The Irish standard., 1902-12-20
REALWAR HAS BEGUN
British and German Guns Bonn.
bard Puerto Cabello.
Fortress Ls Quickly Silenrcd-No
Damage to the City lx Repurte&I-
Alleged Insult to British
Flag the Cause.

la GUNara. Venezuela. Dee. l5.--War
has actually begun in Nenezut la, and
Venezuelan blood has been shed by
the warships OF Germany and Great
Britain.
FOR three-quarterS of an hour Sat-
urday evening the German cruiser
Nineta and the British cruiser Charyb-
dis united in Il hombartlmcnt of Fort
Solano and the Castle l.iber,ador, the
chief harbor defenScs of Puerto Ca
hello.
After reducing the forts to ruins,
dismantling the shore batteries,
Wounding two Venezuelan soldiers and
making Il prisoner of their command
ing officer, the allies took possession
of the castle. and then, leavin" the
dismantied for;itica1ionS. the warships
put back to La GuaEra.
Resistance Iw Feeble.
The Venezuelan garrison made only
feeble resistance to the superior
power Of he cruisers big guns.
This summary action by the COM
manders of the British and German
warships had it's provoca,ion in the
seizure and pillapimg last Wednesday
OF a British tramp steamship lying in
the harbor of Puerto Cabsllo by
Eenezuelan rabble, which subjected
her captain and crew to arrest and
other indignties.
Anxious for Fair Terms.
Under orders from President Castro
everything possible is being done to
prevent violence to subjects of the
foreign allies. Castro and his advisers
believe Germany and Great Britain
have exceeded all right and reason.
They are anxious to reach fair terms
peacefully. but are not willing to for
felt the pride of the republic. 4.
Ordered to leave Caracas.
Caracas. Dec. 17.--'rhe Italian min
ister to Venezuela. Signor de Riva. has
received orders from Rome to leave
Caracas this morning. He will 90 on
board tie Italian cruiser Giovanni
Bausan al La Guayra.
Ultimntum Presented.
Sienor te iiiva, the Italian minister,
prese sentcd l1aly's nltima,um to Nene
zuela a, five O'clock Tuesday after
noon. Ii demands immetsiute pay
ment of $4,000 to meet the Italian
claims arising from former revolu-
tiSns. The ui imnt INN is couchet in
stronger terms than those used i'm the
ultimatum present ed to Venezuela by
Great Britain and Germany. Italy
will take part in future demonstra-
tions against Venezuela. The inter-
ests of Italy in Venezuela will be
placed in the hands of United States
MINISTER Bowen.
Spain and Belgium Act.
Caracas, Dee. 17.--'Ihe Spanish min
lister to Venezuela, Senior Gaytan de
Ayala, and the Belgian charge daft
faires, NJ. Van der lIeyde. have pre-
scented joint letter to the Venezuelan
minister of foreign affairs in which
, they ask, in case the claims of other
| foreign powers are paid by Venezuela
that the same treatment given these
powers be accorded to Spain and Bel
eum.
No Move by britain.
London, Dec. l7.--RepIying to ques-
ton in The hous" Of commons Tues
day Under Foreign Secretary Gran
borne said no attempt had been made
by Great Britain to refer the dispute
with Venezuela to arbitration.
Replying to question i'll the house
of lords Tuesday Lord Lansdowne,
the foreign secretary, said that ii
the seizure of the Venezuelan gun.
boats did not produce the desired ei-
feet further coerciyc Eieasules would
be employed. The matter had beer
considered in consultation with Ger
many and it had been decided TO re.
sort to a blockade of tn. ports. IL
was not intended to land British
force and still less to occupy Ncnc-
Zuelan territory.
Judging from statements given out
by the foreign office the Venezuelan
situation does moi appear to be any
nearer settlement. Up to a fate hou"
no suggestion had been made that
Great Britain could eventually see its
way to submitting its claims to arbi-
tration. The foreign Office appears to
be without official cogniznncc of the
attitude Of the Washington govern
ment, although it is convinced unof-
ticialIy that Washington is anxious
that further hostilitieS be avoided. II
is known that the foreign Office has
made inquiry as TO whether the
United States would be willing to
g,ar"nt ee the fulfilling of VeneZuela's
pledges, either at the immediate ccs-
sa'ion of the present European action
or pending the award of arbit ra tors.
This inquiry resulted in a direct mega
tive from the United States. With the
guarantee of the United States, the
foreign office says, arbitration in the
) Venezuelan matter would be an i'm
mediate probability, but, with only
the word Of government hitherto un-
reliable, arbitration is difficult of ac-
cep,ing even upon the points where
international relations admit of such
a method of settlement.
Robbed n Bank.
Bloomington, H., Dec. 17.-The
bank of Clarence, village of Ford
county, was plundercd of $4,000 by a
gang of four robbers early Tuesday
morning. This is the twelfth bank in
central Illinois that has been robbed
during the year, the aggregate booty
being in the neighborhood of $35 900.
Soldier Murdered.
Chicago, Dec. 17.-Roger Ham
berger, soldier of the Twentieth in
fantry. was murdered at Fort Sheri-
dan by two prisoners whom he was