Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-15
In the Vicinity of the
Venezuelan
Ports.
YET TALK OF PEACE
Comes From the Scene
of the Existing Hos
ti1itieS.

t1lltieS.
London, Dec. 15.-Under Foreign
Secretary Cranborne denied in the
house of commons today that the
British commander is responsible for
the sinking of the Venezuelan ships.
Expression of the desire for the
peaceful settlement of the difficulties
has been received in London from the
Venezuelan government.
Caracas, Dec. IA movement is
on foot here to request Castro to re-
sign to the common congress with a
view to arranging satisfactory set
tlement of the existing difficulties.
Washington, Dec. 10 Secretary
Hay has informed tsle German gov
ernment that in the event that an
attempt is made to enforce the
peaceful blockade of the Venezue-
Ian coast American ships should not
be interfered with in their trading.
except the inhibition applied to all
shipping, and intimates disapproval
of stoPpage at all.
London, Dec. 15.-The Associated
Press has reason to believe orders
have been sent to the British com
mander in Venezuelan waters to take
no further aggressive action at pres
ent, pending the decision being arriv-
ed at en- the proposal for arbitration,
now under consideration by the Brit
ish government.
London, Dec. 15.-It is learned this
evening that the proposals now be-
fore the government are those for
wartled by Minister Bowen, which
have now received strong support
from the United States government.
Puerto Cabello, Dec. 1J.-The Brit
ish cruiser Charybdis and the Ger
man cruiser Vineta bOmbarded the
fortress here at ) p. m. Saturday and
quickly silenced it. The bombardment
lasted for fOrty-five minutes. The
fortress is composed of Fort Solano
and the Castle Libertador. After the
firing ceased the Charybdis sent ma
rines to occupy the castle. The fortress
was almost demolished. 1t is proba-
BILE that only few persons were in
jured by the shelling The commander
of Castle Libertador has been taken
prisoner. The cruisers are still here.
PopuIace Cries 'sTo Arms,"
At Z a. m. Saturday the Charybdis
and the Vineta arrived here searching
for Venezuelan gunbOats. The two
cruisers sent their boats into the inner
port, but finding no gunboats the boats
returned. 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 eCharybdis and lodged
a protest against the violation of his
ship. The British captain returned an
hour later with a detachment Of fifty
marines, who took charge of the To
pare The populace was greatly ex-
cited at this incident, and raised the
cry ito armsr' but there was no disor-
der.
Demand on the Authorities.
4 he British commodore then sent n
message to the authorities at Puerto
Cabello, demanding immediate salts
faction for the action Of the mob in
having hauled down the British flag
from the Topaze, saying that if this
satisfaction was not forthcoming in
two hours, at p. m. the fortress and
the custom house would be bOmbarded
On the receipt of this demand the au-
thorities sent a message to President
Castro asking for instructions. A COM
mittee of the merchants of Puerto Ca
beIlo then approached the United
States consul here, petitioning him to
intervene. The consul accepted this
mission and visited the cruisers, but
he could obtain no alteration in the
decision of the allies.
Castro's Reply Was Too Late.
At a quarter before D reply was
received from President Castro, who
authorized the chief official here to
give the British commodore ample sat
isfaction. Before this answer could
be communicated to the United States
consul the hour stipulated for its re-
ceipt had arrived; the cruisers imme-
diately opened fire on the fortress. The
fire was returned from Fort Solano
and Castle Libertador, but the Vene-
zHelan guns were soon sileneed. NO