The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-12-24

British and German fleets have seized
the Venezuelan feet composed Of four
warships in the harbor Of In Guayra.
Caracas, yenezuela.-Al German and
British subjects In Caracas have been
arrested.
President Castro received a news.
paper correspondent. and In reply to
questions said:
"The Venezuelan Government has
not received any ultimatum. properly
speaking, but rather simultaneous re.
quests from Great Britain and Ger
many. The claims Great Britain asks
this Government to settle are small.
and up to the present time We have
not been aware Of them. Never hav-
Ing been presented, Venezuela has con-
sequently never refused to settle them.
Great Britain's action Is therefore with.
out justification.
"The Venezuelan Government cannot
decide on foreign claims before the
revolution has been entirely crushed.
At present the only aim Of the Govern.
ment is the re-establlshment OF public
order. and other questions must nec-
essarily be subservient to this object.
Nevertheless. to prove Venezuela's de-
sire to settle all pending claims in a
confOrmable manner, the Government
issued a decree during the last session
of Congress, dated November 2S. Great
ing a committee to which all pending
claims should be referred. No claims
have been presented to this committee.
and no claims have been rejected.
There has been no denial OF justice.
Why. therefore. should foreign Chan
cellories intervene, thereby ignoring
our laws and endeavorlng to violate
our National sovereignty? We cannot
understand this action"
The correspondent then said to 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
reply the Venezuelan Government
would make to the requests handed to
II by the British and German ENJOYS.
To this question President Castro re-
piled:
"After reflection. the Venezuelan
Government Is astonished that after
the notes which were transmitted to
It by the diplomatic representatives Of
Germany and Great Britain. these en-
voys should leave Caracas without
awaiting the reply Of the Venezuelan
Government"
The correspondent then asked Presi-
dent Castro what course he intended
to pursue should the powers declare
q blockade. The President excused
himself from answering this question.
London.-Great Britain and Germany
have presented ultimatums to Vene-
zuela, which will be followed up by
q seizure OF the customs. unless salts.
factory settlement Is Forthcoming with
In brief period.
The u!timatums have a time limit.
but the exact date cannot be ascer-
tained here. The Foreign Office says.
with regard to the time limit:
"If Is reasonable time IN which
Venezuela can satisfy the injured Gov.
eraments. Eoth notes arc practically
identical. although the amounts OF the
claims differ. The notes merely reiter-
ate the continued disregard Of the Ven
eZualan Government of all our repre-
sentations. specify our claims and de-
mand immediate action on the part Of
President Castra's Government in con-
nection Herewith"
Caracas. Venezuela. - The British
Minister, W. II. D. Haggard. and the
German Charge TAffaires. Won Pill
grim. .Baltazzi. left Caracas for La
Guayra. where Minister HasGard went
on beard the British cruiser Retribu-
tion and Herr Won Pilgrim .BaltazZi
boarded the German cruiser Vinetn.
Both the British and German lega-
tions have been closed.
Washington. d. C.-The following
telegram was received at the State De-
partment from II. W. Bowen, United
States Minister Mt Caracas:
THE President of Venezuela has pub
lished letter In the newspapers stat
Ing that foreign creditors must await
the re-establlshment Of peace; then all
promises will be fulfilled"