The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-14
GATES ARE LIFTED
PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN SIGNED
AND LITTLE VENEZUELA is
NOW HAPPY.
HER VESSELS RETURNED.
AND BLOCKADE WILL BE RAISED
WITHOUT DELAY.

The Hague Will Decide the Question
of Preferential Treatment of the
Claims of the AIIies-Represent
tives of England, Germany and
Italy Sign the Papers with Minis
ter BOwen-BarOn Sternburg Was
at White House Musicale and Did
Not Amx His Signature Until Early
This Morning.
Washington, Feb. 13.-Herbert w.
Bowen, Venezuelas representative in
the peace negotiations at Washington,
tonight signed, with each of the al
lies representatives here, a protocol
providing for the immediate raising of
the Venezuelan blockade, and for the
reference of the question of preferen-
tial treatment of the claims of the al
lies against Venezuela, to The Hague
arbitration tribunal.
The final formalities occurred at the
British embassy. At 11:2O o'clock to-
night Herbert Dering, first secretary
of the British embassy, announced to
the Associated Press that the British
protocol had just been signed and that
signatures of the Italian and German
protocols would follow in the order
named.
The italian protocol was signed at
1850 and the German protocol at
1910 o'clock, the presence of Baron
Sternburg at the White House must
Gale delaying a final close to the ne
gotiations until after midnight.
Mr.. Bowen signed a duplicate for
Venezuela, Sir Michael Herbert for
Great Britain, Signor Mayor des
Planches for Italy. and Baron Speck
Won Sternburg for Germany. Imme-
diately on the signing of the last proto-
col cables were dispatched to London.
Berlin and Rome, announcing the fact.
1t is expected that the commanders of
the blockading fleet within the next
twenty-four hours will receive their or
ders to withdraw their vessels at once.
BY the provisions of these preliminary
protocols, which have required more
than three weeks of constant negotia-
tions, Venezuela makes no distinct
gains, the immediate raising of block
AIDE, from which she has been suffering
for some weeks. and the return of all
her vessels. war and merchant, which
have been captured by the allied fleet.
Great Britain, Germany and Italy re-
ceive advance payments of $500 each.
Great Britain receiving her payment on
the signature of the protocol, and Ger
many and Italy within thirty or sixty
days from date. Germany, in addition,
will receive five monthly instruments
until the full amount paid her in adj
vance aggregates $4,000.
Pledges Customs Receipts.
AS a guaranty for the satisfaction
of their claims, Mr.. Bowen pledges the
allies share with the other creditor
nations in 30 per cent. of the customs
receipts of the two ports of La Guayra
and Puerto Cabello. This percentage
will be set aside beginning March l.,
and retained in the Venezuelan treas
ury until the Hague tribunal decides
whether it shall be distributed, with
out preference, among all the claimant
nations, or whether the allied Powers
of Great Britain and Italy shall re-
ceive preferential payments.
Italy, by her protocol, gains imme-
date payment of her first class of
claims, without further adjudication
as soon as the joint commission at
Caracas shall have passed on the re-
mainder of her claims. In round num-
bers the adjudicated Italian claims
amount to $56O,OOO, from which will be
subtracted the s27,5OO to be paid her
sixty days from the signature of her
first protocol.
The protocols in providing for refer
ence of the question of preferential
treatment to The Hague, do not state
in detail the methods of procedure by
which the case is to be laid before the
tribunal. This will be done in second
set of protocols, the preparation of
which will begin at once.
Upon the signing of the protocols to-
night congratulations, were exchanged
bv the four negotiators. Mr.. Bowen
then dispatched brief cablegram 20
President Castro informing him of the
signing of the protocols providing
for the immediate raising of the block