Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-15
Government Circles At venez-
 uela Are Inactive.
THEY WANT CASTRO TO RESIGN

Prominent Doctors and Lawyers at
 Head of Movement Would Also
 Like Temporary President Appoint
 ed to Arrange Questions in Dispute
 Peacefully-Rumor Reaches Berlin
 That the Sunken Venezuelan Vessels
 Were Old and Worthless
 Caracas, Venezuela, Dec 15.-Inac- tion reigns in government circles here. The officials do not know what to do and are depending entirely on the United States to assist them.
 A movement is on foot here, headed by D eminent doctors and lawyers, to request President Castro to resign and to ask Vice-President Ramon Ayala to assume the presidency and form cab inet without party tendencies. It is also proposed to summon congress to appoint temporary president and ar range the questions in dispute in a manner satisfactory to all concerned.
 General Hernandez c.El Mocho'0 who has just been released from phis on at Maracaibo is expected at Caracas tomorrow. His partisans are very active and further trouble is appre-' hended.
 The Venezuelan government an- nounces that Great Britain has re- opened the navigation of the Orinoco river. Two warships will patrol the mouth of the river and the river itself. This measure applies only to foreign ships. Vessels flying the Venezuelan flag are excluded.
 The patriotic parade here yesterday passed off without any extraordinary incidents.
 President Castro. during the day visited the tomb of Bolivar.
 The government reports that the German cruiser Panther is going to Maricibo to destroy the forts there.
 Minister Bowen, at the request of the Dutch minister, Dr Van Layden, who is sick in Curacoa, has taken charge of Dutch interests here.
 The leading merchants of La Guira arrived here last night. abandoning that port owing to fear that it will be shelled to-day.
 The German cruiser Vineta is going to visit Margarita Gan island in the Caribbean sea belonging to Venezuela) three miles off Cumana.
 At 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon four loud explosions alarmed the city of Porto Cabello. On investigation it was found that British marines had blown up the subterranean prison cells of Castle Libertador with dyna- mite. They also burned all the wooden buildings surrounding the castle and Hcarried away everything that could be transported.
 After the bombardment of the forts at Porto Cabello and the landing of marines on the island where the castle is situated the forces of the powers acted just as though they were at home, causing great indignation among the Yenezuelans. When every thing had been destroyed the marines reembarked.
 The Venezuelan government war ship Miranda has escaped the vigilance of the German cruisers Falke and Panther. which were searching for her al I arrived at Mara.:ho yesterday.
 Berlin, Dec 15.-In official quarters here it is said that the Venezuelan yes seIs sunk off La Guaira were old and worthless revenue cutters, unfit to go to sea. and that the other ships cap tured have been sent to certain West Indian port to be refitted for use dur ing the blockade. The destruction of the Venezuelan craft. it is added. was necessary. in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Venezuelans, because the German yes seIs had to leave La Guaira
 Yenezuela's propositions through Minister Bowen to submit the ques- tions in dispute to arbitration has now been received here. The foreign of flee says that this will not delay Ger many's and Great Britain.s measures previously decided upon. The officials here do not indicate what will be the final decision on the arbitration propo- sition but it was apparently made too late to affect the general situation