The Topeka state journal., 1903-02-11
Protocols MutAll Be Signed at
the Same Time
Or They Will Be of No Force
and Effect.
BOWEN'S ACCEPTANCE.
Of the British Document Makes
No Difference.
Allies Have Agreement That
All Must Be Satisfied.
BOWEN's ACCEPTANCE

London, Feb IL-Minlster Bowen
formal acceptance Of the British pro-
tocol is not believed here to be likely
to hasten to any great extent the con
clusion of the Venezuelan negotiations.
The Associated Press is informed that
the allies ambassadors have been strict
ly en5oined not to sign any of the pro
tocols until all three powers are salts
fed with the terms. with these sigma
lures will be simultaneous.
When the question Of separate treat
ment of the allies is brought before The
Hague court of arbitration the triple
alliance will appear as one power their
interests being regarded as identical.
Washington. Feb 11.-Great Britains
protocol has been formally accepted by
Mr.. Bowen for Venezuela. The Ger
man and Italian conventions are still
undergoing revision but assurances are
given in authoritative quarters thar
they viii be made to conform in all es
sential RESPECTS to that OF the Britisla
ambassador. Owing to the illness of
the British ambassador Mr. Bowen
called at the embassy and personally
gignit1ed to the ambassador his approval
OF the agreement He then presented
his formal note of acceptance and it has
been cabled to the London foreign Office.
lt appears that the insertion in the Ger
man protocol Of the provision for ad-
demanded of President Castro in the
German ultimatum was the result Of Il
misunderstanding on the part of the
German foreign Office of certain steps
here. Through the activity OF the Ger
man minister. Baron SneCk Won Stern
berg, this point is being cleared up.
Ine Italian ambassadors instructions
are such that he can make little head
way until he knows what is contained
ln the German protocol He, however,
has made a rough draught Of his con-
vention and it viii take only a short
while after the completion of the Ger
man convention for Signor Mayor Des
Flanches to put the finishing touches to
his protocol
Mr.. Bowen has done everything pos
sible to conclude the negotiations with
dispatch in order that TIE blockade
might be raised and ne tonight eS-
pressed his belief that he was receiving
negotiators.
If a serious hitch shall occur at the
eleventh hour Mr.. Bowen is confident
that 1t VIII be through no fault of any
one of the representatives Of the allies
here Should the protocol of Germany
ana Italy when presented to him con
tam provisions not in line with those
OF the British the negotiation must be
prolonged until a satisfactory arrange
ment can be reached
NENEIu uELA WANTS HER GUN
BOAT
New York. Feb. 11.-Senor INVERSION.
the Dutch government officials a de-
mand for the immediate seizure Of the
gunboat Restaurador now hvine the
German flag and the return of the yes
SCI TO Venezuela. says the correspondent /
or the Herald at Willemstad, Curacoa
Ihe consul contends that as the cap-.l
tured ship belonged to the Venezuelan
navy Sne could not enter Dutch waters
under International law He has also
protested against Germany using Gu
facoa as base of supplies and as a
coaltng station.
Venezuelan officials assert that neu-
tral rights appear to be only for strong
powers and that international law is a
Aaice Mhen feeble nations are involved /
BERLIN MUST BE SHOWN.
washington. Feb. 11-Having reach
cd an agreement with the British GOV
eminent Tor a settlement of the VeDe-
zueian claims. MIR. Bowen today is en-
oeaNoElng to close UP The negotiations /
With Germany and Italy. A misunder- /
standing which has arisen in the Ger
man foreign office undoubtedly is at /
the bottom of the delay now. Evident
~ II was supposed there that the pre-
hlflnary articles of the protocol a an I
peared here before the advent of F2arar I
Won Sternburg provided for the prompt /
payment of the full sum claimed in the /
original ultimatum, namely, $3.50 O00 /
the only difference between the first
and last propositions being that IN
place of clear cash payment of the
sum above named as required bv fhe
ultlmatum the prntocol would require I
the immediate payment of S27. 500 for
personal claims and then provide for /
the application of thirty per cent Of the /
customs revenues al Porto Cabello and
la Guayra until the remainder of the /
<350.000 was paid
Mr. Bowen was unable to see any
difference between such demand and
a straight demand for preferential
treatment, for he argued that after
paying the allies on this basis. there
would be nothing left for the other
and non-cOercing powers 1t is be-
lieved that he succeeded in impressfns
his views upon the allied representa-
tives here and it was understood that
this stage Of the negotiations had been
closed and the subject could not be re-
opened. On this point the Berlin for
eign office is supposed to have differed
and so the exchanges going on are di-
rected to making the situation clear to
that office