Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-18

With Foreigners-Details of Cap
ture oF Ships.
Caracas, Dec. IA new complica-
ton has arisen. 1t is feared Italy will
deliver a memorandum asking for the
same treatment as is demanded by
Great Britain and Germany. 1t is i'm
possible to obtain definite information
on the matter, but the Italian legation
denies the delivery OF any ultimatum.
1t is learned from the government
source that on the advice of Minister
Bowen, calm and cool attitude for "a
hours more has been advocated, and
that if the Anglo-German forces dis
embark at La Guaira the troops at the
fort and in the newly erected redoubts
will not fire on them, the object being
to obtain time for Washington to an
sWer as to the proposal for arbitration
made to Berlain and London. Castro
has taken up a new attitude. Strong
in his belief in Venezuela's rights, he
yesterday gave Instructions that all
property OF the British and German
companies should be returned. The
government will retain control of the
La Guaira railroad, tut it's administra-
ton will be left Independent.
The Venezuelans have decided to
boycott all goods manufactured in Ger
many and Great Britain and in al
stores notices are posted declaring
that henceforth the owners will refuse
to sell goods coming from these coun-
tries. At 1O'clock yesterday afternoon
a special train left Caracas for La
Guaira taking Alfred Blohm, a leading
German merchant, and a German bank
er of Caracas. The German consul
accompanied them part Of the journey.
They are going on board the Vineta Oh
a special mission to try and obtain
Germany's acceptance of arbitration.
Castro gave passports, though the in
itiative in this mission was taken by
the Germans.
How Ships Were Taken.
Caracas, Dec. 14.-The following de-
tails of the capture Of the Venezuelan
vessels at La Guaira Tuesday by the
AnglO-German forces have reached
here. At o'clock Tuesday afternoon,
Is boats manned by 240 British and
German seamen and tOwed by two
steam launches, without giving any
notification Of their intention to the
NnnnzIIn1an hn
harbor Of La Guaira and proceeded to
the docks. The German contingent
belonging to the cruisers Vineta and
Fake went on board the Margarita,
formerly the torpedo boat Rayo, which
was given to Venezuela by Ecuador
and with revolvers in hand compelled
the men who were occupied in repair
ing her to abandon the ship. The
German sailors smashed the torpedo
tubes, compass and machinery and
left the Margarita in the dock in this
disabled condition. They afterWard
boarded the Ossun, a freight steamer
belonging to a Frenchman, and char
tered by the government for the trans
portation Of troops and ordered the
sailors on board to quit the vessels,
which they did without making any re-
sistance. The German sailors cut the
anchor chain and toWed her outside
the harbOr.
At the same time the sailors of the
British cruiser Retribution boarded
the General Crespo and The Tutumo
and obliged their crews to lower the
Venezuelan flag and leave the vessel.
The Venezuleans made no resistance.
The British blue jackets then cut the
vessels loose from their anchors and
towed them outside of the harbOr.
The Venezuelan crews were allowed
to return to the shore. The captured
steamers were seen at II o'clock at
night still in the same position. At 2
o'clock in the morning, the Retribu-
ton towed the General Crespo and
TutumO further out and the VeneZue-
Ian vessels have not been seen since.
The government asserts the soldiers
at Fort La Guaira saw them sunk with
dynamite. 1t is a fact that the Retri
button returned alone a few hours
later to La Guaira and it was impossi-
Bile for her to have conducted them
either to Curaco or Trinidad.
The government complains that
German sailors ate the meals prepared
on board the captured steamers for
the Venezuelan crews.
Castro Without Political Wisdom.
Berlin Dec. 14-Dr. Passarge, a
noted traveller, who has just returned
from Venezuela. says:
'President Castro is full blood In
dian and an energetic man without
political wisdom He rose suddenly
from magistrate of q remote village
at the foot Of the Andes to the presi-
dency and his rapid rise made him
overconfident. The present situation
is due to two facts; Germany sud-
denly suspended the pressure of the
early part of the year, which dimin-
ished the respect in which she was
held by President Castro; secondly,
the attitude of the officials of the Ven
ezuelan railroad towards Castro. Ger
many's principle must be not to med
die in internal affairs Of Venezuela but
the railroad forgot this
DR.. Passarge describes Venezuela
as drifting to certain decay and as fol-
lowing steadily a downward course
since Blanco's presidency. The mixed
negroes and the Indians are getting
an upper hand in society and politics.
British Steamer Seized.
La Guaira. Dec. 1.-THE British