New-York tribune., 1903-05-11
THE NOTE TO HERBERT.
REFUSAL OF PREFERENCE
Boscen's Reply Which. fingered the
British Ambassador


washington May 10-How Great Britain
Germany and Italy. for the asking. could nave
secured from Venezuela preferential treatment
IN the settlement of their claims, had theS
asked in time and thereby been relieved OF the
necessity of an appeal to The Hague court,
with its consequent expense and delay Is eoio
in the blue book which Herbert W. Bowen "no
was Venezuelan plenipotentiary III the peaco
negotiations here, has prepared, containing tue
correspondence and dispatches relating to the
Venezuelan protocols. I. shows that Presaoeht
Castro conferred on Mr.. Bowen two sets OF
powers, one authorizing him to conduct nego-
tiations exclusively with the representatives or
the allied powers-Great Britain, Germany and
Italy-and the other granting him full authority
to effect settlement with the representatives
of all nations having claims against Venezuela
Mr.. Bowen, on the day Of his arrival here,
called at the embassies Of the allied powers 10
present his credentials. He presented hrst MS
powers to negotiate with all Venezuela's cred
itors though expecting that they would De on-
iected to promptly, In which event he intended
TO fall back the others Instead, the Ita1ah
and British ambassadors and the German
Charge d,Affaires accepted without question the
letters empowering him to negotiate with all
the creditor nations. In SO doing they waived
at the outset the question Of separate or pref
erential treatment for their governments. and
this point was not raised until the peace pro-
tocols were practically ready for signature
The Blue Book begins with President Castros
note of December 8, 1902, expressing his will
ingness to arbitrate the differences of the al
lied powers and the Caracas Government,
and requesting Mr.. Bowen to represent Venez-
uela as arbitrator. Many cable dispatches were
exchanged between Venezuela and the allies
through Washington before they would
agree to President Castro's proposition for
preliminary negotiations here looking to the
raising of the blockade The allies stood
out for immediate reference to The Hague OF
the entire question. until Secretary Hay trans
mitted to them dispatch from Mr. Bowen at
Caracas, pointing out the unreasonableness or
forcing a nation to carry controversy to The
Hague court which is essentially peace trib-
unaL
The book makes public for the first time the
text of Mr.. Bowen's note of February 20 last
TO Sir Michael Herbert. the British Ambassador.
which for time threatened to break off neso-
tiations. II ran follows:
have given due consideration to your govern
ment's proposition that two-thirds of the so per
Poto OF belo she be iven to the allied powers and
that the remaining third be paid to the peace pow
accept even in princpe, that preferential treat
ent can 0e rshty yo 0Gtahea he asoeT oensre
to modern civilization recognize that principle
would have to be if the allied powers and the peace
powers should agree to It and acknowledge 1t.
cause it would keep the allied powers allied for
sure be expected to encourage the maintenance OF
alliances against her. On this side Of the water
Now, the question of preferential treatment is
| by propose that we leave, that question to The
1 Hague What we have already agreed upon we
to it that we have decided to submit the question
| Of preferential Treatment to The Hague oo
how it can be declned.theTe would be; Of course,
Of the controTersy IS honorable to all parties and
! beg you to communicate it to your colleagues at
your earliest convenience.
Sir Michael Herbert demanded a retraction of
the entire note, but Mr. Bowen refused to COM
ply with the demand The correspondence
shows that thereupon negotiations the part
Of the allies with Mr. Bowen were broken OF
] and that President Roosevelt invited to
arbitrate the entire affair. In this correspond
ence the British Government took exception to
Mr. Bowen's statement that the Anglo-Gerrnan n
alliance would be continued for six years were
| the allies given preferential treatment, and the
State Department was assured that the British
Foreign Office was Of opinion that such would
not be the case. The State Department re-
| ceived these assurances as information. Presi-
dent Roosevelt announced his inability to accept
the invitation to arbitrate the matter. and nego-
tiations with Mr.. Bowen were resumed.
| Venezuela's representative was not party
to the arbitration invitation to President Roose
Welt. but his views respecting 1t appear from
the following note. which he sent several week:
! ago to the British Ambassador:
| You never gave me copy of your note of Feb
! ruary 6, Mr.. Hay, and have never possessed q
| copy of II. / cannot be bound by what you wrote
| TO Mr. Hay February 6. for, if l remember
rightly. your letter to him was proposition thai
the question of preferential treatment be left tc
/ the President of the United States to decide Thai
proposition I opposed the moment your said letter
/ was read to There the matter ended.
Mr.. Bowen left Washington for New-York to-
day, and on Saturday he will sail for Caracas
| Secretary Hay congratulated Mr.. Bowen the
| successful completion of his mission. Cordia
| notes of congratulation also were exchanged
between Mr.. Bowen and the Italian and British
| ambassadors and Baron Speck Won Sternburg.