The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-15
VenezueIans Returned the Fire but Their
Guns Were Soon SiIenced.
Marines Land and Take Possession of the
Town and the Fortress.
Blow Up Som. Buildings, Burn Others and
Retire to Their Ships.

Puerto Cabello. Dec. 15.-The British
cruiser Charybdis and the German
cruiser Vineta bombarded the fortress
here and quickly silenced it. The bonn
bardment lasted for 45 minutes. The
fortress is composed of Fort Solano and
the Castle Ilbertador.
After the firing ceased the Charybdis
sent marines ashore to occupy the castle
The fortress was almost demolished.
It is probable that only a few persons
were injured by the shelling.
The commander Of Castle Libertador
has been taken prisoner. The cruisers
are still here.
The Charybdis and the Vineta arrived
here. searching for Venezuelan gum
boats. The two cruisers sent their boats
into the inner port but finding no gun
boats the boats returned. The captain
of the British merchant steamer Topaze,
which was seized by the mob here last
Wednesday. then visited the British
commodore on board the Charybdis ana
lodged protest against the violation o.
his ship
The British captain returned, an hour
later with detachment of fifty ma
rines. who took charge of the Topaze
The populace was greatly excited a this
but there was no disorder.
The British commodore then sent a
message to the authorities at Puerto
Cabello demanding immediate satisfac-
ton for the action of the mob in having
hauled down the British flag from the
custom house. saying if this satisfaction
was not forthcoming in two hours, at 3
o'clock the fortresr and the custom
house would be bombarded On the re-
ceiot of this demand the authorities sent
a message to President Castro asking
for instructions.
A committee Of the merchants of
Puerto Cabello then approached the
American consul here petitioning him TO
intervene. The consul accepted this
mission and visited the cruisers, but ne
could obtain no alteration in the orders
At a quarter before a reply was re-
ceived from President Castro, who au-
thorized the chief official here to give
British commodore ample satisfaction.
Before this answer could be communi-
Gated to the American CONSUL the hour
stipulated fol his report arrived and the
cruisers Immediately opened fire on the
fortress The fire was returned from
Fort SolanO and Castle Iibertador. bur
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 cannot
account for this precipitate action on
She part of the allies. which they con-
slider to be proof that Great Britain and
Germany intend forcing war upon Vene-
zuela- The British marines propose to
make use of the cannon in Castle Lib
ertadOr. No damage was done to the
town The excitement of the people is
subsiding.
The entrance to the inside harbor at
Puerto Cabello IS through a narrow
channel not more than u few hundred
feet wide. To the left of this channel.
as one enters the harbor, situa ted on a
low sand spit. is the fortress which was
bombarded by the German and British
cruisers. It is an old fashioned struc>
ture which was rebuilt in the eighteenth
century. Its sides are comparatfvely
low and would offer but poor resistance
to modern shells. 1t is not probable that
the Venezuelan government had any
modern cannon there
The custom house at Puerto Cabella
is situated on the right or mainland side
Of the channel 1t is q long, two-story
brick building, and contains besides