New-York tribune., 1902-12-09

Tcneauela Must Giuc Satisfaction m
q Reasonable Time.

London Dec S-CIreat Britain and Germany
have presented ultmatums to Venezuela, when
viii be followed up by the seizure OF the Gus
toms unless satisfactory settlement is torth-
cy,rring within brief period ---z
The ultnatuns have d time limit, but the ex-
act date cannot be ascertained here. The For
egn Office states with regard to the time limit:
It is a reasonable time in which Venezuela
can satisfy the injured governments. Both
notes are practically identical, although the
amounts of the claims differ. The notes merely
reiterate the continued disregard by the Venez-
uelan Government of all representations,
specify our claims. AM demand immediate ac-
tion the part Of President Castros govern
ment in connection Herewith.
The British Governments is practically
identical with the statements made in previous
dispatches from London IN which it first
announced that the present action contem-
. plated. Should the British ultimatum meet with
a hostile reception, the British Minister, W. H
d Haggard, has already been instructed to go
aboard British warship, if that is I'M
practicable, to go into the neighboring British
colony. The Foreign Office, however, does not
appear to anticipate such a contingency for the
moment nor, indeed, does ii look forward to any
startling development within the next few days
Premier Bafour's announcement in the House
of Commons this afternoon is regarded mere
" the obvious elimination to the situation
which has been becoming daily more critical for
the last three months. The Associated Press
correspondent learns that cOmplicating cir
cumstance has arisen in the inability of the For
eign Office to communicate with Minister Hag-
gard The officials here believe that he is still
in Caracas, but owing to the reported break of
the cable they are quite ignorant as to what
steps he is taking what the Venezuelan Gov
ernment intends to do. The Foreign Office is
hourly awaiting important dispatches from Car
acas but up to a late hour tonight none had ar
rived While the government is rather worried
at it's inability to get an answer from Minister
Haggard, it is in way seriously alarmed. es-
peciaIIy as inquiries have revealed the fact that
the Venezuelan representatives are in similar
situation.
The Foreign Office says:
There is not the slightest desire to coerce
Venezuela and if any answer had been made TO
our repeated protests and demands no such ac-
tion as now taken would have been proceeded
with It was the persistent and insulting dis
regard of all representa- tions which compelled us
10 move 1t is too late in the day for any
thing but purely diplomatic arrangements 70 De
accepted in satisfaction for our injuries When
the fleets have assembled there is scarcely time
10 deal with bankers. and q financial settlement
should have been suggested long go and would
have been welcomed by both Germany and our
selves However, any bona t1de proposition VIII
receive careful, attention. Reconstruction IN
commercial affairs is always better than llqul-
dstion and if the reconstruction of the Nenez-
ueIan finances can be accomplished to the sat
isfaction of our diplomatic claims and individual
losses both Germany and Great Britain VIII
have achieved their ends
Premier Balfour announced in the House of
Commons to-day that an ultimatum had been
sent to Venezuela, and that in the event of a
satisfactory reply not being received the Brit
ish and German governments would take meas
ures to enforce their claims against that coun-
try.
Mr. Balfour, when questioned on the Venez-
uelan situation IS TIE Liberal leader Sir Henry
Campbell-Bannermari. said:
For the last two years we have had grave
cause for complaint various occasions or
uniustifiablc Interference by the Venezuelan
Government with the liberty and property or
British subjects. No efforts have been spared
by the British Government to obtain an alnlca-
bic. settlement of these cases, but i'll none "a
them have satisfactory explanations been Iofth-
coming Iatterly the representations or the
British Minister have been practically unnotced
There are also cases in which British subJectS
and companies have large claims We nave
been acting in conjunction with the German
Government, which also has large claims against
Venezuela \ final communication has oeeh
made to the Venezuelan Government by the
British Minister and the German charge q az
faires. If satisfactory reply is received tile
governments have decided to take such meas
ures as may be necessary to enforce tneii
claims