The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-18
Differences Between Venezuela and
Powers Referred 10 Hague. :
BLOCKADE DECLARED 1T IN END.
Minister Bowen as the Repres-
entative of Venezuela Has
Ably discharged a Diff
eltt and Delicate
Task.
Washington. Feb. 1s.-Herbert ".

Washington, Feb. 13.-Herbert W.
Bowen, Veneuzela's representative in
the peace negotiations at Washington
tonight signed with each Of thesallies'
representatives here protocol pro-
7iding for the immediate raising of the
venezuelan blockade and for the re-
ference of the question of preferential
treatment of the claims of the allies
against Venezuela TO The Hague ar
bitration tribunal The final formali
ties occurred at the, British embassy.
At31.20 o'clock tonight. Mr.. Herbert
Desring, first secretary of the British
embassy, announced to The Associated
Press that the British protocol had
Just been signed and that signature of
the Italian and German protocols would
follow in the order named.
The Italian protocol was singed at
u.5o and the German protocol at l2.10
O'Clock, the presence of Baron Stern
berg at the White House musicale
delaying final close to the negotia-
lions until after midnight.
DIR. Bowen signed a duplicate for
Venezuela, Sir Michael Herbert for
Great Britain, signor Mayor des
Planches for Italy and Baron Spec
ron sbernberg for Germany. I'M
mediately on the signingSof tn last
protocol cables were dispatched to
London, Berlin and Rome announcing
the fact. It is exepcted that the COM
manders Of the blockading feet within
the next q hours will receive their
orders to withdraw their vessels at
once.
By the provisions of these preliminary
protocols. which have required more
than three weeks Of constant negotia-
sions, Venezuela makes two distinct
gains, the immediate Saising of a
blockade from which she has been
suffering for some weeks and the re-
; turn of all the vessels, war and meg4
chant, which have been captured by
the allied feet.
Great Britain, Germany and Italy
receive advance payments of Eve
Thousand I've hundred pounds each,
Great Britain receiving ber pay
ment on the signature of the protocol
and Germany and Italy within 30 or go
days from date. Germany, in addition,
will receive Eve monthly installments
until the full amount paid here in ad-
vance aggregates $40, GOO. As. a
guaranty for the satisfaction OF 4eir
claims Mr.. Bowen pledges the allies to
share with the other creditor nations
in 30 per cent. of the customs of the
two post Of La Gaayra and Puerto
Cabello. This percentage will be set
aside beginning March and retained
in the Venezuelan treasury until The
Hague tribunal decides whe 5her it
shall be Distributed without prefer
ence among all the claimant nations, or
whether tie allied powers of Great
Britain, Germany and Italy shall re-
ceiEe preferential payments.
Italy by her protocol gains immedi-
ase payments of her first class of
claims, without further adjudication,
as soen as the point passed on the
remainder of her claims. In round
Numbers the adiudicated Italian claims
amount to $3.50, Coo; from which will be
subtracted s27, 500 to be paid her sixty
days from the signature of her first
protocol.
The protocols in providing for refer
ence of the question Of preferential
treatment TO The Hague do not state
in detail the methods of procedure oy
which the case is to be laid before the
tribunal. This will be done in second
set of protocols, the preparation of
which Will begin at once.
Upon the signing of the protocols to-
night congratulations were exchanged
by the four negotiators. Mr.. Bowen
then dispatched a brief cablegram to
President Castro informing him of
the signature sof the protocols pro-
viding for the Immediate raising of
the blockade.