Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-01-18
'(TI%H Of ARMS Imminent.
M United States May Fight
Venezuela.
MARINES ARE TO BE LANDED
n. SCORPION Ordered to eo""o.' -. 20
Il .v.ns the Illegal Expulsion OF the
u,sez Company from Its Asphalt
..:on-War Clouds.

washington, D. c., Jan. 1S.-Force
u,,,, he employed by the United States
y nrevent illegal expulsion of the New
\ Work and Bermudez company from lts
.snha1t concession in Venezuela. Ma
.,nes will be landed to aid the COM
cows men in holding the concession
- tho situation warrants 1t, and the
North Atlantic squadron, consisting
:, two battleships under the command
~ Rear Admiral Farquhar, Is held IN
readiness to proceed at an instants
not;ce to reinforce the Scorpion, now
in venezuelan waters. Bloodshed Will
10 averted If possible. though 1t Is ap-
.orent that events are hurrying on
.,osh of arms, and this catastrophe
can only be prevented by the abandon
nont by the Venezuelan government
~ the policy of expelling the company
which it evidently is determined TO
pursue.
OA7cials of the administration do not
,oncea1 their concern over the situa-
tion in Venezuela. Unofficial though
rel;ahle adyices were received here an
,ouncine that the revolution Is IN
creasins at Guanoco and the govern
ment is preparing to gain possession
~ the arms Of the New York and Ber-
mudez company. This information was
N. cause Of a conference between AS
distant Secretary OF State Hill and
& commander Cowles, acting chief OF the
bureau of navigation. AS result OF the
conference the Scorpion was ordered TO
leave La Guayra and proceed at once
to Guanoco.
1ieutenant-C Commando Nathan Sar-
cent, the commanding officer OF the
Scorpion, has been directed to protect
American interests, to land men II the
situation requires such action, but to
avoid bloodshed if possible. Minister
yLoomis will be apprised Of these i'll
Instructions and will communicate them
Ito the Venezuelan government. Mr..
lIoomis was instructed to use his good
Notices to secure the return to the ORR
(noco Shipping and Trading company
Of two steamers impressed by the Ven
ezuelan government for operations
against the revolutionists. In view OF
the information received it Is believed
by the authorities that the use the two
vessels we're to be put to had connec-
ton with the proceedings against the
concession Of the New York and Ber-
mudez company. Mr.. Fulido. the Ven
ezuelan charge d'affaires, deeply re-
kgrets that the incident has reached the
stage of seriousness the newspapers re-
bort. He said:
II have heard nothing on the sub
Fleet from my government. With regard
| to the impressment of the two steam
ers, may say that they fly the Vene-
zuelan flag, and, as the United States
did during the war with Spain, the gov
eminent took possession Of them be-
cause an emergency required such &C
ton"
a The emphatic statement is made that
the United States cannot afford to per-
nit its citizens to be deprived OF their
property and rights without due proc
ess of law. and If the New York and
Bermudez company is ousted from its
concession, Notwithstanding the assist
ance which the Scorpion will lend, rep
aration will be exacted. The authori-
ties do not want to wage war upon a
small country like Venezuela, but Pres
ident de Crespo is pursuing course
which is likely to bring about a con-