Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-12-17
NAVY SEIZED
British and German Naval Forces
Capture -Four Warships.
CASTRO ARRESTS FOREIGNERS

"rnincnts Present Uitimntu,,s to tho
S"uth Ancricnn RopubiIc-VheIr Mia
listers Lcnys tl,e Capital.
Lonion.A dispatch from Caracas.
Nene2ucla says that the combined
British and German fleets have seized
the Venezuelan feet composed of four
warships in the harhor of La Guayra.
Caracas, Venezucla.-An German and
British subjects in Caracas have been
arrested
President Castro received n news
paper correspondent, and in reply to
questions said:
'Chr Venezuelan Government has
uol received any ultima tum. properly
>n"akin% hut rather simultaneous re-
quests from Great Britain and Ger
many. The claims Great Britain asks
this Government 10 settle are small.
and MP To the present time we have
not been aware OF them. Never hay
'n- been presented. Venezuela has con
%"qucntly never refused To settle them.
: Great Britain'S action is therefore with
Cut Justification.
THE Venezuelan Government cannot
decide on foreign claims before the
revolution has been entirely crushed
At present the only aim Of the Govern
mont is the re-establishment of public
order. ana other questions must nee
! c~Sar!iy he SuhSerVicnt to thiS object
! Nevertheless. To prove Ncnozuela'S de-
/ Sire 10 settle MI PENDING claims in a
I ccninrmahle manner. The Government
: issued decree during the last session
] ..f f..f 4
/ lnE committee To which all pending
! claims should be referred No claims
! have been presented To this committee
aud no claims have been rejected
| There has been no denial of Justice
| Why. therefore, should foreign Chan
/ ccllorIeS intervene, thereby ignoring
our laws and endeavoring to violate
our National sovereignty? We cannot
understand this action
The correspondent then said 10 Presi-
! dent Castro:
What do YOU intend to do In view
OF the present attitude OF the powers ~
President Castro replied:
Enforce our rights and explain to
the world that Venezuela has laws;
| prove that we have never denied our
| engagements"
The President was then asked what
/ would make to the requests handed TO
| it by the British and German envovs.
| To this question President Castro re-
! Piled
After reelection. The Venezuelan
| Government is astonished that after
the notes which were transmitted 10
| IL ny the diplomatic representatives of
germany and Great Britain, these en-
voys should leave Caracas without
awaiting the reply OF the Venezuelan
! Government"
Inc correspondent then asked Presi-
dent Castro what course he intended
10 pursue should the powers declare
blockade. The President excused
hlhiSelf from answering this question.
| London.-Great Britain and Germany
| nave presented ultimatums to Vene-
Zuela, which will be followed up nv
a seizure of the customs unless a salts
factory settlement is Forthcoming with
! in brief period
Ihc ultimatums have n time limit.
! Dnt the exact date cannot be ascer-
tanned here. The Foreign Office says.
with regard to the time limit:
1T is reasonable time in which
Venezuela can satisfy the injured Gov.
crnments. Both notes arc practically
/ identical. although the amounts of the
claims differ. The notes merely reiter-
/ ate the continued disregard of the Ven
eZue.an Government of all our repre-
! SenIations. specify our claims and de-
/ mand immediate action on the part of
president Castro's Government in con
nccticn Herewith"
/ Caracas. Venezuela. - The British
Minister, w. II. ID. Ha@gard. and thc
/ German Charge dAffaires, Won PHI
| grim -Baliazzi. left Caracas for IA
/ Guayra. whore Minister IIaggard went
/ on beard the British cruiser Ret,inu-
/ ton and Herr Won Pilgrim Ba! tazzi
| boarded the German cruiser Vinc.a.
| l;oth the British and German lega.
! tons have been closed.
! Washington. -. C.-The following
/