The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-15
ALLIES lombard
Reduce Fortress and Gus
tom House at Important
Port of Puerto
CabeIIo.
WEAK REPLY FROM The FORT
OLD FASHIONED STR UCTURE
QUICKLY SILENCED.

English Merchant Steamer Topaze Re"
taken-PuIIing Down of Her Union
Jack by Venezuelan Mob and Failure
of Authorities to Give Satisfaction in
Specified Time Brings About tho Bonn
bardment-Order from Castro 90 Conc
ply with the Demand Game too Late
Venezuelan ships Given Five Days
to Clear.
Puerto Cabello, Saturday, Dec. 13.-
The British cruiser Charybdis and the
German cruiser Vineta bombarded the
fortress here at o'clock this afternoon
and quickly silenced it. The lombard
men lasted for forty-fve minutes. The
fortress is composed of Fort Solano and
the Castle Libertador. After the firing
ceased the Charybdis sent marines to
occupy the castle. The fortress was al
most demolished. 1t is probable that
only few persons were injured by the
shelling. The commander Of Castle
Libertador has been taken prisoner.
THE cruisers are still here. At o'clock
this morning the Charybdis and the
vineta arrived here searching for Vene-
zuelan gunboats. The two cruisers sent
their boats into the inner port, but find
ing no gunboats, the boats returned.
The captain Of the British merchant
steamer Topaze, which was served by
the mob here last Wednesday, then
visited the British commodore on board
the Charybdis and lodged 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 Topaze. The popu-
lace was greatly excited at this Incl
dent and raised the cry ''To arms but
there was no disorder.
The British commodore then sent a
message to the authorities at Puerto
Cabello demanding immediate satisfac-
tion 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
o'clock the fortress and the custom
house would be bombarded. On the re-
ceipt of this demand the authorities sen
a message to President Castro asking
for instructions.
A committee of the merchants OF
Puerto Cabello then approached the
American consul here, petitioning hin
to intervene. The consul accepted thi:
mission and visited the cruisers, bu
he could obtain no alteration in the de
cision Of the allies.
At quarter before a reply was re
ceived from President Castro, who au
thorized the chief official here to givt
the British commodore ample satisfac
tion. Before this answer could be com
municated to the American consul th
hour stipulated for it's receipt had ar
rived and the cruisers immediatel.
opened fire on the fortress. The fire wa
returned from Fort Solano and Castl
Libertador, but the Venezuelan gun
were soon silenced. While the firing con
tinued there was intense excitement il
this port Every house in town wa
closed.
The people Of Puerto Cabello canno
account for this precipitate action o.
the part of the allies, which they con
slider to be proof that Great Britai
and Germany intend forcing war upo
Venezuela.
The British marines purpose to max
use Of the cannon in Castle Libertadol
No damage was done to the town. Th
excitement of the people is subsiding.