Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-15

cited at this incident and raised the
cry ITO arms!" but no incident &C.
Cured.
The English commodore then sent a
demand to the authorities for I'M
mediate satisfaction for having pulled
down the British flag from the Topaz,
and advised the government that If
satisfaction was not Forthcoming in two
hours the fortress and the custom
house would be bombarded. The au-
thorties on the receipt of this demand
sent a message TO President Castro ask
ing for instructions,
At 5 o'clock the Charybdis and the
Vineta opened fire on the fortress and
custom honse. The fort replied, but
was soon sllenced. No damage was
done to the town.
The United Statess consul went on
board the two cruisers and was in
formed by their commanders that they
had come to this port In search Of the
Venezuelan warships.
The entrance TO the inside harb0r and
Puerto Cabcllo Is through narrow
channel not more than a few hundred
feet wide To the left OF this channel,
as one enters the harbor situated on
low sand spit, Is the fortress which was
bombarded by the British and German
cruisers. II is an old fashioned struc-
ture, which was rebuilt in the elgh-
tenth century. Its sides are compare
lively low and would offer but poor re-
sistance 10 modern shells.
Ii Is not probable that the Venezuelan
government had any modern cannon
there
The custom house Mt Puerto Cabello
Is situated on the right, or mainland,
side of the channel. II Is a long. two
story brick building, and contains be-
sides executive offices. large ware-
houses. Steamers dscharging at Puer-
TO cabello tie up Immediately In front
of the custom house The town Itself
is fat and stretches from the water
front inland 10 the base of the hills,
distance OF two or three miles.
The outside harbor to Puerto Cabello
is hardly more than a large bay. Of
ferlnE comparatively little protection
10 shipping. The inside harbor very
secure and quite commodious'
CAUSE OF BoMBARpMENT
Puerto Cabello. Saturday, Dec, Ia
The British cruiser CnaryDuls ana the
German crulser Vineta bombarded the
fortress here at o'clock this after
noon and sllenced H. The lombard
ment lasted for q minutes The
fortress Is composed OF Fort solano and
the Castle Libcrtador. After the 'iir-
ing ceased. the Charybdls sent marines
10 occupy the castle The fortress was
almost demolished. IL Is probable that
only a few persons were injurd by the
shilling. The commander OF Castle
Libertador has been taken prisoner.
The cruisers are still here.
At Z o'clock this morning The Charyb-
dis and the Nineta arrived here
for Venezuelan gunhoats The
two cruisers sent their boats into the
inner port. hut finding no gunboais.
the boats returned. The captain OF the
British merchant steamer Tonaz which
was seized by the mob last Wednesday,
then visited the British commodore on
board the charytdis and lodged pro-
test against the violation OF his shin.
The British captain returned an hour
later with detachment Of ~ ma
fIner. who took charge " the Topaz,
The porulace was greatly excited IT
this incident and raised the cry ITO
arr,s," hut there was no disorder.
Tho Bnilsh commodore then sent q
message 10 the authorities az Puerto
Cabello demanding immediate sa,isfac-