The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-09
VENEZUELA NOW MENACED
Ultimatum Presented and Diplomatic Relations Sew.
cred by Great Britain and Germany.

Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman said: For
the past two. years We have had grave
cause for complaint on various occasions
of unjustifable interference by the Vene-
zuelan government with the liberty and
property of British subjects. No effort has
been spared by the British government TO
obtain an amicable settlement of these
cases, but in none of them has satisfactory
explanations been forthcoming Latterly
the representations OF the British minister
have been practically unnoticed. There are
also cases In which British subjects and
companies have large claims. We have
been acting in conjunction with the Ger
man government, which also has large
claims against Venezuela. A final commune
cation has been made TO the Venezuelan
the German charge d'affaires. II no salts
factory reply is received the governments
have decided to take such measures as are
necessary to enforce their claims.
Replying to a supplementary question.
Mr.. Balfour said he understood the COM
munication TO Venezuela was neither joint
nor Identical. A dispatch from Berlin. how
ever, says that though the ultimatums
not Identical in form they are Identical in
spirit. Each embodies the respective claims
of the two countries and is. consequently,
different Some announcement on the sub
ject would have been made by the German
government to the Reichstag to-day had
the House been in session. A statement will
be made tomorrow orally by Chancellor
Won Buelow. or read by President Won
Bullestrem- The BGndesrath already has
been informed that the Foreign Office is
unwilling TO disclose the text of Ger
manys ultimatum, as such a step would
be against all precedents and because it
would also be dtscourteOus to Venezuela TO
publish the text before giving that country
an opportunity to reply Neither is an inti-
nation given as to what forcible action
will follow, on the ground that this will be
disclosing military secrets. The navigation
office confirms the report that the Germen
flagship Vineta arrived at LaGuayra Nov.
30; that the Fake reached there Dec. /,
and that the Gazelle and Panther an
chored off that port at the end of last
week Each of these war ships is equipped
with landing material and field guns
Premier Balfours announcement in the
House of Commons this afternoon is re-
garded as merely the obvious elimination
to the situation which daily has been be-
coming more critical for the past three
months A complicating circumstance has
arisen in the inability of the Foreign Office
TO communicate with Minister Haggard.
The officials here this afternoon believed
that he stilI was in Caracas. but owing 70
the reported break of the cable, they were
ignorant as to what steps he was taking or
what the Venezuelan government intended
to do. The Foreign Office is hourly await
ing important dispatches from Caracas, but
up to late hour tonight none had ar
rived. While the government is rather
worried at its inability to get an answer
from Minister Haggard, serious alarm Is
not felt, especially as inquiries have re-
vealed the fact that the Venezuelan repre-
sentatives are In similar situation.
The Foreign Office says: There is not
the slightest desire to coerce Venezuela and
Ii any answer had been made to our re-
peated protests and demands no such ac-
tion now taken would have been pro-
ceeded with. Ii was the persistent and
insulting disregard to all representations
which compelled us to move. 1t is now too
late in the day for anything but purely
diplomatic arrangements for the satisfac-
ton of our injuries. When the fleets have
assembled there is scarcely time to deal
with bankers and financial settlement
should have been suggested long ago and
would have been welcomed by both Ger
many and ourselves. However. any bona
| fde proposition will receive careful atten-
tion. Reconstruction in commercial af-
fairs Is always better than liquidation. and
| IL the reconstruction of the Venezuelan
finances be accomplished to the salts
| faction Of our diplomatic claims and indi-
| vidual losses, both Germany and Great
Britain will achieve their ends.
| The London papers comment approvingly
| on the ultimatum to Venezuela. They show
no. further concern regarding the attitude
| of the United States, which, Ii Is taken for
granted. will be one of friendly neutrality.
| but the papers are concerned as to the
exact extent that Germany and Great
| Britain are acting in unison. Premier Bal
| four's rather evasive reply to the question
whether the ultimatum was joint iden-
| tical, together with the fact that the Ger
man official statement, unlike that of Mr..
! Balfour, did not mention Great Britain as
acting in conjunction with Germany, and,
| in fact, hardly mentioned Great Britain at
| all. is considered. to say the least curious.
Some complaint also is made in the press
| that the government is not prepared to lay
| papers dealing with the question before
| Parliament. but on the whole it Is not con-
| sidered there will be any necessity to en-
plOy force. 1t is assumed that once Ven-
| ezuela is convinced she has no hope OF sup
| port from the United States she will find
| means to satisfy the Anglo-German de-
j mands.