Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-12-12
VENEZUELA WARS
WITH POWERS
No Formal Action, But Hostile
Action Has Been Taken
on Both Sides.
CASTRO CALLS MEN TO ARMS
II 10 Announeed That Minister Bowen
Has Compelled the Release of tho Britt
txd aud GsrszAR PrtsonerS Placed Un-
der Arrest by Castro

In Guayra. Venezuela, Dec. H.
Ten German and four British cutters
captured the Venezuelan fleet Tues
day. They. went alongside the Vene
zuelan vessels and ordered them to
surrender, and without shot being
fred the British and German forces
seized the feet In the name of the Ger
man emperor and the king Of England.
Two Of the vessels which were under.
going repairs were broken up.
Inc German cruiser Panther steam
ed into the harbor during these pro
ceedlngs with her decks cleared for
action. The Venezuelan steamers
were taken outside the harbor and at
o'clock yesterday morning the Gen
eral Crespo Tutmo and Margarita
were sunk.
The Assam was the only vessel
spared, in view Of the protest made by
the French charge d'affairs, H. Quiv-
reux. who notified the commodore OF
the allied fleet that the Ossun is the
property OF Frenchman..
At 10 O'Clock last evening 1870 Ger.
man sailors were landed and proceed.
ed to CARDINAL, suburb Of La Guayra
in which is situated the residence Of
German Consul Lentz, whom, with his
family, they escorted oack to Ii
Guayra and placed on board the war
ship Vinetta. On their way back to
this port the German sailors met .
party of ,enezuelan soldiers, but no
collision took place.
At o'clock yesterday morning q
landing party of thirty British sea
men went to the British consulate and
conducted the British consul, R.,
Schunck, and his family on board the
Retribution.
The German and British residents
at La Guayra were also arrested with
the exception of Messrs. Fieldwick.
Prince and Lepage, the English direc.
tors of the harbOr corporation, who
barricaded themselves in their house
These men were later taken on board
the Retribution under guard o. the al
lied powers.
No one mere can explain the action
OF the allied powers n taking action
without giving Venezuela time to re-
ply to their note.
The British torpedo boat destroyer
Quail arrived here at 2 o'clock yester-
day afternoon. The German cruiser
Panther left yesterday morning in the
direction Of Carupano and the German
cruiser Fake has sailed for Puerto
Cabello on search for the remain.
der of the Venezuelan fleet
Troops are expected here from
Caracas, as the government Is credit.
ed with the. intention OF repulsing any
landing by the allied forces.
All the stores and banks are closed.
Paris, Dec. IA Venezuelan gov
iernment communication to its repre-
sentative here protests that Germany
and Great Britain, acting in concert
have committed an. act Of hostility in
manner as arbitrary as it is unpre-
cedented by the seizure Of Venezuelan
vessels lying at La Guayra.
The communication says that indig-
nation at Venezuela is at it's highest
pitch and the government is resort
ing to justifable reprisals. It has ar.
rested the resident subjects of both
hostile countries and has seized the
railways and other undertakings be-
longing to them. At the same time
adds the communication, President
Castro has appealed to the Venezuelan
people to take up arms. He has de-
.clared a general amnesty for all po-
lit1cal offenses and has ordered the
restitution Of the conflscated property
of Venezuelan citizens.