Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-12-15
The situation i'm Venezuela.


La Guayra. Dec. 15.-Great excite
ment was caused at Caracas yesterday
by the news that the Notifications at
Puerto Cabello had been shelled by the
British and German ships. The pop
ulace of Caracas thronged the streets
calling for vengeance. President Castro
quieted the crowd by speech in which
he said the rights of all foreigners, of
whatever nation, must be respected.
A dispatch states that the English ships
have opened navigation on the Orinoco
river. There are rumors that Presi-
dent Castro will be asked to resign and
that Congress will be called to settle the
difficulty.
Berlin, Dec. 15.-It is learned from
an official source that Italian war ships
will probably join the Anglo-German
allies in Venezuela as soon as the block
ade is declared. 1t is pointed out by
the same source that President Castro
only desired arbitration, and did not
propose it formally. There is therefore
no need of discussing that point. The
State Department at Washington, in
communicating desire toGermany
and England, merely acted as letter
bearer and has shown no signs OF an
intention to alter the attitude which it
has hitheto preserved toward present
conditions in Venezuela.
London, Dec. 15.-In the House OF
Commons today Viscount CranbOrne,
parliamentary secretary for foreign
affairs, made statement relative to the
sinking of the captured Venezuelan
warships He denied that the British
admiral was responsible for the sinking
of the ships.
In the House of Commons today
nationalist member Timothy Healy
caused some disorder by asking what
was the comparative value ofthe German
claims and the gGnboats which had been
sunk in Venezuelan waters. The
speaker was compelled to call for order.
Liberal member Charles Z. Schwann
made motion, which was seconded,
that the House adjourn until this even
ing to discuss the Venezuelan question.
The debate will begin at 9o'clock to-
night
In the House of Lords today Lord
Lansdowne, minister Of foreign affairs,
announced that proposal had been
received from the American government
that the claims of British and German
subjects against Venezuela be submitted
to arbitration.
Washington, d. c., Dec. 15.--With
each new days proceedings in Venezue-
ia, President Roosevelt and the State
Department find this country more and
more involved in the controversy. No
longer is any attempt madeto conceal the
anxiety felt on all sides. The attitude
of the officials has advanced from one of
simulated indifference as to what might
happen to Venezuela, to one where in
what at least must be termed a mild
protest against the actions of Great Brit
ain and Germany has been forced from
reluctant State Department. The repre-
sensations made yesterday through the
American Ambassadors at London and
Berlin constitute notice to those powers
that the United States meant no more
than was expressed in the correspondence
which passed year ago between Wash
ington, Germany and Great Britain.
Inferentialy, it isahint that the pow
ers have already exceeded their inten-
tons as then announced and that it
would perhaps be well if explanations
should follow and a further statement,
more detailed, of their purpose for the
future. 1t is also an indication that the
administration fears the situation is de-
yelCping little more rapidly than was
expected at the outset and fear that
Intervention might become a necessity.
The United States is represented by the
Marietta at La Guayra, and four of the
battleships of the manoeuvre feet have
gone to Trinidad for the Christmas hol-
days. about days steaming from either
La Guayra or Puerto Cabello. The
Marietta is too small to successfully cope
with the joint feet but the battleship
squadron is greater in power than both
the German and British combined.
La Guayra, Venezuela, Dec 15.-The
British marines who landed at Puerto
Cabelo after the bombardment yesterday
blew up the subterranean dungeons in
Castle Liberto and burned all the wooden
buildings surrounding the castle. 1t is
learned today that three persons were
killed in the bombardment Queerly
enough, it was a German resident of
San Esteban three miles from Puerto
Cabello who was killed with two of his
servants