The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-12-10
VENEZUELA DEFIANT. All German and British Subjects in Caracas Placed Under Arrest
 Yesterday.
VENEZUELAN FLEET SEIZED
CAPTURED BY THE ALLIED
 WARSHIPS YESTERDAY.

President Castro Declares That He Has Nat Yet Received Any UIti- matum but Merely Simultaneous Re- auests-In a BeiIIcose Mood-On the Other Hand London and Berlin Re- ports State That the matums Ex- pire eTo-day-MInistcr Bowen to LOOk Out for German and English Interests. Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 9.-All Ger man and British subjects in Caracas were arrested to-day.
 London, Dec. 1O-A dispatch from Caracas, Venezuela, dated December g. says:
 The combined British and German fleet to-day (Tuesday) seized the Ven ezuelan feet composed of four war ships, in the harbor of La Guaira.
 It is reported also that an ultimatum will be delivered tomorrow (Wednes- day) asking for an answer and a com- pliance with the demand of the British and German ministers.
 Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 9.-Presi- dent Castro received the correspondent of the Associated Press at Mirafores Palace to-day. In reply to questions , the president said:
 "The Venezuelan government has not received any ultimatum, properly speaking, but rather simultaneous re- quests from Great Britain and Ger many. The claims Great Britain ask this government to settle are small and up to the present time we have not been aware of, them. Never having been presented Venezuela has conse- quently never refused to settle them. Great Britains action is therefore without Justification.
 ",The Venezuelan government cannot decide on foreign claims before the revolution has been entirely crushed. At present the only aim of the gov- ernment is the establishment of pub lie order and other questions must necessarily be subservient to this ob- ject Nevertheless, to prove Vene- zuela's desire to settle all pending claims in conformable manner, the government issued decree during the last session Of congress, dated Novem- Der 18th, creating a committee to which all pending claims should be re- ferred. No claims have been presented to this committee and no claims have been rejected. There has been no de- nial of justice, why, then, should for eign chancellors intervene, thereby ig- noring our laws and endeavoring to violate our national sovereignty? We cannot under this action"
 The correspondent then said to Presi- dent Castro: What do you intend to do in view of the present attitude of the powers?"
 President Castro replied: Enforce our rights and explain to the world that Venezuela has laws"
 The president was then asked what reply the Venezuelan government would make to the requests handed it by the German and British envoys. To this question President Castro replied:
 After reflection the Venezuelan gov ernment is astonished that after the notes which were transmitted to it by the diplomatic representatives of Ger many and Great Britain these envoys should leave Caracas without awaiting the reply of the Venezuelan govern nent."
 The correspondent then asked Presi- dent Castro what course he intended to pursue should the powers declore a blockade. The president excused him. self from answering this question.
 No ultimatum had been delievered to the Venezuelan government up to 2 o'clock this afternoon. Should Vene- zuela refuse or fail to reply to the notes of Great Britain and Germany, it is believed that an ultimatum will then be transmitted by Admiral Douglas, commanding the combined British and German fleets, or by the captain of the British cruiser Retribution.
 Kingston, St. Vincent, Dec. 9.-The British cruiser Indefatigable, which g has arrived here from La Guaira, Ven- ezuela, brings reports that President Castro, of that country, is defiant and indifferent to the threatened blockade. It is asserted that President Castro is prepared even to expel the German and British residents of La Guaira and to close that port
 The Indefatigable left the British cruiser Retribution and the German cruisers Vineta and Gazelle at La Guaira. There are at present five Brit fish men-of-war at Port of Spain, Trim idad, ready to leave there on short mo- tice.
 urA.