Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-18
VENEZUELANFLE
1t Is Seized by British and Ger
man Cutters.
Three Steamers Are Sunk-CastrO Asks
Minister Bowen 10 Act as Arbi-
traitor - Adult VeneZueIans
Must Join Army or BE
Declared Traitors.


captured the Venezuelan fleet on
Tuesday. They went alongside the
Venezuelan vessels and ordered them
to surrender, and without a shot be-
Ing fired the British and German
forces seized the feet in the name of
the German emperor and the king of
England. Two of the vessels which
were undergoing repairs were broken
up. The German cruiser Panther
steamed into the harbor during these
proceedings with decks cleared for ac-
tion. The Venezuelan steamers were
taken outside the harbor and the
General Crespo. Tutumo and Mar
garita were sunk.
Willemstad, Curacao, Dec. IL
There was a great patriotic demon
stration in Caracas when the news
arrived that the British and German
warships had seized the Venezuelan
war vessels at La Guaira.
London, Dec. 11.-Great Britain is
practically at war with Venezuela, but
there is no disposition here to regard
the situation as particularly serious.
Washington, Dec. 1.-THE state de-
| partment has been advised that
peaceful blockade" exists at La
| Guaira.
Washington, Dec. 12.-Minister
| Bowen, at Caracas, in a cablegram to
! the state department confirms the
press reports that all the German
and British prisoners have been re-
| leased.
London, Dec. IA dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Willemstad, Curacao,
| - hn ha - nf
Puerto Cabello are taking refuge on
| board the German cruiser Nineta and
| the British cruiser Ariadne and that
these vessels are threatening to bonn.
bard the port.
Washington, Dec. ia cablegram
received at the state department from
Minister Bowen at Caracas statea
that the Venezuelan government has
requested him to propose to Great
Britain and Germany that the difficult
ties arising out of the claims for al
| legged damages and injuries to Brit
ish and German subjects during the
civil war be submitted to arbitration.
In conformity with the understand
ing already reached with the repre-
sentatives of the British and German
governments here this proposition
from President Castro will be laid be-
/ fore those governments, the state de-
partment acting merely as a channel
of communication.
Secretary Hay replied to Mr.. Bow
ems cablegram, authorizing him to
use his good offices to secure arbitra-
ton. He was, however, made to un-
derstand that in the arbitration, if
Oh ha rpn
not the government of the United
| States, but of Venezuela.
If there is an attempt to possess
| themselves of all the customs re-
ceipts on the part of Great Britain
and Germany protests naturally
might be expected to follow from
| France, which holds claims aggregat
! ing more than the combined claims
| of England and Germany, and which,
| it is understood, already has arranged
| for their payment on an instalment
| plan out of Venezuelan customs re-
ceipts, an arrangement that might be
| disturbed by the British and German
! program.
| Berlin, Dec. 13.-As the result of
| fresh inquiries made regarding the
reported sinking of Venezuelan YES
sells off La Guaira the press is in
| formed that the orders given to the
German and British commanders
were to capture the vessels before
| beginning the blockade. No orders
were given to sink them. If, however,
any vessel has been sunk, this was
military measure necessary in caIsy-
ing out the foregoing orders. No re-
port has yet been received from Com
modore Scheder, the German COM
mander. A report was received from
Herr Won ilgrim-Baltazzi which is
as follows:
-Four Venezuelan vessels captured.
One of them disabled. Two German
vessels, the Nineta and Panther, and
one English participated in the seiz-
ure."
Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 13.-The
government has taken preservative
measures at La Gnaira. All the de-
posits of coal at the navy yard and
all the British ears on the La Guaira
railroad have been brought here, rem
dering impossible the transportation
of the allied troops by rail. Gen. Fer
rer, the minister of war. spent Thurs
day in choosing spots in the noun
tains where trenches are to be dug.
The governor Of Caracas has issued
the following decree: "All Venezue-
lans living in the federal district, be.
tween the ages of Is and 50 years
must enroll themselves in the mill
tia; any such persons refusing to en-
roll voluntarily, as patriotism de-
mands, will be declared traitors and
sent before the tribunals"
Port of Spain, island of Trinidad,
Dec. 13.-The captured Venezuelan
gunboats are now manned by British
sailors and are doing British work.
There is one British cruiser at this
port. The other men-of-war continue
to blockade the Venezuelan coast.
The navigation Of the Orinoco river
has been reOpened.
a Schooner Is Wrecked.
Atlantic City, y. j., Dec. 1.-THE
two-masted schooner A. l.. Lee. from
Hayerstraw, y. Y, for Atlantic City,
...I ~ -