The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-03
Sets His Foot Flat Down on the Last Proposition
 Submitted
WILL NDT CONSENT ID
 UNEQUAL TREAT MENT
His Ultimatum Is Forwarded to All the Countries, With Request That He Be Given Answer-At-
 mosphere Cloudy.

Washington, February 2.--Herbert W.
 Bowen. Venezuelas representative in the
 negotiations at Washington for a settle
 ment of the claims against that country,
 has sent through the British ambassador
 at Washington, what amounts practi-
 cally to an ultimatum to the allied pow
 CTS of Great Britain, Germany and Italy
 regarding their insistence for preferen-
 tial treatment in the settlement of their
 claims against Venezuela. This note.
 which the British ambassador received
 shortly before o'clock tonight. was ca-
 bled at once to London, copies of 1t being | transmitted to the Italian and German
 embassies for transmission to Rome and
 Berlin
 It is in reply to the proposal submitted at a joint conference of the negotiators this afternoon by the British ambassador that the allied powers be allowed two- thirds of 90 per cent of the customs re- ceipts of the ports of LaGuayra and Puerto Cabello, and that the United States and the other claimant nations France. Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Spain. Norway and Sweden-content them- selves with the remaining one-third of this percentage-that is, 10 per cent of the receipts of these two ports
 Bowen Refuses Point Blank. In the note received by the British ann
 bassador from MT. Bowen tonight the latter refuses point blank the proposal
 for a 20 and 10 per cent division on the
 ground that to recognize the principle 1t
 embodies would be absolutely offensive to
 modern civilization. In view of the fact
 that the negotlators are agreed on all
 save the question of preferentiaD,f Ire -.tr.
 ment the ambassador Is infory6ed tha~
 Venezuela has decided to ,slf5mit that
 question to The Hague [.sfbitration trf-
 bunal. The acceptanceJ0f this proposal.
 Venezuela contendF carries with 1t a raising of the blockade. the general un- derstanding being that the blockade would end when the negotators at Washington had reached an agreement
 | It is understood that in refusing this
 last proposal. submitted by the British !. ambassador on behalf of the allies Min ister Bowen takes the ground that he cannot accept in principle the contention that the bloekades and bombardment of l forts and the consequent killing of help | less men, women and children. entities | any power or alliance of powers to prefer ential treatment at the hands of a civil ized nation. It Is asserted that should | the peace powers and blockading powers | agree to such principle they would n- corporate In the law of nations a decision | in conflict with the tenets of all modern | day ethics
 Would Continue the Alliance. | Moreover. Venezuela. 1t Is said, regards | the Dreferantial demand of inc nnwara | as objectionable because 1t would enable 1 the continuance of the triple alliance of | Great Britain, Germany and Italy for a | period of six years or more and in ac- | cepting 1t Venezuela would be eneourag- l ing and abetting the maintenance of hos | tile alliances against herself. The British
 ambassador Is informed in the note that | Americans north and south want peace | and not alliances.
 | Venezuela has taken special exception | to the action of the British government ] in initiating this last proposal by which | Great Britain can hold fast to Germany l and Italy in their alliance against Ven ezuela until the last cent of the claim is paid. The prediction is maue in her re- l sponse that surprise and regret of the keenest sort will be felt throughout tho | Americas when 1t Is known that Great | Britain has even proposed continuing the present alliance with Germany and Italy one moment longer than Is necessary, l particularly in view of her previous rep resentations to the effect that she was anxious to end the Venezuelan dispute | and call off the alliance at the earliest possible time.
 | In suggesting that the question of pref erential treatment be referred to The Hague it is understood that Mir Bowen does so in view of the fact that the ques-, ton is the only one which remains in dis. ' fn he aI1t .I,,t., zuela is deslrous that all the negotiators shall stand by what has been agreed on. British Ambassador Declines. The British ambassador declined to- night to make public the text of the note addressed to him, 1t is in reality a. note to the allied powers. but 1t became known that 1t was along the lines here set forth, and concluded with an appeal for justice to The Hague tribunal regard | ing the contention of the allies for pref erential treatment and an assertion that | such action carried with 1t the raising of the blockade. Some significance may at, tach to the note in view of the fact that before dispatching it to the British em- l bassy Mir Bowen was in conference with Secretary Hay Whether the allies will accept final what Mir Bowen has had to say or will assume a concilia tory ar- titude and ask, as has been suggested both by Mir. Bowen and the representa- tives of the allies in Washington for pref erential treatment. for a limited period. no one in Washington feels competent to predict The position taken by Mr Bowen. 1t is said. has received the indorsemenr of all the unallied claimant nations. in which number Is included the United States.
 At the joint conference this afternoon which occurred at 3 o'clock, besides Mr. Bowen. the Italian and British ambassa- dors and the German minister. there was also present Count von Quadt. first secre- tary of the German embassy, who until the arrival of Baron Speck von Stern berg conducted with activity and judg- ment the negotiations on behalf of his xoverumant