The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-05
UNDER THE GUNS OF
GERMAN WARSH|PS
England's Ocean Terfors to
Join Them To day.
HUMP YOURSELF, CASTRO
There is a General flattering Of Ears to the
Ground 10 Catch Uncle Sans Reply
10 Interested financiers in
London.
(By the Associated Press


London, Dec 3-Great Britain and
Germany. according to official statements
made here, have commenced punitive
measures against Venezuela. German
was vessels, it is stated, are already on
the scene of the contemplated action
and Great Britain by tomorrow should
have squadron there capable of coping
with any resistance that Venezuela
might offer.
respondent is informed that no definite
answer has yet been received from
WASHINGTON by the financiers here who
wish to bring about pacific settlement.
An important communication one way or
the other is expected from Washington
tomorrow. If the United States is willing
to give its moral support to the request
that Venezuela be allowed time to fulfill
the suggested bargain, the plans thereof
will at once De submitted to the British
Foreign Office. If Washington refuses
to suggest to the European powers that
Venezuela be allowed time, it is probable
that the financial house now interested
will drop the plan altogether. In the
latter alternative the Venezuelan dele
cation here is likely to submit the sug-
gested settlement to the British and
German governments with an application
for time to admit of their entering into
negotiations with other financial in
terests.
The Venezuelan delegates maintain that
their status has been seriously affected
by the adoption of the aggressive meas
ures announced today but they declare
that 1T would be obviously bad policy,
in spite of the critical position of their
country, to make any suggestion TO Eu-
rope until the attitude of the United
States, both as a joint creditor and a
largely interested political power, had
been ascertained.
Ine Associated Press correspondent is
in a position to state that Venezuela
offers the payment of a unified loan of
over $4,000, 900 interest yearly, guaran-
teed by the customs with the establish
ment of a European bank at Caracas to
superintend the collection. The whole
plan is on a basis similar to that on
which Brazil satisfied it's European
creditors If such method is now fol-
lowed, the Venezuelan delegation main
tains that all claims can eventually be
met, whereas it alleges that the tempo
rary seizure of the customs would so dis
turb the commerce of the country as to
practically render 1t impossible to
satisfy the European bondholders and
would bring with it the danger of new
revolution.
All the details still are unknown to the
powers who have ordered their warshps
to Venezuela In spite OF the annuonce-
ment of the joint action of Great Britain
and Germany the ministry exhibits no
little perplexity over the Berlin dispatch
December l, announcing that President
Castro had handed to the German min
lister at Caracas a written acceptance of
part of Germany's claims, sufficiently
comprehensive to delay the presentation
of a joint ultimatum by Germany and
Great Britain, if not rendering it alto
gether unnecessary. and also stating that
it was understood that Great Britain's
demands would be satisfied Not the
slightest information of this kind has
reached London.