Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-29
MUCH NEGOTIATIONS.
Proceedings Over the Question of How
Venezuela Shall Pay Her Debts.

London, Jan. 29-Great Britain,
Germany and Italy have sent Il joint
reply to Bowen refusing to accept the
proposal that all countries having
claims against Venezuela should be
placed on an equality with the three
cooperating powers.
Washington, Jan. 29.-Signor Mayor
des Planches. the Italian ambassador,
as the ranking representative of the
allies, who represents Venezuela, yes
terJay afternoon and informed him OF
the. dispatch cf a joint cablegram to
the powers. and expressed the hope
that it would expedite the arrival of
the final answer. Partial confirmation
has been obtained here of cable dis
patches that Belgium is to take 4
prominent part in the administration
of the customs receipts. Bowen de-
clines TO discuss the details of his plan,
however. until the blockade has been
raised. Late Yesterday he gave out
brief statement of the diplomatic debt
OF Venezuela and the methods for it's
future adjustment
What Venezuela Is Owing
In round numbers this debt amount
Z.
$4,000, 900. and consisted of claims
which had previously been adjusted.
Since that date, owing to the almost
constant state of revolution which has
prevailed in Venezuela, no payments
have been made on the debt. Bowen's
plan provides that 13 per cent of the
custom receipts of all the Venezuelan
ports shall go toward the payment of
this debt. This arrangement it is
stated will interfere in no wise with
the plan of Bowen submitted to the
powers for the settlement of the un-
adjudicated claims.
Payment for the Other Creditors.
For the payment of the latter 80
per cent. of the customs duties of the
two ports of Porto Cabello and La
Guayra have been offered in pledge by
Bowen. These ports were selected be-
cause they would be the last to fall
into the hands of the revolutionists.
Assurances have been given the French
government that if shall receive fair
treatment in the settlement of it's
claims, and that TO previous arrange
ments which il has made with Vene-
zuela shall he interfered with. The
French charge d'affaires, NJ Pierre de
Margerie. has received instruction from
the foreign office Mt Paris authorizing
him to conduct negotiations with Bow
en- whenever the latter desires to take
up the French claims.
Another Story of Fort San Carlos.
a Caracas dispatch says: Every
one here expects the blockade to be
raised at any moment 1t has been
learned from an officer of the United
States gunboat Marietta. which an
chOred yesterday at La Guayra, that
the German commodore. Scheder. on
arriving at Willemstadt with the Vine
ta. said: 1.-THE Panther did not fire first
on Fort San Carlos. On Jan. IL she
was obliged by storm to take refuge
inside the bar. and on coming near the
fortress she tried to land boat flying
a red flag. This signal was misinter-
preted by the fort. which subsequent
" fired on the boat"
Negotiators in q Conference.
The British and italian ambassadors
and Count Quadt. the German charge
d'affairs. called on Bowen about 1920
p. m. yesterday and were still in con-
ference with him at IL: p. m. The
conference was by appointment and
at the request of the representatives
but no one knew what it was about