Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-15

Of the allies upon their country creates
a deep and disturbing impression here.
The chief oficer Of President Castro's
guard said today:
II there Is to be war. let us know and
we VIII hight. II there rs 70 De onIy an
assault on our coast, where we cannot
reach the allies, the only thing left for
US to do Is to declare that the destruc-
don of a debtors furniture Is a strange
way to force the payment Of his obliga-
lions.
believe this situation will soon come
within the scope OF the Monroe doctrine.
The British legation here will be reopened
tonight under the American flag by W. w.
Russell, secretary OF the American legation.
Mr.. Bowen has laid in quantities Of all
kinds Of provisions so as to be prepared for
any emergency.
The boycotting Of British and German
goods continues. 1he British and German
colleges here, which we're boycotted, have
closed their doors. The University Of Car
acas Is also closed. Priests are preaching for
war.
The note from the commanders OF the al
lied feet, sent to the Venezuelan govern
ment through Mr.. Bowen, concerning Vene-
zuelan vessels leaving La Guayra. is sup
posed to herald a blockade, and the people
OF Caracas are astonished that the govern
ment at Washington remains silent.
Castro Gains POpulace.
The news Of the bombardment Of Puerto
Cabello caused most intense excitement
here. The population hocked in the streets
and tho patriotic demonstration continue.
All night an immense crowd, estimated at
more than 10000, gathered In front Of the
presidential palace and called on President
Castro to appear. Some orators having
advocated reprisals against the foreigners
resident in Venezuela, President Castro in
a rage refused the demands made in the
following speech:
size Of men, is measured only, by their
acts. Those born brave prove their valor
on the battlefield, not against defenseless
citizens, who perhaps are innocent, who
are with US II their hearts and who are
We will seek prisoners for Venezuelan
iails on the battlefield. Our action will be
directed only against those who come
dignation, we must behave as a cultured
and civilized people, especially now, when
the most powerful nations of Europe are
behaving like real savages. 1 counsel the
greatest prudence in order not to abandon
our rights, the justice of our cause and our
The good name of Venezuela must re-
main always secure, whatever emergencies
may arise in the strqggle. II we fan 1t
country will be saved, because the SUI
preme Being above, who sees and directs
all, cannot abandon us in this fatal emer-
gency. Justice and right being on our side.
/, who never trembled before danger,
swear | will fulfill my duty and joyfully
sacrifice my life for the honor and dig
nifty of the nation. l great cir
cumspection, prudence and even cordially,
so that strangers resident in our country
Americans, French, Italians, Spaniards and
even the Germans and E~nglish-may be the
first to proclaim In the face of the world
that Venezuela is a cultured and civilized
nation.
The speech was applauded and a process
sion of whites and negroes traversed the
city without an act Of violence being COM
mitted.
The president is calm and is giving all
his time to preparation for battle.
Fourteen hundred men enlisted today
from Caracas alone, including boys and
fifteen priests. The conduct of the British
and German commanders is severely CEN
sured by all the European colonies.
Alfred Blohm, the banker who went to
La Guayra and saw the commanders Of the
British and German cruisers, said tonight
that he did not hesitate. when meeting the
charge d'affairs. TO tell him that the con-
duct Of the German legation had been
shameful, and thAt the matter could have
been arranged IL Herr Won Pilgrim had
only seen President Castro, who. like the
German colony, was ignorant of Germany's
designs.
London CIamOrs for News.
LONDON. Dec. 15.-The news that the
first shots have been fired In Venezuela has
awakened the most apathetic Of the critics
to the gravity OF the situation and demands
that the government present papers on the
matter to Parliament are now most insist
ent. These demands are accompanied by
comment TO the effect that Lords Lansdowne
has failed to display, either in the Foreign
office or the War ONCE, such conspicuous
abality as would induce the nation to trust
him with a blank cheque' in such a com
plicated and combustible matter as the
Venezuelan affair threatens to prove. These
papers will probably be issued today or, at
the latest, by Wednesday.
Thus far the British public has had ia
depend entirely upon press dispatches fol
its news and serious complaint is made
that the public is indebted to American
newspapers for the text OF the British and
German ultimatums TO Venezuela. The rev.
citation Of the terms of the British ulti-
matum does not enhance the existing APP
probation OF the British governments man
agement OF the affair.
One newspaper. referring this morning
to tina clause Of the British ultimatuu
which demands payment Of a sum equal t.
that paid to Germany. says such a peculiar
claim makes the British note a sort Of ap'
pendix to the German note, and asks iron.
ically why Great Britain did not intrus
the whole business to Germany, as tina
country would have been more expedition
in the matter.
Italy's appearance on the scene is no
believed to simplify the situation. Spe
cial dispatches from Rome assert tina
, slgnOr Riya, the Italian minister to Vene
Euela, presented the Italian ultimatum a
, Caracas on Saturday. The time set for al
: answer to this ultimatum expired on Sun
day. and according to Rome ~dispatche
Slgnor RiVa has already embarked on tn
Italian cruiser ViOvanni Dausan, afte
= signor Riva's two daughters had a narroI
escape from maltTeatment from the popu
lace. This news cannot be confirmed froI
: other sources.
q 1t Is said that owing to the Italian cruz
ser Carlo Albert being icebound Liguri
has been ordered to Venezuela. Italy wi
thus have four or Ave warships on the spC
4 to cooperate with Britain and Germany.
4 Most Of the morning papers consider thi
the bombardment Of the fortress at PueTt
CabellO puts all likelihood Of arbitratio
or any pacific settlement Of the dlficult
. entirely out of the question, and they begl