The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-08
IN
 AN ALLIANCE The Kingdom Tied Up
 With Germany. THIS FACT LEAKS OUT Had Already Been Learned
 by MT. Bowen. True Facts as to the Disagreement Between the Representative of
 Venezuela and the Brit ish Ambassador.

Washington. Feb. 7.-Disclosure of se- cret alliance between Germany and Italy constituted the most important develop ment in the Venezuelan situation tonight.
 This fact has been made known to the British Ambassador and 1t will put all of the negotiators here closely on their guard In drafting of the protocols which they hope to submit to Minister Bowen during the next few days. The German-Italian alliance was no news to Mir. Bowen, the fact having leaked out in Caracas before he left there. Generally speaking .the al- liance is intended to secure to Italy the same treatment in Italy's settlement with Venezuela as that received by Great Bri- tain and Germany.
 MT. Bowen has made 1t plain to the German Minister and to the British Ani- bassador that he cannot afix his sigma ture to any protocols which they submit to him which are not substantially of the same character as that to be sub mitted by the Italian Ambassador, signor ddyOT ueS EAdIInco.
 Contents Not Known.
 All three of the first set of protocols to be signed which will contain the con- ditions precedent to the raising of the blockade and the provisions for referring the question of preferential treatment to The Hague for decision have been re- ceived at the Italian. British and Ger man embassies. Their contents are not known to MT. Bowen nor have the allies representatives been acquainted as yet with the details of each others conven- tons.
 Several Important conferences have oc- .ca1rr as- thEasasiassit tbs aas at the British embassy in an sffort to reach an agree ment upon the protocols.
 Regarding reference to The Hague MT. Bowen has informed the allies that he will not consent that one man be select ed from the personnel of The Hague ui- bunal to sit as arbiter in the question of preferential treatment. He wishes that this court shall consist of three and pref errably of five members.
 Several more or less sensational stories have been in circulation during the last few days which have caused considerable annoyance to the British Ambassador and to the other negotiators regarding
 
 former on last Monday proposing that the question of preferential treatment go to The Hague. That these reports may be corrected the negotiators are desirous that the facts be stated.
 Bowen and the Britisher.
 Tuesday. after the sending of this note to the British Ambassador. the latter called on Mir. Bowen and asked that he withdraw the entire note on the ground that 1t was not diplomatic in character. MT. Bowen was compelled to refuse to grant his request, The Ambassador then asked that the sentence beginning "On this side of the water we want peace and not alliances" be withdrawn. Again Mr. Bowen regretted that he could not grant the Ambassadors request. Finally, the Ambassador represented that the latter part of the sentence regarding the con- tjnuance of the alliance of Great Britain with Germany and Italy would cause him embarrassment when submitted to the Italian Ambassador and the German Min ister.
 MT. Bowen replied that he would be only too glad to do anything that would fur ther the negotiations and at once struck out the objectionable clause. which read as follows:
 And it V i'll occasion great surprise and regret when it becomes known that Great Britain has even proposed continuing her present alliance with Germany and Italy one moment longer than she must" :"
 With this one change. the note was finally transmitted by the British Ambas- sador to the German and Italian Am bassadors.