The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-13
CASTRO REFUSES TO YIELD.

unification Of Venezuela's foreign debts
including the diplomatic claims. The
envoy who came to London was in
structed to associate himself with me:
the other ENJOYS were engaged in con-
nection with other claims against Vene-
zuela especially those of Spain, France
and Italy. After considerable negotia-
ton in London and on the continent a
suggested plan of settlement was arriv-
ed at. subsequently the firm of ]. and
w. Seligman & Co, of New York. and
one of the French banking concerns
promised to support the plan In brief.
these documents provided, as the execu-
tive is inspired by earnest desire of
coming to a final settlement with all
Venezuela's foreign creditors for the
consolidation of all debts and claims
into a unified loan not exceeding $S,000.-
600 to be known as the Venezuelan uni
fled per cent loan of 1902
In conjunction with this plan an in
ternational bank under European con-
troll was to be established and interest
on the loan was to be guaranteed by
the customs. Fiscal agents appointed
by this bank We're to be installed in all
custom houses, and were themselves to
collect the interest on the loan. If at
any time the customs receipts proved In
sufficient to meet this interest the gov
ernment undertook to make good any
deficiency out of other revenues.
1T was considered essential to learn the
! attitude of the United States. While
]
/ came acute. An official effort then
made to gain the good offices of the
1 United States in order to procure for
4 Venezuela a slight extension of time. The
/ final arrangements were cabled from
London to President Castro and We're
I ready for presentation to the foreign Of
! fee. pending President Castros reply,
when the news of the presentation of the
ultimatum was received. This plan by
no means has been given up although, of
course, all negotiations to this end at
present are at standstill. Unless mat
| ters go to further eXtremities in Nene-
zuela a settlement upon some such basis
! as the foregoing is still possible. The
! British and German creditors of Vene-
zueIa must eventually rely upon some
/ financial arrangement as the only method
/ of getting their money"
The foreign office has published two of
Minister Bowen's dispatches which were
communicated by the state department
/ at Washington to Ambassador Herbert
! which were received by the foreign office
! last night. Those dispatches relate to
/ the attack upon the German legation at
/ Caracas and give Mr.. Bowens steps to
obtain the release of the ffty-four Ger
man and British subjects arrested in Car
/ acas and the announcement that all the
/ persons apprehended had been released.
Mr. Bowen's first telegram is dated
/ Caracas December TO- and is as follows
/ The German legation was attacked last
/ night by a mob I went at once to the
governor and obtained police protection
for the German and British legations and
the promise that no further attacks by
mobs would be made.
Il visited the police station this morn
ing and talked with all the prisoners. who
number "a in all. "A German and 10 British
Some of the prisoners were 50 poor that
! had to give them money to buy food
with and four of them were i'll. expect
to get them liberated within an hour
'All British and German subjects in Ven
ezuela We're arrested last night. I shall
see the president and urge him to release
tbom today"
The secopd disnatch is dated Caracas.
December IL and saws: "The president
informs me that he has released all the
German and British subjects who were
arrested"