Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-02-20
PROTOCOLS ALL SIGNED
Britain, Germany and Italy in Line Tor
Peace With Venezuela.
THE BLOCKADE WILL BE RAISED.
Midnight When the Signing Took Place at
British Embassy-Within Twenty.four Hours
the Commanders of The Blockading Fleet
Along the Venezuelan Coast Will Receive
Orders to Withdraw Warships.

Washington, D. c. (SpeciaD.-Her-
bet w. Bowen, Venezuela's represen-
tative in the peace negotiations at
Washington, has signed with each OF
the allies representatives here a pro-
tocol providing for the immediate raiS-
ing of the Venezuelan blockade, and tor
the reference of the question OF prefer
entail treatment of the claims OF the
allies against Venezuela to The Hague
arbitration tribunal. The final formali-
ties occurred at the British Embassy
At 30 o'clock D. m. Herbert Dering,
first secretary of the British Embassy,
announced tina tthe British protocol
had just been signed, and that sigma
ture OF the Italian and German proto-
coils would follow in the order named.
The Italian protocol was signed at
1850 and the German protocol at 1910
o'clock, the presence of Baron Stern
berg at the White House musical de-
laying final close to the negotiations
until after midnight. -,
The British protocol was in English:
the Italian in Italian and German, and
the German in German and English.
Mr.. Bowen signed in duplicate for
Venezuela; Sir Michael Herbert tor
Great Britain; Signor Mayor DIES
Plances for Italy, and Baron Spec Won
Sternberg for Germany. Immediately
on the signing OF the last protocol ca
bles were dispatched to London, Berlin
and Rome announcing the fact.
By the provisions Of these prelimin,,
airy protocols, which have required
more than three weeks of constant ne
gotiations, Venezuela makes two dis
tinct gains-the immediate raising OF a
blockade from which she has been SUIT
fcring for some weeks, and the return
OF all her vessels, war and merchant,
which have been captured by the allied
fleet.
Great Britain, Germany and Italy re-
ceive advance payments OF $500 each,
Great Britain receiving her payment
on the signature of the protocol, and
Germany and Italy within 80 and 20
days from date. Germany, in addition,
will receive FIVE monthly payments Tin
til the full amount paid her in advance
aggregates $4,000.
As a guaranty for the satisfaction Of
their claims, Mr.. Bowen pledges the
allies share with the other creditor
nations in 80 per cent. OF the customs
receipts OF the two ports of Laguayra
and Porto Cabello. This percentage
will be set aside beginning March
and retained in the Venezuelan treas
ury until The Hague tribunal shall de,
eide whether it shall be distributed
without preference among the claimant
nations or whether the allied powers Of
Great Britain, Germany and Italy shall
receive preferential payments.
Italy, by her protocol, gains imtnedi-
ate payment OF her frst-class claims
without further adjudication, as soon
as the joint commission at Caracas shall
have passed on the remainder OF her
claims. In round numbers the adjudi-
Gated Italian claims amount to $4,000
from which will be subtracted the ST.
500 to be paid her 90 days from the
signature OF her first protocol. The
Italian Ambassador also has secured
for his government the insertion in
his protocol of an agreement that Ven
ezuela will insert in her treaty with
Italy the favored-nation clause possess
ed by the other nations.