New-York tribune., 1903-02-13
THE PROTOCOLS FRAMED
NAY BE SIGNED TO DAY.
Indications Thai the Vene2ueldn DIS
pute Is 14bom To Be Closed
LBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE. !

BY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
Washington. Feb. 12-The signing of the pro-
tocols of the allies covering the settlement Of
the Venezuelan affair has been tentatively set
for noon tomorrow. at the suggestion of the
British Ambassador. There may be further,
delay, but there every indication tonight that
the Venezuelan incident is about to he closed
The German demand for the whole $3iO,OoO,
the original demand, to be paid in five monthly
instalnents to begin on March 10, which was
presented by Baron Won sternburg this morn
ing has been granted. and the preparation of
the protocol enlbodyng this is all that remains
70 be done with the German emo of the affair.
The British Ambassador to-day presented
demand from his government that the payment
of the 80 per cent. of the customs receipts of
Porto Cabello and La Guayra should begin
April l, out of the receipts of March. But
pending the decision of The Hague Tribunal.
this money VIII remain in the keeping of Ven
ezueia- This completes the British conditions.
and as soon as the fact of Venezuela's agree
ment to this last proposition be sent to
London II is expected that Sir Michael Herbert
will be authorized to sign the protocol for Great
Britain.
The Italian protocol is in the most backward
condition This is due to the fact that the
Italian Ambassador. on learning the size of the
sum secured by Germany, Informed his govern
nent of the disproporton between Italy's cash
payment of S27, 600 and Germany's of $4,000.
If the Italian Government should decide at this
late hour to increase the demand for cash pay
ment further delay might ensue. This would
be further complicated by the fact that the
agreement to pay Germany her full demand
was made on the express condition that Great
Britain and Italy assented. and. accordingly. the
protest Of Italy will nullify the agreement TO
pay Germany and add little delay.
DELAY NOT LIKELY
Rut there is little probability of any further
DELAY. The fact that Sir Michael Herbert sug-
gested tomorrow noon the time TO: the
signing of the three protocols at the Brush
Embassy indicates the desire of the allies TO
end the troublesome matter.
The only new feature of to-day negotiations
is the fact that the protocols will contain pro
vision that in case the mixed tribunals to pass
on the claims of the various allied nations.
which will consist in each case of a representa-
tive from Venezuela and one from the nation
whose claims are under consideration, disagree
then the President of the United States is to
act as the arbiter Venezuela has agreed to this
provision. In the of other atoms not In
the alliance it is proposed TO adhere to the orig
inal idea and name the King of Spain as arblter.
except in the case of the Spanish claims. when
II is believed that President Loubet Of France
will act
The details of the procedure in The Hague
court have not yet been decided bat 1t is be-
lteved that Venezuela will ask that the presi-
dent of The Hague tribunal be empowered to
appoint three impartial judges TO pass on the
question of preferential treatment. SO many
nations are concerned in the Venezuelan claims
that it viii be hard to choose larger tTlpundl
made up of citizens Of dlsinterested nallois' ne
possibility of protest from the other creditor
ma tions at the concession to Germany has been
hinted at to-day but there is no reason to be
lieve that they will be forthcoming on the con-
trarv there are indica tions that certain of these
nations will ion with Venezuela in bearing the
expense of The Hague tribunal
CAUSE OF MISUNDERSTANDING.
The misundersta nding the part of The
Germans over the cash payment which was
mentioned in to-days Tribune, seems TO
have caused the rather ambiguous character
of the original proposition made by the allies
In this it was stipulated that Venezuela should
either pay the cash demands made by the
allies or furnish them a satisfactory guarantee
for this sum The 80 per cent proposition was
the satisfactory guarantee and was accepted as
sucb bv all three representatives. of the allies
in the agreement Of January a. This was
assumed TO be ar alternative proposition 10 that
nj n cash payment and further increased
on February | by an agreement secured by
the allies for the payment by Venezuela of
ST. 800 to each of the nations. The fact
that Count Quadt. who acted for Germany
before the arrival of Baron Won Sterberg, YER
baiy agreed TO accept the guarantee III heu Oh
tie cash payment, and that his government
later declined to ratify the agreement ana IN
stead demanded the payment of the entire orig
ipol demand, furnishes the exact explanation or
the charge that the German government repudi-
ated the promise of its representative
Present appearances indicate that Great Brit
ain is likely 10 support Sir Michael Herbert and
adhere to the original agreement waving the
cash payment, except the small sum of S2Iopo
while reply on this subject is still awaited by
the Italian Ambassador to decide his action.
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