Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-25
klNDEsT OF FEELINGS
Entertained by Venezuela Toward
United States Government.

Caracas, Nov. 24.-Discussing Venez-
uela's foreign relations DIR. Lopez
Paralt minister of interior said IN an
interview: Towards the United States
Venezuela entertains the kindliest 1eei-
ings of friendship and she remembers
with gratitude the attitude OF the great
repubIic in the past, Venezuela is de-
,armired so far as she is concerned,
that nothing shall occur to disturb In
the slightest degree the existing I'M
darstanding with the American Legal
ton and the friendly relations between
the two countries. Venezuela has
nothing to complain of regarding the
wav in which the various unimportant
ouestions have been treated and except
for some uending questions her foreign
rela lions have been of a cordial char
acter.
The English government at Trinidad
published a few days ago an official de-
cree declaring the blockade of the ORR
noco null and void If there is any
place where the blockade is effective it
is the Orinoco for besides the land de-
fences we have maintained several
gunboats, which have efficiently per-
formed there all duties pertaining to a
blockade.
1.-The English, too. are inconsistent,
for while one journal ut Trinidad pub
fishes the decree declaring the blockade
to be ineffective the Mirror, another
publication insists that Venezuela is
Loyalty fulfilling her internatiOnIl duty
in this respect. The British sloop of
war Fantomc entered the OrinoCo with
out permission and President Castro
has directed a protest against this m
f-ineament on Venezuelan sovereignty.
II has been recognized that the princi-
pal foreign ships shall ask permission
to enter the mouth of the river, ana
we cannot understand the disregard OF
this rule. A similar protest mas been
sent regarding the action of the Ger
man warship Panther. which also en-
tered the OrinocO without permission.
Another act which has provoked
establishment was the hosting OF the
British flag on the island of Patos.
NeneZlIela's right to this island can not
be questioned: geographically, hstori-
cally and politically il is Venezuelan
territory. With the island of Trinidad
it was recognized as forming part OF
the old Spanish colony by the treaty of
Amiens. Trinidad was coded to Great
Britain but Patos island remained and
was recognized as an integral part oil
Venezuela. The English claim to Patos
island was based on the act of the for
mer Spanish governor which was not
recognized by Spain. If further evil
dence of Nenezuela's rights were need
ed the fact that the island is situated
scarcely three miles from the Ncn"z-
uelan main land miles from the Nenez-
Trinidad is sufficient. The impreSna-
bility of NcneZuela's position is shown
by tn" facility with which we have re-
Flied to every argument in support of
the British contention advanced by The
minister of that country. Patos island
is Venezuelan and must remain so.
Regarding the relations between
Venezuela and Germany, the minister
said Germany has never given NeneZ-
.uea any animation of its purpose TO
enforce the collection of its pending
claims. President Castro has no intcn-
ton of evading a just obligation con-
tractcd by the government and on the
contrary will meet it loyalty, at the
same time he cannot be expected to
permit any action infringing the rights
and dignity of the government"