The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-09-26
GREAT BRITAIN IN A ROW.
Diplomatic Relations With Venezuela
Nav Be Severed ANY Day.

May BE severed ANY LAY.
London, Sept. "a. = The Associated
Press is in a position to that
diplomatic relations between great
Britain and Venezuela are on the
verge of being severed.
Any day. almost any hour. may bring
the announcement that the British
minister at Caracas has been given his
passports, with corresponding action
toward the Venezuelan representative
in London. The cause of the crisis
does not seem to be confined to any
particular incident, but consists in
various differences which eliminated
in Venezuela assuming such an angry
attitude as to leave Downing street
fully impressed with the belief that
the Venezuelan government inten>s
to force matters to a crucial issue.
That a diplomatic rupture would result
in hostilities is a contingency Illus far
scarcely contemplated. The present
diplomatic relations are so strained
that, to quote a responsible British Of
fetal, it would make really very little
difference if the fact became public
property by the absence of the repre-
sentatives from Caracas and London.
The view of the foreign office is that
affairs have reached a stage where it
is impossible to deal satisfactorily with
Venezuela in any matter which may
come up. In proof of this contention,
the foreign Office instances the report
of the United States minister at Car
acas, Herbert w. Bowen, announcing
that the Venezuelan government
had protested against the British flag
hoinr no cd oyNr Dn%~, (~- C-o-0 =.
land, over which the Venezuelan gov
eminent claimed sovereignty. Accord
ing to the British governments under
standing, Patos island belongs to Great
Britain just as much as Trinidad, and,
SO far as known, no questions as to it's
ownership has ever arisen. In hab-
itants OF the island have recently been
shot or otherwise endangered through
the action of ~Venezuelans, whether
government or revolutionary parti-
sans is not known. For of
protection the local West Indian au-
thorities ordered the British flag to be
prominently displayed on the island.
Hence the protest, which the foreign
office says is one of many.
IN exceptionally prominent official
said to a representative Of the Associ-
ated Press last evening:
Affairs in Venezuela are so hope
lessly muddled that we can get nothing
done There is no %concealing the fact
that the Venezuelan government has
made heated protests to our minister.
The chief grievance appears to be the
allegation that the British
Is aiding the revolutionary army. It is
needless to say that this is perfectly
baseless. We only wish the United
States would take over the whole u
try and then. perhaps, we could get
some peace. OF all the disturbances
OF the last decade the present seems to
be the worst. This, combined with the
attitude OF the nominal government.
makes us somewhat Indifferent to any
action which may take place. The
Venezuelans appear inclined to be
rather reckless, thanks chiefly to what
presume is the mistaken notion that
washington will protect them from
the results of their own folly, however
lnlmlcal that might be to the lives and
property OF British subjects and those
or other Europeans. AS we understand
Monroeism, Venezuela is quite mis-
taken In this matter, though apparent
~ the impression has much to do with
her present action"