The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-12-17
ENGLISH AND GERMAN CRUISERS
DEMOLISHED VENEZUELAN :.
FORTRE5SES
Shelling Lasted Forty Five Min
utes-Venezuelan Guns ST.
lenced-Receipt Of News
in Washington-Cas-
tro's Speech
Other News.

German cruiser Veneta bombarded
the fortress here at O'Clock this
afternoon and quickly silenced it
The bombardment lasted for 40
minutea.t
The fortress is composed of Fort
!, Solano and, the Castle Libertador.
After the firing ceased the Charyb-
dis sent marines to occupy the cas-
tie. The fortress was almost de-
molished. It is probable that only
a few persons were injured by the
sheIling. The Commander of the
Castle Libertador has been taken
prisoner. The cruisers are still
j here.
At seven o'clock this morning the
}Charybdis and the Veneta arrived
here, searching for Venezuelan gun
boats. The two cruisers sent their
boats into the inner port. but, fld-
ing no gunboats, the boats returned.
The captain of the British mer-
chantmen Topaz, which was seized
by the mob last Wednesday, then
visited the British commodore on
board the Charybdis and lodged a
protest against the violation of his
ship. The British captain returned
an hour later with a detachment Of
so marines, who took charge of the
Topaz. The populace was greatly
excited at this incident and raised
/ the cry tto arms!o but there was
no disorder.
The British commander then sent
a message to the authorities at Pu-
erto Cabello, demanding immediate
satisfaction for the action of the
mob in having hauled down the
British flag from the custom house,
saying that if this satisfaction was
not. forthcoming in two hours at 5
O'Clock the fortress and the custom
house would be bonn barded. On the
receipt of this demand, the author
tiles sent a message to President
Castro, asking for instructions.
A committee of the merchants of
Puerto Cabello then approached the
American consul here, petitioning
him to intervene. The consul ac-
cepted this mission and visited the
cruisers, but he could obtain no al
terations in the decision of the al.
lies.
At 4:45 o'clock reply was re-
ceived from President Castro, who
authorized the chief official here to
give the British commodore ample
satisfaction. Before this answer
could be communicated to the A.
merican consul, the hour stipulated
fo- the reply arrived. The cruisers
Immediately opened fire on the for
tress. The fire was returned from
Fort Solano and Castle LiLertador,
but the Venezuelan guns were soon
silenced. While the firing contin-
! ued there was intense excitement
it this port. Every house in town
was closed.
The people OF Puerto Ca abello can
not account for this precipitate ac
tion on the part of the allies, which
they consider to be proof that Great
Britain and Germany intend forcing
war upon Venezuela. The British
marines propose to make use of the
cannon in Castle Libertador.
No damage was done to the town.
The excitement of the people is SUBJ
/ siding.
Puerto Cabello is about 80 miles
west of La Guaymas the entrance
to the inside harbor is through a
narrow channel not more than a
| few hundred feet wide. To the left
of this channel as one enters the
harbor, situated on a low sand spit,
is the fortress bich was lombard
Ted by the, British and German
cruisers.
/ Berlin. Dec. 3.-Dr. Passarle