The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-12-19
VENEZUELAN TERRITORY.
Reasons for German and English
Activity.

Inc cause OF Tue COuuICG UGLY
Venezuela on one side and Gres
Britain and Germany on the other
is of long standing. 1t grows on
of claims made by the govern
] ments of Germany and Great Brit
ain for losses sustained by thei
respective citizens by revolution
and disturbances. For q numbe
of years past Venezuela has beer
in condition of chronic revolu
ton, and in the progress OF thes'
revolutions the property of for
eigners has been destroyed and APP
propriated at will by one or The
other party to the warfare. This
has proceeded until the damages
have aggregated considerable
sum, but to all opportunities the
Venezuelan government has given
little attention, and has taken nc
steps toward bringing about set
Element.
In the case of Great Britain the
aggregate damages are not SO great
as those of Germany, the claims OF
the latter being about 50, 100000.
The claims are divided into two
classes. Those of the first class
are divided into two divisions. The
first division consists of claims for
the destruction and appropriation
of property by the insurgents and
government forces. In this are
included the destruction of planta-
tions and buildings and the appro-
priation of movable property. The
insistence upon adjustment of this
class of claims has been more urg-
ent than in regard to the others.
The second division consists of
claims for losses sustained and
damage done to the Legitimate COM
MERGE and trade of the Germans
and British resulting from embar-
goes, and, in many cases, of abso-
lutte confscation of merchandise in
transit and in store.
The second class embraces Ger
man claims alone. These are for
payments overdue to Berlin
banking house for money loaned
for the construction of railroad,
the Venezuelan government hav-
ing guaranteed the payment. These
claims amount to some SIT, 000,000
This class of claims, however, was
not pressed and does not enter into
the immediate cause of the present |
trouble.
Germany and Great Britain have
oeen striving earnestly for years
% induce Venezuela to negotiate
or the settlement of the first class.
President Castro has declined to
enter into negotiations, either d.
'ectly with the two governments
concerned, or by international arbi-
rattan, and insists that they be
'eferred to a tribunal of his own
His attention has been
directed to the fact that the claims
# the French government, similar
0 those of Germany and Great
Britain, were referred to an inter
ational tribunal; but to the re-
Gest that similar method should
'e adopted for the adjustment of
1erman and British claims, Castro
as uniformly declined to accede.
RELATION OF GOVERNMENTS.
Secretary Hay has been made to ,
Understand that in the arbitration,
{ one should follow, he would rep
esent not the government of the
United States, but that of Venez ,
ella, at its request. i
1t is realized here that the out '
ONE is very doubtful, and the
7ay is beset with difficulties. If
be claims against Venezuela were q
My those of Great Britain and a
fermany, the adjustment might be f
asler, but France and Italy, the '
United States and perhaps other Y
atoms also have claims, and they C
annot accept any arrangement Il
'hich Great Britain and Germany t
light force upon Venezuela which +
ould deprive them of their right g