Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-09
MINISTERS WITHDRAW
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH
VENEZUELA SEVERED.
Germany and England Prepare for
Hostile Demonstration-Pres
dent Castro Is Surprised.

A dispatch from Caracas last night says:
The British minister, w. H. D. Haggard,
and the GERMAN charge d eaffaires, Won Pill
grim Baltazzi, left Caracas at o'clock
afternoon for La. Guaira. Both the
British and the German legations have been
closed.
Yesterday afternoon the British minister
and the German charge d'affaires deposited
at the private residence of the foreign min
lister, Lopez Barralt, separate demands, the
British demand being for the settlement Of
claims and other matters arising out Of the
last revolutions, and the German demand
being for the payment Of the interest on
the German loan and other claims. The de-
mands are without any specification as to
the time given for an answer, but they are
in the form of an ultimatum.
On the arrival Of the train at La Guaira
at o'clock, thirty officers met the diplo-
mats at the station. Minister Haggard and
the other members OF the British legation
went on board the British cruiser Retribu-
ton, while the German charge daffaires
boarded the German cruiser Vineta. The
ministers left Caracas without previously
notifying the Venezuelan government, prob
ably in order to avoid any hostile demon
stration.
Yesterday and today being festivals in
Caracas. all the public offices closed,
thority regarding the departure Of the min
sters The handing In of a demand Of such
a nature at the private residence of a min
lister, forgetting diplomatic rules is be-
lieved in some quarters to be without pre-
cedent.
The actual situation is incomprehensible
here. Up to this morning no one appeared
to know anything about the Anglo German
projected demonstration. The foreign minis
ter said that he considered menace on the
part Of Germany to be inadmissible, and
that any threat would be "ballon d'essaf'
Ia feeler). while as for England" said
the minister, she has no grounds for ag-
gression-"
The Associated Press correspondent in
spected the two legations yesterday. and
there were chen no preparations indicating
that the ministers intended to abandon
their posts. The government has made no
military preparations at La Guaira. Vene-
zuelan citizens considered the threat of a
demonstration as bluff, and set aside the
possibility OF an Anglo-German demonstra-
ton.
The correspondent learns that one of the
chief officers Of the German cruiser Vineta
told German family at La Guaira yester-
day that blockade Of the coasts of Veue-
zuela was imminent
The Venezuelan press publishes an open
letter from President Castro on the i'm
broglio with Great Britain and Germany.
In this communication President Castro
says:
Foreign cablegrams relate that certain
foreign nations, among them Great Britain
and Germany, have allied themselves to-
gether to carry out acts Of violence and
aggression against Venezuela, and their
manner Of obtaining the resumption of the
payment Of interest on the public debt was
to be suspected as a consequence Of the
revolution that I lately crushed. Notwith-
standing the official character of this news
I refuse to believe It. because it is incon-
ceivable that nations which entertain cor
dial and friendly relations with Venezuela
should prefer to resort to force rather than
follow the diplomatic path especially when
the supposed difference comes fully within
the jurisdiction Of our laws, which are
based on the principle Of justice. which. to-
gether with the other attributes of author
ity, have just redeemed. Had Venezuela
refused to fulfill her fiscal engagements and
had justice and diplomacy exhausted their
resources against such an attempt, only
then could such extreme acts be expected.
But this will never happen
President Castro explains, further on, that
his government has not increased the debt
Of Venezuela and that he paid all that was
ordered during the revolution, including the
German and other freight charges OCCASION
ed by the transportation of troops. Those
facts. he said, should prove the honesty Of
his administration and what foreigners
should expect Of him.
He continues: "Honorably I cannot do
more. 1 put honor first and will not seek
excuses to disarm foolhardy enmities by
accepting humiliations which would offend
the dignity Of the Venezuelan people. and
which would not be in accord with my
public life. 1 repeat I do not believe these
alarming versions. The cause of our ma
tional dignity is based on our rights and our
possession Of Justice, and on our relations
of friendship and mutual respect with for
eign nations"
President Castro concludes by recommend
ing the Venezuelan press to observe the
discretion and tact demanded by such an
important matter.
The German gunboat Panther has arrived
at La Guaira. The English cruiser indie
fatigable has left La Guaira for Trinidad on
a special mission.