Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-12-11
ULTIMATUMS TO CASTRO
England and Germany to Take Measures
to Force Their Claims.
LEGATIONS HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
Premier BaIfours Announcement In the House
Of Commons Is Regarded as Merely the
Obvious CuImlnatlon to the Situation
Which Daily Has Been Becoming More
Critical for Three Months.

London (By Cable).-Great Britain
and Germany have presented ultima
tums to Venezuela. which will be fol-
lowed by the seizure OF the custom
houses unless satisfactory settlement
is forthcoming within a brief period.
The ultimatums have time limit,
but the exact date cannot be ascertain
ed here. A representative OF the For
egn Office states, with regard to the
time limit:
1T is 4 reasonable time i'll which
Venezuela can satisfy the injured Gov
ernments. Both notes are practically
identical, although the amounts OF the
claims differ. The notes merely reit-
crate the continued disregard by the
Venezuelan Government OF all Our rep
reSeutatons, specify Our claims and de-
rland imml diate action on the part OF
President Castro's Government in con-
nection with them.
There is not the slightest desire to
coercc Venezuela. and il any answer
had been made to our repeated protests
and demands no such action as now
taken would have been proceeded with.
1t was the persistent and insulting dis
regard OF all representations which
compelled us to move Now it is too
late for anything but purely diplomatic
arrangements to be accepted III salts
faction Tor our in njurieS. When the
fleets have assembled there is scarcely
time to deal with bankers. A financial
settlement should have been suggested
long ago and would have been welcom-
ed by both Germany and ourselves.
However, any bona hde proposition
will receive careful attention. Recon
Struction in commercial affairs is al
ways better than liquidation and ii the
reconstruction oi the Venezuelan fl
nances can be accomplished to the sat
isiaction oi our diplomatic claims and
individual losses. both Germany and
Great Britain will have achieved their
ends"
A compliCating circumstance has
arisen i'll the inability OF the Foreign
Office 10 communicate with its Minis
ter in Venezuela. w. II. ID. Haggard.
The Foreign Office is hourly awaiting
important dispatches. While the Gov
ernment is worried at its inability to
get an answer from Minister Haggard,
inquiries revealed the TACT that the Ven
czlelan representatives are III similar
situation.
Premier Baliour announced the ultl-
matum in the House Oi Commons.
When questioned on the situation by the
Liberal Leader, Sir Henry Campbell
Banncrman, he said:
For the last two years we have had
grave cause iOr complaint on various
occasions oi unjustihable interference
by the Venezuelan Government with
the liberty and property OF British sub
jects No efforts have been spared by
the British Government to obtain an
amcable settlement oi these cases, but
in none oi them have satisfactory ex-
plantations been forthcoming. Lattcrly
the representations OF the British Min
lister have been practically unnot,ccd.
There are also cases III which British
subjects and companies have large
claims.
I'VE have been acting in conjunction
with the German Government, which
also has large claims against Venezuela.
A final communication has been made
to the Venezuelan Government by the
British Minister and the German
charge d'affaires. Ii no satisfactory re-
plv is received the Governments have
decided to take such measures as may
be necessary to enforce their claims.