The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-07
Venezuelan Controversy VIII Now Go to The Hague Tri-
 bunaI for Adjustment
RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE
 RAISING OF BLOCKADE
1rltIsh Ambassador Sends for Bowen, Saying He Has Been III With La Grlppe-Venezuela Now Has
 Chance to Pay Up.

Washington, February 6.-President Roosevelt has declined the invitation of the allied powers to arbitrate the ques- tion as to whether they shall receive preferential treatment In the settlement of their claims against Venezuela over the other creditor nations. He reached this decision shortly before o'clock this afternoon and instructed Secretary Hay to dispatch a note to the British em- bassy at once advising the British ann bassador to that effect The matter, therefore, now will be referred to The Hague tribunal This will result in the immediate raising of the blockade. The administration, 1t Is stated in an official quarter. was unwilling to approve the effort of the British government to elimi- . nate Minister Bowen from the negotia- tions and moreover the President could not have accepted the invitation of the allies even had he been so disposed with out the consent of the other negotiator. Minister Bowen, and this the allies did not obtain and require in their note of invitation to the President
 Tomorrow prellmnaries with reference to the signing of the protocol referring the matter to The Hague will be consd- cred.
 Bowen Is Sent For.
 Immediately on receipt of Secretary Hays note announcing the Presidents declination, the British ambassador ad- dressed a communication to Minister Bowen stating that he was suffering from an attack of grippe, and would be obliged if MT. Bowen would call on him. The Venezuelan envoy went at once to the embassy where the British ambas- sador explained that he had been too i'll to call for several days and announced the arrival of his protocol which he was prepared to submit to MT. Bowen for signature. Later the German minis ter, Baron Sternberg. called on MT. Bowen and announced the arrival of his protocol. Tomorrows programme will in- clude preliminary preparations for the signing of the protocol.
 It developed tonight that two protocols are to be signed by MT. Bowen, with the Italian ambassador, Signor Mayor Desplanohes; two with the British ambas- sador, and two with the German minister, Baron Spec von Sternberg. The first protocol in each case will provide for the referende of the allies contention for preferential treatment to The Hague and the raising of the blockade simultaneous ly with the signing of the convention. It is doubtful whether the initial protocols between Minister Bowen and the three allies will contain the same conditions, though all the negotiations are working to this end.
 Conditions Precedent.
 In these protocols the conditions prece- dent to the raising of the blockade would be clearly stated, namely, that 20 per cent of the custom receipts of the ports of LaGauyra and Puerto Cabello are to be set aside by Venezuela for the satis- faction of her creditors and the question as to whether the allied powers shall re- ceive preferential treatment, or as Great Britain terms 1t separate treatment in the settlement, shall be referred to The Hague. These protocols also will pro- vide that Venezuela shall pay down to each of the three allied powers s5500 as an initial cash payment The differences between these protocols, 1t is said, will concern certain details, the nature of which is not yet known even to MT. Bowen. The German protocol will be sub mitted to him tomorrow by the German minister for consideration. Afterwards Mir. Bowen will go to the British em- bassy, In view of the illness of the British ambassador, and there will see the proto- col which has been drawn up by Lord Lansdowne. Desplanches, will bring his protocol to Mir. Bowen tomorrow for consideration.
 Having arranged for the signature of the first protocol, the negotiators will take up the second protocol, which is to cover the manner of adtudicating the claims of the various creditor powers and the means of the administration of ct fafo T terday, the claims of each claimant power are to be settled by commission to con- sist in each instance of a representative of creditor government and venezue- Ian, and in case of a failure to agree the King of Spain will appoint an arbiter
 Caracas Government Entrusted.
 The plan agreed to for the collection of the payments provides that the Caracas government shall be entrusted with the administration of the receipts unless thr- ty days are allowed to elapse without the prompt payment to any one nation of it's share, in swhich event the Belgian gov. ernment is empowered to appoint agents to take charge of the custom houses and administer the payments until all claims of all the nations are satisfied.
 It was admitted tonight that some days may yet pass before either of the proio- co.'s can be signed, owing to the minor differences, but negotiations are expected to move more swiftly than in the past
 In administration and diplomatic cir- cles the reference of the question to The Hague is regarded as a victory for Min ister Bowen, as Venezuela thereby is enable to recover from the distressing effect of the blockade before starting upon the payment of her debts. The cumber- some machinery of The Hague, 1t is ex- pected, will delay matter considerably, and the pay of creditor nations cannot begin until the important question of priority payment for the allies Is decided. The finding of The Hague tribunal may not be handed down for several months. The tribunal also will decide the vital question to South American states as to blockades and bombardments entitle powers to preferential treatment at the hands of their debtor. Coming from The Hague 1t will establish precedent,