The New York herald., 1870-07-24
vENE ZUELA.

G,suistsou of Affairs mt Porto BeIlO-The Port
BIsckadcd-The Castle In Possession Of the
G;overumest-Thc City Held by the RevO.
lustouists-The Blockade Of Caracas Rhised.
WASHINGTON, July "a. 1870.
the Navy Department is In receipt OF the follow
lng communication from the commander OF the
United States steamer Swatara relative to the con-
alton OF affairs in Venezuela
STR have the honor to submit the following re-
port OF my visit to Puerto Cabello. Venezuela, In
obedience to your order OF the 10th OF June:-I got
City at half-past four p M. on the 10th ult, and
proceeded under steam and sail to Puerto Cabello.
anchored on that port on The Gath ult. Before an
choring an oricia came on board with the
compliments OF the commander OF the castle and
e inform me that the harDor was closed and the port
inside TO communicate with the city. Immediately
communicated with our Consul, MIR. Lacombe. and
fo0eived from him the same Information which you
have In copy OF his letter to the Consul at st.
Thomas, under date OF June 7. Since that time
the oontesting parties. The city was deserted by
two-thrds OF It's inhabitants Nearly all OF the
stores closed and business almost entirely sus
pended. found no foreign man-of-wsr in the port
The North German gunboat Meteor, which had been
fnere since the trouble commenced, commenced nad gone 70
possession OF the government party numbering
about two hundred and atty, under the command
she possession OF the revolutionary party, number
Ing about three hundred, under the command Of
castle, as the revolutionary party have artillery
that can silence It, The First and Second Vice Pre-
present seat of government and OF the revolution.
The governmsnt party here have the steamers
-FOUR or five small schooners was unable to find
out what batteries these vessels have. Ihelr
aSssi r. re gun G the we're pSed
10 be In bad condition. They were in use
q Maraca.bo and La Quayra the blockade & OF
Puerto Cabel.o do not consider efrectua, as the
greater part Of the time there are no war vessels
there TO enforce IT. The castle. closes the Inner
range OF the guns OF the castle and discharge their
Cargoes on the beach, The only war vessel tnat
saw here up 70 the rs1 oI ya WAS Scno0ner one tSa o
representation OF the foreign merchants OF Puerto
Cabello that owing TO the heavy rains and the lack
seized by the rebels, the ships then in harbor
could not receive hsr sr By ne LIST
70 leave tie port, l called In company with
our Consul on General Hernandez, the commander
Of the castle, and informed him OF the trouble that
the merchants were in ana the great loss they
would suffer If they were not allowed to ship their
cargoes already purchased, and requested that the
pressed desire 10 accommodate the merchants,
And extended the time OF clearance TO the 10th OF
commander OF the revolutionary party In the city,
and informed him that the castle had granted an
a% % e G ba e m IN e es
IN the way OF their so doing. gave both parties
distinctly to understand that while IN their port
nhould remain strictly neutral, and that did not
wish to interfere In their political troubles, unless 1t
became necessary for the protection OF citizens OF
the United States.
On the 2Sth ult. the French steamer Talisman, six
gums, arrived al Puerto Cabell0 from Martinique to
look after French.interests. Sne sailed the same
French m0il steamer by one Of the Venezuelan
bteamers of that port On the I'd inst the German
Eunboat Meteor arrived and left the same day for
caracas. The German commander informed me
lhat he had raised the blockade at Laguayra and
1he Venezuelan gunboars out OF those waters He
Uniformed me thar he was acting under the orders OF
the diplomatic corps at Caracas, which BODY had
tefused to recognize the blockade, and that 1t had
0s0 given orders to the French steamer Talsman to
bpp0ee IL by force II necessary.