Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-14
PROTOCOL SSlGNED
Minister Bowen and the Allies
Come to TERMS 'ls
1nE t's
NEGOTIATIONS. ENDED
THE BRITISH EMBASSY.
Provisions of the Agreements Signed
Immediate Raising Of the
Blockade.

Herbert w. Bowen, Venezuela's repre-
sentative In the peace negotiations at
Washington, last night signed with each Of
the allies representatives here a protocol
providing for the immediate raising OF the
Venezuelan blockade and for the reference
Of the question Of preferential treatment Of
the claims Of the allies. against Venezuela
to The Hague arbitration tribunal. The final
formalities occurred at the British en-
bassy The British protocol was in Eng
fish, the italian in Italian and German
and the German in German AID English
Mr.. Bowen signed duplicate for Venezue-
la. Sir Michael Herbert for Great Britain,
Signor Mayor des Planches for Italy and
Baron Speck Won Sternburg for Germany.
By the provisions Of these preliminary
protocols. which have required more than
three weeks Of constant negotia tons, Vene-
zuea makes two distinct gains the i'm
mediate raising of blockade from which
she has been suffering for some weeks and
the return OF all her vessels, war and mer-
chant, which have been captured by the
allied fleet.
What the Allies Get.
Great Britain, Germany and Italy receive
advance payments of $500 each, Great
Britain receiving her payment on the sigma
ture of the protocol and Germany and Italy
Germany, in addition, will receive five
monthly installments ,ntil the full amount
paid her in advance aggregates 100000. AS
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 Guaira and Porto Cabello Thls
percentage will be set aside beginning
March l and relained in the Venezuelan
treas ury until The Hague tribunal shall
decide whether it shall be distributed with
out preference among all the claimant ma
tons, whether the allied powers of
Great Britain, Germany and Italy shall re-
ceive preferential payments
Italy, by her protocol, gains immediate
payment Of her first class of claims, with
out further adjudication, as soon as the
passed on the remainder of her claims. In
round numbers the adjudicated Italian
claims amount to s560.&0,, from which Will
be subtracted the $3.50 to be paid her
protocol. The Italian ambassador also has
secured for his government the insertion
in his protocol of an agreement that vene-
zuela will insert in her treaty with Italy
the favored nation clause possessed by the
other nations. tn. =
The British protocol consists of nine ar
tic,es and the others are practically OF the
same length. All provide for the renewal OF
existing treaties OF anity ana commerce
with Venezuela. u fre
The customs receipts,te be set aside for
the powers pending the decision or Inc
Hague are to be deposited in the Bank of
England at Caracas. 70 ..e
President to Name Umpire.
It is stipulated by the protocols that the
claims of the creditor nations shall be adj
Indicated by joint commissions to consist in
each instance Of Venezuelan, represen-
tative of the claimant power and, in case Of
a disagreement, an umpire to be named by
the President of the United States.
The protocols in providing for reference
of the question of preferential treatment to
The Hague do not state in detail the meth
DDS of procedure by which the case Is to be
laid before the tribunal. This will be done
in a second set of protocols, the preparation
of which will begin at once. 1t is provided,
however, that not Venezuela alone, but all
the other creditor nations. shall be permitted
to appear with her before the tribunal in
opposition to the allies for preferential pay
ment.
Upon the signing of the protocols last
night congratulations were exchanged by
the four negotiators. Mr.. Bowen then DIS
patched a brief cablegram to President
Castro informing him of the signature CT
the protocols providing for the immediate
raising of the blockade.