The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-24
DEFENDED By RICHTHOFEN.
Germany's Attitude and Policy Ex-
planned by Her Foreign Minister.

BERLIN, Jan. 23.-Before official news Of
the bombardment of San Carlos fort was
received the chief of the Foreign Office
was asked: "Why did the ships lombard
Fort Carlos?'
$50 far as the situation can be under
stood here" the chief replied, 1.-THE seizure
of the lagoon was necessary to an effective
blockade of the harbor of Maracaibo Other
wise il would have been possible to convey
all sorts of merchandise over the adjacent
Colombian frontier, particularly arms and
and thence inland and thus rendering the
blockade completely futile. Apparently
Fort San Carlos tried to prevent the en-
trance of the Panther into the lagoon, and
silence it,.
''Why did the German ships alone take
part in the bombardment?"
''Maracaibo harbor lies in the western
part of the coast line, which was being
blockaded by the German forces"
when will the blockade be raised?"
mo decision has yet been reached by the
interested powers as TO when the blockade
of the Venezuelan coast shall be raised
In the Reichstag this afternoon Foreign
Secretary Richthofen expressed the hope
be settled. He said: The negotiations at
Washington. it is hoped, will show an early
result, rendering ii possible to raise the
blockade. So long the blockade exists,
The action against Maracaibo under
taken for this purpose. 1t has been said
that we went into this affair dashingly-
with drums and trumpets. Dashingly, | ad-
nit, from the moment when we appealed to
arms. But with drums and trumpets' L can
by no means admit. On the contrary we
went to the extreme limit of patience and
long suffering. The Venezuelan govern
ment not only refused to settle the debts
contracted with German citizens as is gen.
orally admitted, but at the same time com
mitted brutal acts of violence against Ger
mans and German property. We made COM
plant of these matters through diploma tic
channels, but did not succeed in making
progress upon this basis. The Venezuelan
government declared that il must exclude
all these cases from diplomatic treatment.
In one memorandum, communicated 10 us
through a note. II characterized our in
tended course In the affair as insulting in
admissible outrageous and preposterous.
We made proposals TO settle the contro-
versy by arbitration as early as July. 1901.
at time when. by way of exception. no
civil war prevailed in Venezuela, and when
the President was fully able to satisfy our
claims"
I'm a note of our charge daffaIres July
To- 1901. the following language was used:
The proposition which / have the honor
of submitting verbally TO your excellency is
the following: The Venezuelan government
on one part and the imperial minister resi-
dent on the other part are each TO select one
| representative who shall jointly examine
| the claims of German citizens growing out
| of the civil wars. In every case where both
representatives agree on the payment OF
| an indemnity IL must be paid Immediately
| In cases where they fail TO reach an agree
| ment the matter shall become the subjec,
| OF several conferences between the Vene-
| zuelan government and the German min.
lister resident. Should these conferences