The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-19
PUERTO CABELLO
the authorities Did Not
Give Satisfaction for Their Insult
to the Flag. the British Cruiser
Charybdis and the German Cruiser
Vineta lombard the Fortress md
Silenced It-No Damage Done in
the TO~wn-ShOts Also Fired at the
Custom House,

Puerto Cabello, Dec. 1.-THE British
cruiser Charybdis and the German
cruiser Vineta have bombarded the
fortress here. They quickly silenced it.
The Charybdis and the Vineta arrived
here this morning. The captain Of the
English merchant steamer Topaz,
which was seized by the mob last
Wednesday, visited the English COM
modore on board the C~harybdis. The
populace were greatly agitated and
raised the cry. ITO rms but no il
cident occurred. The commodore then
sent a demand to the authorities for
Immediate satisfaction for having pull
ed down the British flag from the
Topaz and advised the government
that if satisfaction was not forthcom-
ing in two hours, the fortress and the
custom house would be bombarded. The
authorities, on the receipt of this de-
lma1d. sent a message to President Cas-
tro asking for instructions. Al ,
O'Clock the Charybdis and Vineta open
ed fire on the fortress and the custom
house. The fort replied, but was soon
~silenced. No damage was done TO the
town. The United States consul went
on board the two cruisers and was in
formed by their commanders that they
had come to this port III search Of the
Venezuelan Warships.
The b~ombardment lasted for A. min
utes. The fortress is composed of Fort
Solano and the Castle Libertador. AT
ter the firing ceased, the Charybdis
sent marines to occupy the castle. The
fortress was almost completely de
molished. 1t is probable that only a few
persons were injured by the Smelling.
The commander of Castle Libertador
has been taken prisoner. The cruisers
are still here. At Z o'clock this morn
ing the Charybdis and the Vineta ar
rived. searching for Venezuelan gun
boats. The two cruisers sent their boats
into the inner port. but finding no gun
boats the boats returned. The cap
tain Of the British merchant Steamer
Topaz. which was seized by the mob
here on Wednesday then visited the
British commodore. on board the
lCharybdis and lodged a protest against
the violation OF his ship. The British
icaptain returned an hour later with a
detachment Of so marines. who tooS
lcharGe OF the Topaz.
The committee of the merchants OF
lPuerto Cabello then approached the
lAmerican consul here, ~petitioning him
Ito intervene. The consul accepted this
mission and visited the cruisers, but he
lcould obtain no alteration in the de-
lciSion of the allies-
The entrance to the inside harbor at
Puerto Cabello is through a narrow
lchannel, not more than a few hundred
feet wide. To the left OF this channel
as one enters the harbor, situated OF a
low sand spit, is the fortress which
was bombarded by the German and
british cruisers. II Is an old-fashionei
structure which was rebuilt in the
Eighteenth century. Its sides are COM
iparativeIy low and would offer poor re-
distance to modern shells. It is not
tprobabe that the Venezuelan govern
lment had any modern cannon there.
The custom house at Puerto CabeIlo
lie situated on the right or mainland
side OF the channel. II is a long, two
story brick building and contains. be
sides executive offices, large ware.
houses.
This Country's Attitude.
Washington, December 15.-Ainistel
Bowen has confirmed the press reports
to the effect that the guns OF the allie1
fleets which bombarded Puerto Cabellc
iSaturday were directed entirely at the
lfortification and not at the town.
A pn0yofah1 NJ ~z IL --oc This otnfornar