three men-of-war immediately on to Brazil, to demand an apology and an indemnity from the Brazilian" Government for the affront offered to the crew of a German man-of-war. This news had already been received by the Caiifornian mail, and as the Suez mail repeats it, with the addition that these ships have already been despatched to their place of destination, it leaves but little room for doubting the truth of this important communication. We immediately conjectured that the affront for which satisfaction is demanded most likely befell the crew of the Nymphe, which vessel, as we know, stopped there a short time, and from thence came on to Melbourne via the Cape of Good Hope. We arrived at this conjecture from its being circulated by the sailors that a few of the crew had been grossly insulted by the Frenchmen of Rio Janiero in the following manner: —According to the account, they were in a public place, where Frenchmen gradually became more numerous; they began conversation, in which the Germans were abused, with the evident intention of picking a quarrel. For a little while the sailors magnanimously submitted to their empty bragging, all the more so, because strict orders had been given to avoid everything thatniight provoke a collision. This caused the comb of the Brazilian Redtrousers to rise ; they became still more insulting in their language, and at last one of them threw the contents of a glass of wine into the face of a sailor. Now, naturally enough, all patience and forbearance ceased, and a German sailor struck the boasting Frenchman such a blow on the head that it felled him to the ground. Hereupon they all sprang to their feet and threw themselves upon the German sailors, and upon their companions who belonged to Rio Janiero, and although these happened to be in the minority, they quickly and successfully thrashed the French out of the building. Now there appeared on the scene the laudable police of Brazil, whether with or without shoes was not stated, and arrested several sailors, and removed them to prison. The Brazilian Germans desired to attack the police and free the prisoners ; the sailors of the Nymphe, however, conscious of being in the right, would not consent to this, but returned to the ship and gave information. The commauder, so we understand, immediately claimed the prisoners, and demanded an investigation, both of which, however, the authorities refused. The commander saw he was compelled to pay the sum demanded for the release of the sailors ; this he did under a strong protest, and immediately sent word to the German War Department. The prompt reply of this department is shown by the departure of the three men-of-war to demand an apology and the refunding of the money.