Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-15
Queer Doings.

President DueT 10 SuDtHtl W O.
bitration the issues In controversy between
his country and England and Germany
was today unofficially acknowledged by ca
BILE from Berlin and London. 1t was trans
mftted through the United States, the good
offices of Minister Bowen having been util-
ICED for this purpose. Mr.. Bowen's cable
gram of announcement was received by the
Secretary of State last Friday and. after
being submitted to the President, was laid
before the amba ssadors of England ana
Germany that afternoon. 1t was unofi-
ciaily announced at the time that the Of
fer had been forwarded Immediately by ca
BILE by the ambassadors to their govern
ments. A reply of some nature was ex-
pected by this government Saturday, out
none came and the authorities In this city
were at loss to understand the delay. 1t
is difficult to appreciate how the acknowl-
edgment of such an important message
should have been postponed forty-eight
hours while war was imminent in Vene-
zuela, or even already under way. The
bombardment of Puerto Cabello occurred at
FIVE o'clock Saturday afternoon. Allowing
for the difference In time between London
and Washington the offer Of arbitration
was certainly received in the foreign office
of the former capital in time for considera-
ton Saturday morning. The United States
Is In position to complain of this tardi-
ness. but an official explanation of the cir
cumstance would most assurediy be graft
flying courtesy. e.--
The German foreign office permits an ex-
PLANTATION of the sinking of the Venezuelan
vessels to be made public today. 1t is stated
that the ships destroyed were old and
worthless revenue cutters. unfit to go to
TO 4har,
from falling into the hands of the Venezue-
lans. Other vessels seized were taken to a
West Indian port to be repaired and used in
the blockade. Thus it is plain that the seiz-
ure was an act OF war and not merely to Sc
cure a lien on Venezuelan property. The
fact that certain of the ships were worth
less yet of possible danger to the blockad-
ing interests, emphasizes the nature of their
seizure as an act of beligerency. The ques-
tion arises. of what value would these ships
have been to the Venezuelans II they
were unit for sea. so unfit that they
could not even be towed to a repair port.
The Berlin explanation lacks somewhat In
lucidity
Minister Bowen's dispatches throw a
faint light upon the sequence OF the events
In Venezuela. First, 1t would appear from
the order In which the actions are stated,
came the precipitate flight OF the British
and German diplomats, which caused in
tense public excitement. Then followed the
arrest of the foreign subjects, which may
or may not have been measure Of pre-
caution In view of the turbulent state of
the populace. Finally came the seizure Of
the ships without declaration of war or
OF blockade, or even, as far as known, a
formal demand for the release of the pris-
oners. So the allies have two unprece-
denied actions to explain as against one by
President Castro. Why did their represent
tatives flee without waiting for the time
limit to expire and why did the naval forces
seize the ships without declaring war or a
blockade or demanding the release of the
prisoners? On the other hand, why did Cas-
tro arrest the foreigners before war had
been declared?
Now comes new complication In the
precipitate bombardment of Puerto Cabelio
In retaliation for the seizure by mob of
British trading steamer. Everything was
done snappingly. demand for an apol-
ogy was made at once with a very brief
grace. which did not permit sufficient time
Tor communication with the capital The
official apology arrived only few minutes
after the bombardment began. The British
and German officers seem to have acquired
a faculty for over-hasty action.