Evening star., 1895-10-21
Official Announcement Of England's
Demand of Venezuela.
LONDON PAPERS EXPECT NO TROUBLE
Think It Will Be the Corinto Affair
Repeated.
DIS CU SSING THE FORCES


many reports in circulation regarding the
zuela the following official announcement
was made today:
In consequence of Venezuela not offering
an apology or reparation for the Urlan
incident the Marquis Of Salisbury has
taken steps to inform her 20 what repa-
ration Great Britain requires. Bat as
relations between the two countries have
been broken off for some years the COM
munication was rot sent through the di-
rect diplomatic channel AS the docu-
ment has not reached its destination 1t Is
not considered desirable to give details of
its contents. But it is couched in forcible
terms and points out that Great Britain
will not permit Venezuela to overstep the
boundaries marked by the course of the
rivers Cuyune and Amacura, but is willing
that the question of the other disputed
territory should be submitted to arbitra-
ton.
Verezuela appears to be well equipped
to withstand a hostile movement. Her
chief ports fortified. La Guayra is the
chief port, md half of the entire customs
are received there. 1t is we'll protected by
heavy guns set on hill back of the town.
Porta Cabello is the next Iort of import
ance. 1t has powerful fortress at the en-
trance of the harbor. MaracaiDo, next in
impG rtance, has a fortress and an outer
bar. over which warships drawing more
than ten feet could not pass. Ciudad-Bo-
hvar is also well protected. These are the
only ports at which the British would be
likely to makeA demonstration.
VenezueIa's Troops.
The Venezuelan troops are strongly arm
ed. President Crespo has purchased from
Germany $4,000 of the latest pattern of
Mauser rifles and forty large pieces of ord
nance. including Krupp and rapid-fre guns.
The last showing of military force made by
Venezuela was in the revolution of 1892,
when GO,O00 men were in the field. Gen.
Crespcs troops at that time numbered 3d.
900. 1t is believed by officials that 10000
to 10000 men are available today, and
these are equipped with the best Of Mauser
guns and heavy ordnance.
At the State Department..
The official statement from London fails
to elicit any res ,onsive statement from the
State Department, and the officials, under
Secretary Olney's II structions, persist in
preserving an absolute silence upon the
whole subject Of the Venezuelan affair.
much as they can of the British position
without disclosing our own stand.
There is some reason to believe that there
Is a disposition on the part of the British
foreign office to shift the issue, If it is pos
sible to do 30. and without relinquishing
any ground directly upon the boundary
dispute. to make the main issue their de-
mand for reparation for the treatment ac-
corded the colonial chief Of police at Cruan
some months ago. This might result in a
repetition of the Corinto affair, and. as the
United States admitted in that case that a
nation had right to demand reparation
for an insult to the national honor, the
United States thus might be placed In a
position where it could find with difficulty
a reason for interference. even though the
real motive for the demand might be de-
o1f, Tl,;tn irf- nI,.ir tn ba
disputed territory. For this reason the last
development of the case Is being watched
with some uneasiness here.
The Ultimatum Unexpected.
The utimatum reports, exclusively cabled
to the Associated Press, were a complete
surprise to the Venezuelan officials in Lon
don. A representative of the Associated
Press had an interview with Acting Consul
Burch, representing Venezuela, who said
that the statement that the ultimatum mad
been sent through Senior ROdrigueS, the for
mer consul general here for Venezuela, was
ridiculed Senior Rodrigues. he added, Was
at present at Caracas. where he went a year
ago at the expiration of his term Of office.
Mr.. Burch added:
"The crisis was so unexpected that my
UNCLE Mr.. N. Geach Burch, the vice con-
sui and acting consul general for Vene-
1uela, left London a fortnight ago on a
three months pleasure trip to South
Africa. Neither he nor have received any
communication with the Marquis of Sails
bury or any other member of the govern
ment which would lead to the belief that
an ult,matum was TO be presented to
Venezuela. The dispute between the re-
public and Great Britain is of fifty years
standing, and comes up periodically. But
we had not the least idea there was any,
thing critical in it. We did receive papers
from the late government on the subject,
which were duly forwarded to President
Crespo.
s'RIif We have po%~raoa;,ad ,,,thtr- S-..
the Marquis of Salisbury. Diplomatic re-
latons between Venezuela and Great
Britain have been broken since 1885, and
from that time England has not had
representative at Caracas. But If an ulti-
matum has been sent it might have gone
through Consul Boulton at Caracas. or the
German minister there In any case we
nave not heard anything of it,
The Globe, discussing the same matter
says: we are strongly of the opinion that
so far as the United States is concerned
the statement of the New York Post repre-
sents the final word of wisdom in regard to
the Venezuelan dispute"
Alleged Interview With Bayard,
The Exchange Telegraph Company sent
out a report of an interview which one of
its representatives has had with the United
States ambassador. Mr.. Thomas F. Bayard.
pre- badly receive an immediate answer
from the Marquis of Salisbury on the Ven
ezuela question, and that the United States
would be quite satisfied if it's overtures led
to negotiations for the resumption of the
consideration of the frontier dispute.
The United States ambassador Is also
said to have informed the representative
of the exchange telegraph company that
the United States can DO nothing regard
Ing the Marquis of Salisbury's demand for
an indemnity from Venezuela.
PARIS. October 21.-The Figaro today
commenting on the Venezuelan situation
remarks: ''The utimatum habit that Great
Britain is acquiring may be prejudicial to
the cause of general peace"
Neither the British embassy nor the Vene-
zuelan legation today received further in
forma ton on the ultimatum, and they are
depending on the press dispatches for their
information. The terms of the ultimatum
are being awaited with interest
WAR NOT LIKELY
Senator Davis Thinks m Firm Attitude