Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-01-30

Ildn CTulSCIS L dhIhCl anu
Fake was continued yesterday. The
fort replied, and 12 dead and is
wounded Venezuelan soldiers was the
result. A fisherman from the vii
lage of San Carlos has arrived here
in n canoe with his family and re-
ports that more than 25 Indian fish
ermen have been killed or wounded
at San Carlos.
Commander RoAorts.
Berlin, Jan. 24.-Commodore Scheder,
commander of the German fleet in
| Venezuelan waters, officially reports
the bombardment of Fort San Carlos
from Maraicabo under date of Jan. 21,
| as follows:
"On the 18th instant, while the Pan
ther was passing the Maracaibo bar,
she was unexpectedly attacked by Fort
San Carlos, which opened heavy fire
on her. To this the Panther replied
and cannonade was exchanged for
half an hour. Owing to the difficulties
of navigation the Panther then desist-
ed. In order to exact an immediate
| punishment for this attack, the more
so as the Venezuelan government had
| ,
the fort, with the Nineta on the 21st
instant and destroyed it,"
Still Hold the Fort.
Maracaibo, Jan. 24.-At 2 o'clock
Friday afternoon Fort San Carlos
was in the possession of the govern,
ment forces and the bombardment by
the German warships was still going
on. There has been no material
change in the situation. The gunboat
Panther was the only vessel to come
inside the bar. Communication with
the fort is very difficult.
Bowen Full of Hope.
Washington, Jan. 26.-At midnight
Saturday night Minister Bowen gave
out the following statement: 81 have
good reason to believe that the pending
controversy between the three allied
powers and Venezula will be settled
soon and satisfactorily" Mr.. Bowen
said he was able to make this positive
statement after a number of confer
ences held during the day and evening
with the representatives of the allied
powers. He expressed his qualification
over the prospects of speedy settle
ment of the difficulty. He had nothing
to say, however, s to whether the as
surances he has received include an
immediate raising of the blockade.
Germany's Official Statement.
Berlin, Jan. 26.-In an official state
ment given out in regard to the bonn.
bardment of Fort San Carlos at Mara
caibo, it was pointed out:
First That the HON ho ord, M M
CURED while Mr. Bowen, the American
minister and representative of Vene-
zuela in the negotiations at Washing
ton, was on his way to the latter city.
Therefore the negotiations had not
actually begun.
Second. 1t is claimed that the fault
of the matter lies wholly at President
Castro's door, and that he alone is re-
sponsible for every life lost and any
injury inflicted.
Third. 1t was the right and the duty
of the Panther to secure free passage
of the lagoon, and in discharging the
undertaking of the other powers to
secure control of the lagoon and in
spect the vessels therein the Panther
had no intention of bombarding the
forts, and had no orders 10 do so.
Castro Gets the Blame.
The responsibility for the lombard
ment, it is claimed, rests entirely with
President Castro. If he had disavowed
the action of the fort in firing on the
Panther the second bombardment
would not have taken place. But, on
the contrary, the affair was celebrated
| a Vanaznelnn vipf ha
fort remained hostile it becan neces-
sary to destroy it. In pursuance of an
international blockade an American
commander would have acted in pre-
cisely the same way as the German Off
cerin command. Finally, the statement
says, Indignation is felt here at the
manner in which the spirit of the Ger
man proceedings has been misinter-
preted and misrepresented in tn.
United States.
Bombardment Ends.
Maracaibo, Venezuela, Friday, Jan.
23-(Delayed.)-A boat with press
representative on board, which wa.
sent from here yesterday to Fort Sar
Carlos, returned to Maracaibo at IL
o'clock this morning bringing the
news that the German WarShlpS had
not shelled the fort since Thursday
night.
Britain Condemns Bombnrdment.
London, Jan. 23.-The British gov
ernment is entirely in the dark re-
garding the reasons for the aggressive
action of the German naval author
tiles in again bombarding Fort San
Carlos, at the entrance of Lake Mara
caibo. The foreign Office officials here
are apprehensive of the result of the
bombardment.
Unfavorable Impression In italy.
, Rome, Jan. 23.-The second bonn
bardment of Fort San Carlos by the
German warships has produced an un-
favorable impression here, as the ne
cessity for a recourse to violence is