The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-15
ENGLAND AWAKENED
To The Gravity Of The Situation Which
Is Developing in Venezuela.
LANSD0WNE CRITICISED
Press Believes That Pacific Settle.
ment Is Now Impossible.
ITALYS ACTION is REGRETTED.
That Country VIII Send Several War.
ships TO the Scene.
GfRMANY'S PURPOSE IS DlSTRUsTED
Thus Far the British Public Has Had
to Depend Entirely on American
Newspapers for information.
That Country VIII Send Several War.
ships TO the Scene,
GfRMANY'S PURPOSE IS DlSTRUsTED

London, December iH--rhe news that the
first shots have been cred in Venezuela has
awakened the most apathetic OF the critics
to the gravity of the situation which is
developing in that country, and the de-
mands that the government present the
official papers in the matter to parliament
are now most insistent. These demands
are accompanied by comments to the effect
that Foreign Secretary I.Ansdowne has
failed to display either in the war office or
the foreign office, such conspicuous abil-
ity as to induce the nation to trust him
with blank cheQue" in such a conpll-
Gated and eombustible matter as Venezuela
threatened 10 prove. The Associated Press
understands that the papers will be issued
todsy or Wednesday, at the latest.
Thus far tho British public has had TO
depend entirely Oh press dispatches for ,ts
news and the serious complaint is mado
that the public is obliged and indebted to
American newspapers for the text OF the
British and German ultimatum to venezu.
ella.
The revelation Of the terms Of the Brit
ish ultimatum does not enhance the exist
Ing appreciation of the British government
management CT the affair.
One newspaper. referring to that clause
Of the British ultlmatum which demands
the pay ment OF q sum equal to that paid
10 Germany, SAYS such a peculiar claim
makes the British note a sort of appendix
TO the German note, and asks, ironically,
why did not Great Britain entrust the
whole business TO Germany SO that country
would have been more expeditions in the
matter2
ltaly's entrance upon the scene Is not
believed to simplify the. situation Spe
cial dispatches from Rome assert that
Signor Riya, the italian minister to vene.
zuela, presented the italian ultimatum at
Caracas on Saturday. The time set for an
answer to this ultimatum expired Sunday,
and according TO the Rome dispatches
signor Riva has already embarked on the
italian cruiser Giovanni Dallsou Signor
Blva's two daughters had narrow escape
from maltreatment from the populace
This news can not be confirmed from other
sources It is said that owing to the fact
Of the italian cruiser Carlo Alberti's being
lcehound, the cruiser Ligeria has been or
dered to proceed to Venezuela. Italy thus
will have four or FIVE warships on the spot
to cooperate with the British and German
warships
Most OF the morning newspapers con
slider that the bombardment Of the fortress
at Puerto Cabello puts all likelihood Of ar
htration or any pacific settlement of the
difficulty entirely ont Of the question, and
they begin to talk seriously OF the difficulty
Of enforcing payment Of the demands
should President Castro decide TO defy the
powers and retire 10 the interior Of the
country Realizing that a prolonged block
ade or hostillties would endanger the inter
ests and perhaps the lives of foreign rest
dents of Venezuela, many newspapers are
beginning to ask whether the government
has not acted over hastily.