The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1902-12-17
PREPARING FOR VAR.
Two Thousand Venezuelan Sol
diers Reach Caracas and
Enlistment Continues.
La GUAlRA is NOW BLOCkADED.
Leading German and British Resi-.
dents Very Bitter Against Their
Respective MlnIsters-Ths United
states Closely Watching, Events.

Puerto Cabelio, Dec. 15.-The Brit.
ish cruiser Charybdis and the German
cruiser vineta bombarded the fortress
here at 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon
and quickly siienced it. The bonn.
bardment lasted for As minutes. The
fortress is composed OF Fort Solano
and the Castle Libertador. After the
firing ceased the Charybdis sent ma.
rines to occupy the castle. The fort.
ress was almost demolished. It Is
probable that only few persons were
injured by the Smelling. The com.
mander OF Castle Libertador has been
taken prisoner. The cruisers are stili
here.
The people Of Puerto Cabello can
not account for this precipitate action
on the part Of the allies. which they
consider to be proof that Great Brit.
ain and Germany intend forcing war
upon Venezuela.
The British marines purpose to
make use OF the cannon In Castle
Libertador. No damage was done to
the town. The excitement Of the PEG.
pie is subsiding.
6Ioekadins La Guaira.
London. Dec. 15.-In a dispatch
from Willemstad. Curacao, dated Dec.
"a. the correspondent OF the Daily
Mail says the Angle-German warships
are blockading La Guaira. The
steamer Yucatan was warned by the
British cruiser Indefatiguable not to
enter La Guaira and returned to
Curacao,
The Venezuelan government has de-
clined the offer Of loan, made by a
German banker OF Caracas, 10 settle
the claims against II.
British Legation Reopenec,
Caracas, Dec. 15.-The British L.
cation here was reopened Saturday
night under the American flag by w.
w. Russell. secretary OF the Ameri.
can legation.
The statement that Italy, through
her legation here. is to demand pay.
ment of her claims against Veue.
zuela has heH confirmed.
The situation in Caracas continues
to be critical and there is Intense ex.
element among the German resi-.
dents OF the city. Saturday the Ger.
mans sought refuge at the American
H>60NS-s :" hVi IuSy Will Dt v.
Mr.. Bowen has gotten In quantities
OF all kinds OF provisions. to be pre-
pared for any emergency.
The enlistment OF Venezuelan sol.
diers continues. Two thousand men
from the PROVINCES OF Caracas and
Valencia came Into this city Saturday.
Priests are preaching for war. It IS
reported that 30 Germans living In the
country have offered to support the
Venezuelan government
Bitter Against MINISTERS,
Leading German and British resi-.
dents Of Caracas are very bitter
against their respective ministers,
whom they accuse OF leaving Caracas
without giving any intimation of their
Intention to abandon the city.
The people OF Caracas are aston.
1shed that the government at Wash.
ingtoa remains silent in spite Of the
recent acts OF the allied feet.
The fact that the people OF yene
zuela are in absolute ignorance OF the
dsigns OF the allies upon their coun.
try creates deep and disturbing i'm.
preston here. The chief oficer OF
President Castro's guard said Satur.
day to the representative OF the AS.
ISOLATED Press:
II there ia to be war, let US know,
and we will fight. If there Is to be
only an assault on our coast, where
we cannot reach the allies, the only
thing left for us to do Is to declare
that to destroy your debtors furnt.
ture Is a strange way to force the
payment OF his obligation. I believe
this situation will soon come within
the scope of the Monroe doctrine
Closely Watching.
Washington. Dec. 15.- Minister
Bowen. in dispatch received by the
state department yesterday afternoon
cabied that he had been Informed BY
President Castro that British and Ger
man warships were bombarding
Puerto Cabello
Aside from the dispatches from Min.
lister Bowen there were no important
developments in the Venezuelan sit.
nation, so far as the state department.
Is concerned. The officials are watch.
Ing events with keen interest, so az
to be able to act promptly should
such a step become necessary, but
nothing was done yesterday, except,
TO make some representations to the
German and english governments In
the matter Of the peaceful blockade
now being enforced by those govern.
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