The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-31
VENEZUELA.
News From the Frontier Being Dis
cussed at Caracas.


NEW YORK, Jan. SO.-A letter to the
Herald from Caracas, Venezuela, dated
January 20, says:
Venezuelans are still discussing the
news from the frontier to the effect
that the British authorities had rein
forced the post on the boundary by
! sending 100 men and two cannon. The
news came here by way Of Trinidad
and although there is no positive way
to verify it, there is every reason TO
believe that it is true. Local patriots
are anxious to have their own frontier
armed and in the event Of war to take
the aggressive rather than try to repel
an English invasion The politicians. who
seem to be comparatively few in num-
Der, are doing a great deal Of revolu-
tionary talking and some are anxious
to take advantage of the international
complications to further injure their
country. Several have told me Of
wild plans to upset the government,
but the fact remains that General Cres-
20 has demonstrated his strength and
that the merchants and people are con-
fdent OF the stability of the govern
ment. The president is not, however,
sitting calmly by and waiting to be
attacked. He is taking every possible
means to ferret out enemies and
when he finds them to punish them.
He wants to keep the country in peace
by locking UP those who are trying
TO incite rebellion and keeping the
means OF doing harm as far from them
as he cam Mails are carefully watched
and suspicious correspondence is seized
and examined. The mail that carries
this letter will take to the United States
an order for half dozen steam yachts
for government use. They will be used
for work ON the coast and in the ORR
COCO river and will be armed with
American rapid firing gums.
In the event of war the smaller ones
will be changed into torpedo boats.
visited the other day the largest boat
owned by Venezuela. the Liberator
She has been in the harbor of La
Guayara for a year, and she has not
made any long trip since she took An
duea Palacio out of the country after
his defeat by Crespo. She is a good
vessel, built for the merchant service,
but now sadly in need of repairs. She
has some modern American guns and
could be at once used for coast defense
if her boilers were patched up and
other necessary work done. The gov
eminent intends to buy two or more
cruisers of moderate size, but the de-
IdllS nave not yet De6n arranged. Inc
German claim remains unsettled, and
it is generally believed here that the
government of Germany has written
note to Venezuela demanding prompt
payment. The difficulty arises through
the guarantee of the payment Of per
cent interest on the bonds of a road
between this city and Valencia, con-
structed by Germans. The question Of
watered stock enters into the contro-
very. Rumors that gunbOats would
be sent down here to seize the custom
house have been current off and on for
three months. There is every reason
to believe Senior Brusual Sierra, for
many years counsel for the railroad,
was placed in General Crespo's new
cabinet presumably for the sole pur-
pose of adjusting matters and it is
said that he viii resign as soon as he
has succeeded, az his private law prac-
tice is far more profitable than his
salary as a cabinet officer. hear that
an offer of settlement has been made,
and that the terms were practically
agreed upon, when new complication
arose. The government here proposes
to issue interest bearing bonds in pay
ment of the debt. The Germans think
that they should be allowed to handle
the bonds and make as much as they
can out Of them, whereas the local au-
thorities wish TO place them directly
and turn over the proceeds.