The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-08
SENSATIONAL STORIES
HAD BEEN AFLOAT.
Facts All Leaked Out When the British
Ambassador Asked Mr.. Bowen to
Cut Out Of His Note a Sentence
That Would Cause Him
Embarrassment With
Germany and Italy.
lBy Associated Press.l

WASHINGTON. February I-Disclos-
many and Italy constituted the most i'm.
portant development In the Venezuelan
situation tonight
This fact has been made known TO the
British Ambassador, and 1t will put all
OF the negotlators more closely on their
guard In drafting the protocols which
they hope to submit to Minister Bowen
during the next faw days.
The German-ltalianl alliance was old
news TO Mr. Bowen, the fact having
leaked out in Caracas before he left t.ere
Generally speaking the alliance is In
tendsd to secure to Italy the same treat
ment In the allies. settlement with Vene-
zuela AS that received by Germany and
Great Britain. q
MR. BOWEN Is FIRM.
Mr. Bowen has made 1t plain, both to
the British Ambassador and to the Ger
man Ambassador. Baron Speck Won Stern
burg, that he cannot affix hts signature
10, M. proceeds they may present 70
him which ere not substantially OF ths
same caaracteY as that to be submitted
by the Italian Ambassador, Signor Mayor
Des Pisnches. fAtI three OF the ftst Get
of proceeds 10 be isigned. which win con
tain the conditions precedent % tae rails
ing OF the. blockade ana the provisions
for referring the question Of prefereuS
.s!al trsatme1,, to The Hage for decision.
have been received at the Italian, Bl..-sh
and German bassies Their contents
arc not known TO ar. Bowen. nor have
the allies representatives here been ac-
quainted as yet with tae details Of
each others conventions. Several In,
portant conferences have occurred
fy,Sf ha n a \ ytn I9r{St et,
oassy IN an effort to reach an agreement
upon the protocols.
SENSATIONAL STORIES.
Several more or less sensational
stories have been In circplat tion during
the last few days, which have caus ed
considerable ann oyance to the British
Ambassador and to the other negoia-
tors Regarding the note Mr. Bowen ae-
dressed to the former on Monday last
entia! treatment to The Ha que. That
these reports may be corrected the ne
gotiators are des!rous that the facts
shall ba stated.
On Tuesday after the sending OF this
note TO the British, Annbas sa.dor. the lat
ter called on Mr.. Bowen and asked tina
4 he withdraw the entire note on tie
ground that It was not diplomatic in
character. Mr.. Bowen was conpeile ed
to refuse to grant this request. The
Ambassador then asked that the sen-
tence beginning. .'on this side OF the
water we want peace and not alliance
be withdrawn. Again Mr.. Bowen re-
gretted that he could not grant the am
bassador's request.
oBJEcTIoNABLB SENTENCE.
Finally, the Ambassador represented
that the latter part OF the sentence re-
gardinS The continuance of the alii-
ance OF Great Britain with Germany and
Italy would cause him embarrassment
when submitted to the, Italian Ambassa-
dor and the German Am mbassador. Mr..
Bowen replied that he would be only too
glad to do anything that would further
the negotiations and once struck out
the Objectionable clause. which read as
follows:
And it will occasion great surprise
and regret when it becomes known that
Great Britain has even proposed s con-
tinuings harf present alliance with Ger
many and Italy one moment longer than
sheSmust." tSs, = f:,
With this change the note was for
mully transmitted by the British Ambas-
sador to the German embassies,