The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-12-18
ANOTHER WAR IS ON
Venezuelan Fortress B0mbarded Last
Sunday
TWO GUNBOATS OPENED FIRE.
British and German Warships Soon
Silenced the Batteries of the Forts
and Surrender Followed.

Puerto Cabello, By Cable.-The Brit
ish cruiser Charybdis and the German
cruiser Vineta have bombarded the
fortress here. They quickly silenced 1t.
The Charybdis and the Vineta arrived
here Sunday morning. The captain of
the English merchant steamer Topaz,
which was seized by the mob last We'd
nesday, visited tie English commodore
on board the Topaz. The populace
were greatly agitated and raised t1e
cry, ITO arms" but no incident oc-
CURED. The commodore then sent
demand to the authorities for imme5.-
ate satisfaction for having p1led down
the British fog from the Topaz and
advised the government that if salts
faction was not forthcoming in two
hours, the fortress and the custom
house would be bombarded. The au-
thorities on the receipt OF this demand
sent a message to President Castro
asking for instructions. At O'Clock
the Charybdis and Vineta opened fire
on the fortress and the custom house.
The fort replied, but was soon s!lenced.
No damage was done to the town. The
United States consul went on board the
two cruisers and was informed by their
commanders that they had come to This
port in search of the Venezuelan war
ships.
The bombardment lasted for rs min
utes. The fortress is composed of Fort
Solano and the Castle Liberator. Al
ter the firing ceased, the Charybd!s
sent marines to occupy the castle. The
fortress was almost completely demoi-
ished. 1t is probable that only few
persons were injured by the shciling.
The commander of Castle Libertaoor
has been taken prisoner. The cruisers
are still here. At 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 gunboats the boats returned. The
captain of the British merchant steam
er Topaz, which was seized by the mob
here on 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 so marines, who took
charge Of the Topaz.
A committee of the merchants OF
Puerto Cabello then approached the
American consul here, petitioning him
to intervene. The consul accepted this
mission and visited the cruisers, but he
could obtain no alteration in the de-
cision Of the allies.
At a quarter before reply was re-
ceived from President Castro. who au-
thorized the chief officer here to give
the British commodore ample satisfac-
tion. Before this answer could be COM
municated to the American consul. the
hour stipulated for its receipt had ar
rived and the cruisers Immediately
opened fire on the fortress. The fire
was returned from the forts, but the
Venezuelan guns were soon silenced.
While the firing continued there was
intense excitement in this port. Every
house in town was closed. The people
of Puerto Cabello cannot account for
this precipitate action on the part OF
the allies, which they consider to be
proof that Great Britain and Germany
intended forcing war upon Venezula.
The British marines purpose to make
use Of the cannon in Castle Liberia
dor.
The entrance to the insile harbor at
Puerto Cabello is through narrow
channel, not more than few hundred
feet wide. To the left OF this channel
as one enters the harbor, situated on a
low sand pit, is the fortress which was
bombarded by the German and British
cruisers. 1t is an old-fashioned struc-
x,,ro 1pbiob x,o G reh,,ilt in the eigh =
teenth century. Its sides are compara-
lively low and would offer poor resist
ance to modern shells. 1t Is not prob
able that the Venezuelan government
had any modern cannon there.
The custom house at Puerto Cabelle
is situated on the right or mainland
side of the channel. 1t Is long, two
story brick building and contains, be
sides executive offices, large ware
houses.