The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08
GERMANY AND ITALY
HAVE SECRET ALLIANCE.
An Important Disclosure in the
Venezuelan Situation Minister
HOwcn struck Out Objectionable
Clause in Note.

Venezuelan Situation Minister
Bowen struck Out Objectionable
Clause in Note.
Washington, Feb. 7.-Disclosure OF a
secret alliance between Germany and
Italy constituted the most important
development in the Venezuelan situa-
ton tonight
This fact has been made known to
the British ambassador and it will put
all the negotiators more closely on
their guard in drafting the protocols,
which they hope to submit to Mr.. Bow
en- during the next few days.
The German Italian alliance was old
news to Mr.. Bowen. the fact having
leaked 'out i'm Caracas before he left
there. Generally speaking. the alli-
ance is intended to secure to Italy the
same treatment I'm the allies settle
ment with Venezuela as that received
by Germany and Great Britain. Mr..
Bowen has made ii plain both to the
British ambassador and to the German
minister, Baron Speck Won Sternburg,
that he cannot atfix his signature to
any protocols they may present to him
which are not substantially of the same
character as that to be submitted by
the Italian ambassador Signor Mayor
des Planches.
First Protocols Received.
All three of the first set of protocols to
be signed. which will contain the con-
dtions precedent to the raising of the
blockade, and the provisions for refer
ring the question of preferential treat
ment to The Hague for decision. have
been received at the Italian, British and
German embassies. Their contents are
not known to Mr.. Bowen, nor have the
allies representatives here been ac-
quainted as yet with the details OF eacn
others convention. Several important
conferences have occurred throughout
the day at the British embassy in an
effort to reach an agreement upon the
protocols.
Several more or less sensational sto-
ries have been in circulation during
the last few DAYS which have caused
considerable annoyance 10 the British
ambassador, and to the other negotla-
tors regarding the note Mr.. Bowen ad-
dressed to the former on Monday last,
proposing that the question of prefer
entail treatment go to The Hague. SO
that these reports may be corrected the
negotiators are DESTROYS that the facts
shall be stated. On Tuesday, after the
sending of this note to the British am
DasSadOr, the latter called on Mr.. Bow
en- aud asked that he withdraw the en-
tire note on the ground that it was not
diplomatic in character. Mr.. Bowen
was compelled to refuse to grant this
| request.
Bowen WAS Firm.
The ambassador then asked that the
sentence beginning, "On this side of
| the water we want peace and not al
| lance" be withdrawn. Again Mr..
| Bowen regretted that he could not
| grant the ambassadors request. FL
! pally the anba ssador represented that
the latter part Of the sentence, re-
| garding the continuance of the alliance
of Great Britain with Germany and
Italy, would cause him embarrassment
when submitted to the Italian ambas-
sador and the German minister Mr..
| Bowen replied that he would be only
| too glad to do anything that would
further the negotiations and at once
struck out the objectionable clause,
which head as follows:
And it will occasion great surprise
and regret when it becomes known
that Great Britain has even proposed
continuing her present alliance with
Germany and Italy one moment long
er than she must" With this one
change the note was formally trans
mitted by the British ambassador to
the German embassy.