Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-15
THE DEMANDS
Made Upon Venezuela by Great Brit
ain and Germany.

mands presented by the British minis
ter. Monday, Dec. s, before embarking
at La Guaira, the German minister
sending a note, which follows il:
Replying to your excellency's note
of the 4th inst, | have the honor to in
form you that / have received instruc-
lions from His Majestys government
to point out to the Venezuelan govern
ment in writing that regarding the
steamer Fan RICH the British govern
lnent has given full explanations. ana
has shown that there exists no legiti-
| mate ground for complaint
Nor does His Me- jestys government
| think that there is any reason 10 at
tribute the blame to the authorities Of
| Trinidad, who only acted conformabiy
with instructions.
Il have the honor to further express
that His Majesty's government regrets
the situation which has arisen. but
cannot accept your note as sufficient
| reply To my communication, nor as in
| dicative of the intention of the Vene-
Hu"lan government to satisfy the
claims which His Majesty's govern
ment has brought forward, and it must
be understood that they include all
well-founded claims which have arisen
| in consequence of the last civil war and
| the previous ones. and the ill-treatment
and Imprisonment Of British subjects,
and also include an arrangement for
| the foreign debt.
II have asked the Venezuelan gov
eminent to make declaration that
they recognize in principal the business
of In hot hay Will
| iiately make compensation in the navi-
| CATION cases and the cases above men,
toned and in those in which the Brit
| ish subjects have been unjustly inn
| prisoned or ill-treated, and that, re-
| speeding other claims, they will accept
| the decision of a mixed commission as
to the amount and guaranty which
should be given for payment.
| Il have also expressed the hope that
| the Venezuelan government will defer
| TO these demands and not oblige His
| Majesty's government to take steps to
| obtain satisfaction.
Il have added that His Majesty's
| government has been informed of the
claims of the German government
| against Venezuela, and that the two
governments have agreed to operate
| jointly for the purpose of obtaining an
arrangement CT all their claims. and
! that His Majesty's government will re-
quire the immediate payment of a sum
equal to that which in the first case
should be paid to the German govern
| ment.
ANY balance after the payment of
urgent claims shall be held on account
for the liquidation of claims which
might go before the commission.
| II have, moreover, instruction from
His Majestys government to state
| clearly that this communication must
| be taken as an ultimatum.
| HAGGARD,
British Minister"
'Tc His Excellency, Senior Lopez
Baralt Minister of Foreign Affairs.
F! Caracas, Dec. Z, 1902.
'Mr. Minister--In the name of the
government of his majesty, the German
| Emperor, | have the honor to make
the following communication to the
government of Venezuela:
1.-The imperial government has been
duly informed of the note of the minis
ter of foreign affairs Of Venezuela,
dated. May 9 last.
I'm that note the Venezuelan govern
ment refused the demands of the i'm
perial government relative to the pay
ment of German claims arising out OF
the civil war of 1898 to 1900. and to sup
port their refusal referred to arguments
already put forward. The imperial gov
eminent. even after examining those
arguments anew. do not think they can
consider them satisfactory.
1.-The government of the republic ar
CUES in the first place that owing to the
interior legislation of the country ii is
not possible to arrange the claim OF
foreigners arising from the wars by the
diplomatic course, thus asserting the
doctrine that diplomatic intervention is
excluded by interior legislation.
THAT doctrine is not in conformity
with international law, since the ques-
ton of Judging whether such interven-
ton is admissible must be appreciated
not according to the dispositions of in
terror legislation. but in accordance
with the principles of international law
THE Venezuelan government, with
the object of making a demonstration
of diplomatic defence, claim that this is
inadmissible. and relies on the 10th ar
ticie of the treaty of amity. commerce
and navigation between the imperial
government and the republic of Colom-
bia of the I'D of July. 1892. This arGu-
ment is wanting in efficiency, firstly.
because the treaty is valid only be-
tween the German empire and Colom-
bia. and because Section of said ar
ticle puts no obstacle in the way OF
diplomatic defence against German
claims arising out of acts committed
by the Colombian government or its
organs.
Likewise the affirmations of the
Venezuelan government are not correct
that foreign claims consequent on Nen- |
ezuelan civil claims have never been |
arranged by diplomatic corps. for, be-
side like arrangements which Vene- |
zuela concluded with France in 1885 and |
with Spain in 1898. a formal agreement |
wGs signed on the sixth of February. |
1896, between the German minister at |
Caracas and the Venezuelan minister. !
al the order of their respective govern
ments. for the arrangement of the Ger ,
man claims consequent on the civil war
of 1892.