River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-12-18
lombard THE CITY.
British and German Warships Fire
on Puerto Cabello.
ENGAGEMENT LASTS BUT SHORT TINE
Fortress Is Soon SiIenced-NO Dam
age to the City LIS RepOrted-Action
Taken, 1t Is Said, ito Avenge In
suit to British Flag.

suit to British Flag.
Puerto Cabello, Dec. 15.-The Brit
ish cruiser Charybdis and the Ger
man cruiser Vineta bombarded the
fortress here at five o'clock Saturday
afternoon and quickly sllenced IT..
The bombardment lasted for As min
utes. The fortress is composed of
Fort Solano and Castle Llbertador.
After the firing ceased the Charybdis
sent marines to occupy the castle.
The fortress was almost demolished.
1t is probable that only few per-
sons were injured by the Smelling.
The commander of Castle Libertador
has been taken prisoner. The
cruisers are still here.
At seven o'clock Saturday morning
the Charybdis and the Vineta ar
rived here searching for Venezuelan
gunboats. The two cruisers sent
their boats into the inner port, but
finding no gunboats the boats re-
turned. The captain of the British
merchant steamer Topaze, which was
seized by the mob here last Wednes-
day, then visited the British commo-
dore on board the Charybdis and
lodged protest against the VIOLA
tion of his ship. The British captain
returned an hour later with de-
tachment of so marines, who took
charge of the Topaze. The populacc
was greatly excited at this incident
and raised the cry: '"To arms!" but
there was no disorder.
Demanded Satisfaction.
The British commodore then sent
a message to the authorities at
Puerto Cabello, demanding immedi
ate satisfaction for the action of the
mob in having hauled down the Brit
ish flag from the Topaze, saying that
if this satisfaction was not forth
coming in two hours, at five o'clock,
the fortress and the custom house
would be bombarded. On the receipt
of this demand the authorities sent
a message to President Castro ask
| ing for instructions.
| A committee of the merchants of
Puerto Cabello then approached the
American consul here, petitioning
him to intervene. The consul accept
ed this mission and visited the CRUZ
sers, but he could obtain no altera-
ton in the decision of the allies.
| Opens Fire.
AT a quarter before five a reply
was received from President Castro,
who authorized the chief official here
to give the British commodore ample
satisfaction. Before this answer
could be communicated to the Amer
lean consul the hour stipulated for
| its receipt had arrived. The cruisers
| immediately opened fire on the fort
ress. The fire was returned from
| Fort Solano and Castle Libertador,
| but the Venezuelan guns were soon
| silenced. While the firing continued
there was intense excitement in this
port. Every house in town was
| closed.
| The people of Puerto Cabello can
not account for this precipitate &C
| ton on the part of the allies, which
| they consider to be proof that Great
Britain 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 people is subsid-
ing.
| Caused Excitement.
| Caracas, Dec. 15.-The news of the
| Smelling of the fortress and custom
| bonca of p11ar+o 10 ba11o INV +ba Pr;+;cb
! cruiser Charybdis and the German
cruiser Vineta reached Caracas at a
| late hour Saturday night. Tt caused
| considerable excitement and in spite
| of the preventive measures taken by
| the police of Puerto Cabello trouble is
| feared at that port.
A note from the commanders of the
| allied Anglo-German fleet which the
| Venezuelan government refused to re-
| ceive Friday at La Guayra was sent
| Saturday to United States Minister
| Bowen at Caracas and forwarded by
| him to the proper government official
| here. The note is in the name of Great
Britain and Germany. 1t requests all
| Venezuelan ships, after the lapse of
five days to refrain from sailing from
| the port of La Guayra until the present
difficulties are over The question
what right Great Britain and Germany
have to coerce Venezuela without de-
claring a blockade is being asked on
| all sides here.
| Express Astonis hmenlt.
The people of Caracas are aston
ished that the government at Wash
t'ington remains silent in spite of the
recent act of the allied feet. The
situation here continues to be crit
zeal, and there is much excitement
among the German residents of Car
acas, many of whom have called at
the American legation to seek refuge
there. The boycotting of British and
German goods continues. 1t is re-
ported that 90 Germans living in the
country have offered to support the
Venezuelan government against Ger
many. The fact that the people of
Venezuela are in absolute ignorance
| of the designs of the allies upon
their country creates a deep and dis
turbing impression here.
A Blockade.
Lonon, Dec 15.-In a dispatch from
| yy;IIarctad C1ranao dated Decam her