The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-17
CHARGES AGAINST VENEZUELA.
Actions Of Her Consul At POrt-Of-Spain
-lnterf ercnce With q british Ship.

Among he causes Of irritation bet ween
Great Britain and the Castro Government
Of Venezuela were the actions of the Vene-
zuelan Consul at Por, -of Spain. In the
British island of Trinidad A charact eristic
description of the met hods he IL alleged to
have followed is furnished by the Port
of-Syain Gazette of Nov. rs. 1t says:
From time to time we. have had to draw
pnSS y, ,nT Sy Ss
Consul of no civilized State. which Mr.. {.
h. Figueredo a. Consul for Venezuela has
ing himself of the naval forces OF his country
to set himself up as a rival and hostile Collec-
tor OF Customs IN British colony he has now
even surpa sS..d his previous deeds OF valour
II has for some time been the custom Of
the Consul. with a GOODNESS which would do
CTHd 10 SSt hsnS cause TO eSs ,s
in the power Of the revolution except they
prepaid him the amount of the duty (which
Revolntioni~t customs authority over there
on arrival, plus the 80 per cent. diherential
duty levied in dsfpppce Of all Princirles, Of
out first paying II the risk OF capture
by one Of tn" pirate ships constituting Castro's
new plan Is now being adopted Mr..
Figuercdo l. levying an import duty in Trini-
dad on all venezuelan products brought in
on every bag Of Cocoa 80 cents. on every OK
s.. SC: and this outrageous eNaction he IL
enforcing payment Of by regulation that
should any vessel refuse to make II he will
not clear for return until she has. In which
case. of course. not having the Consuls letter
of safe conduct. any such vessel Oh her return
would infalliby be seized by the first gunboat
Quite apart from the cons Iteration as to
whether by so doing the Consul Is not laying
himself open to \ criminal indictment for
hlackmlil. or obtaining money by threats
We would AK the local authorities are they
satisfied thus TO see the dignity OF the British
Government held up to contempt md the
O. N nv m n of
trade under its protection wantonly inter-
fcrcd with by such u'urpat ION Of power
surely this l. a matter for the Collector OF
Customs To In puire into and report formally
TO IN" Govrrnment-and In which the Govern
mont Shoull take nj once some very definite
action. What will be done?
In another issue two DAYS later the
Gazette tells Of the running down OF the
British schooner Ocean Traveller by a Ven
e2uelan gunboat, Her captain. George
Gumhs l. quot ed "a follows:
We left ~. Vincent, for Port-of-Spain on
Sunday evening. and with our customary
cargo arrived OH the Bocas by II =. N. on
IgSsday, n" Ocean Iraycler + British Brit.
minutes to midnight, whie we'll inside the
PoCSs AVID making for Port of spain We we're
s,o", 1 onusrd ~V W. ala not reply. not
understanding his language, and after ailinR
Us WIN this order three times, during which
on our course. the runboat headed for US. and
ran Ms down. The force of the collision
carried away our chain irons, blsed our
boat. and ripped op n our bnlwarks all alon 9
the port side, Then In English We ex planned
We Wsr" under III" British flag, and from ~.
\ lnCCut. and after prOt0stin gainst the ont
rage, claimed now to be towed up to Port of
spain. The demand WAS conceded by the
gunbnat, her oN'Crrs speaking English and
a rope was made fast Hut at once. instead
Of turn in Y back for the anchorag@, the Bolivar
started To HgcravHtc her offence by steaming
at full speed Tor q liria. Seeing which. OF
course. We cut the tow-rope adriN, and pre-
pared to take our chanc" OF reaching Port-of.
any furt her. and arrived In the early morning
of ia" CITY Ihe Bolivar steamed away to
Venezuela.
The gazette again called on Great Britain
.. AXE action that would stop these on, :