New-York tribune., 1903-02-18
[. S. PR0T0COI. SIGNED.
WORk ON OTHERS BEGUN.
Pfens for Settling Peace Po7rers',
Claims -4gainst Fene2ueia.

"A
for tie adjustment of United States claims
against Venezuela by commission 10 meet ut
Caracas was signed at the State Department to-
day This commission VIII consist Of two mem-
hers Venezuelan and American. TO be ap-
pointed respectively by Presidents Castro and
Roosevelt. and in case of disa greement an UNI
Pire- 10 he appointed by the Queen Of the
Netherlands. Baron Gevers. the Minister for
The Netherlands. called at the State Depart
rnent today - give notice of the acceptance by
Queen WiIhelmina Of the task imrosed upon her
Immediately after~ the signing of the protocol
for the settlement Of the United States claims
against Venezuela. negotiations we're begun
with NJ Jusserand, the French Ambassador, for
fhe preparat ton of "a protocol for the adjudica
tion Of the claims Of citizens OF France. The
French Ambassador viii consult his govern
ment by cable in order to obtain instructions,
and after they have been received it is expected
that the negotiations viii proceed smoothly and
expedtiously The French claims against Ven
ezuela. aside from those which already have
been adiudicated approximate 11000.oo0 boli-
vars.
Tomorrow the Mexican Ambassador will he
consulted regarding protocol for settlement of
the claims of Mexican citizens against Ven
ezuela These claims amount to less than
100000
A comparison of the terms of the protocols
with Germany. Great Britain and Italy and that
with the United States shows that in the United
States protocol a definite time is fixed for the
meeting of the commission to settle the claims.
which must he decided in six months, and that
The awards to be payable in gold or its
equivalent in silver while in the protocols with
the European allies there are none Of these
limitations
THE UNITED STATES PROTOCOL
The protocol signed to-day is expected to serve
as model for similar instruments to be ar
ranged with the other claimant powers. The
text Is as follows:
Protocol of an agreement between the Secre-
tary Of State of the United States OF Amer
lea and the Plenipotentiary of the Republic
of Venezuela for submission to arbitration
Of all unsettled claims of citizens of the
United States of America against the Re
public OF Venezuela.
The United States Of America and the repuh-
lie Of Venezuela, through their representatives.;
John Hay, Secretary OF State of the United
States Of America, and Herbert W. Bowen, the
plenipotentiary Of the republic OF venezuela
have agreed upon and signed the following pro-
tocol:
All claims owned by citizens of the United
States of America against the republic Of Ven
ezuea which have not been settled by dlplo-
matte agreement by arbitration between the
TWO governments, and which shall nave oeen
presented to the commission hereinafter named
by the Department Of State of the united
States or its legation at Caracas. shall be ex
amned and decided by a mixed commission.
which shall sit at Caracas and which shall con
sist of two members one of whom is TO be al-
pointed by the President of the United states
ard the other by the Presida ant OF Nenezuela
It is agreed that umpire may be named by
the Queen Of the Netherlands If either OF sald
commissioners or the umpire ShouIu IatI "I
cease to act, his successor shall be appointed
forthwith in the same manner as ms preoeees Zee -
eor- Said commissioners and umpire are to be
appointed before May /. 19u3.
The commissioners and the umpire shall meet
IN the city Of Caracas on June 1, 1908 The
,,r7r7ire shall preside over their deliberations
and shall be competent TO decide any question
on which the commissioners disagree. Before
assuming the functions of their office the COM
r7fssiorers and the umpire shall take solemn
oa-t carefu1ly 10 examine and impartially de-
eide, according to justice and the provisions of
This convention, all claims submitted to them.
and such oaths shall be entered on the record OF
their proceedings. The commissioners, or, in
case Of their disagreement, the ulpire.>shall De
eide all claims upon basis Of absolute>Squlty:
without regard objections Of a technical
nature or of the provisions of local legislation.
The decisions Of the commission and. in the
event Of their disagreement, those OF the UNI
pire shall be final and conclusive IheV snai De
IN writing. All awards shall be made payable IN
United States gold or its equivalent in silver
ARTICLE II
The commissioners OF umpire as the case may
he. shall investigate and decide said claims
upon such evidence or information only as shall
he furnished by or on behalf OF the respective
governments They shall re bound to receive
and consider ali written documents or state
ments which may be presented to them by or on
behalf of the respective governments IN support
OF in answer tn any claim. and to hear oral or
written arguments made bv the agent OF each
government every claim. In case OF their
failure 10 agree in opinion upon any individual
claim the umpire snail decide
Every claim shall be formally presented TO
The commissioners within thirty days from the
day Of their first meeting, unless the conlnls-
sioners the umpire in any case extend the
period for presenting the claim. not exceeding
three months longer. The commissioners snail
bound 10 examine and decide upon every
claim within six months from the day Of It's
first formal presentation. and in case of their
disagreement. the umpire snail examine ana
decide within a corresponding period from the
cate Of such disagreement
ARTICLE III
The commissioners and the umpire shall keep
accurate record Of their proceedings For
that purpose each commissioner shall appoint a
secretary versed in the language of both coun-
tries 10 assist them in the transaction OF the
business Of the commission. Except as herein
stipulated. all questions OF procedure shall be
left 10 the determination of the commission, or.
IN case Of their disagreement, TO the umpire
ARTICLE ".
Reasonable compensation to the commission
ers and to the umpire for their services and
expenses. and the other expenses OF said arbl-
tration, be paid in equal moieties by the
contracting parties
ARTICLE Y.
In order 70 pay the total amount of the claims
10 be ad1udicated as aforesaid, and other claims
Of citizens subjects OF other nations, the
government OF Venezuela shall set apart tor
this purpose and ALLEVIATE TO no other purpose,
beginning with the month Of March. 1903 30
per cent in monthly payments of the customs
revenues Of La Guayra and Porto Cabello, and
the payments thus set aside shall be dlVlded ana
distributed in conformity with the decision of
The Hague Tribunal
In case of the failure to carry out the above
agreement Belgian officials shall be placed in
charge OF the customs of the two ports, and
shall administer them until the Liabilities of