The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-04
NEW PROTOCOL PREPARED
The Hague to Decide on Prefa
 rental Treatment.
cEar of Russia tp Name Thrss Asut trators to Determine ousstipns Submitted to Them by
 Virtue of Protocol.

Washington. April s.--A joint coufers ence between Mir. Bowen and the Driti6t and Italian Ambassadors and the 0efnss& First Secretary was held at the 1ritisS Emeassy today. MT. Bowen prsssuta his reply to. the amendments which the allies had proposed to his original drsxt protocol He accepted several .chsnweS Of phraseolosy. but informed the netottaz tors that under no circumstances woui1 he accept the insertion of . new articl8 providing that Venezuela should pay thS costs of the blockade in case the dscision of The Hague be adverse to preferential treatment. His refusal on this point vas absolute. zs
 It was agreed that Mir. Bowen's ohtec- tons and arguments shoud be cabled at once to London. Berlin and Rome.
 The following is the text Of the articI6 ana draft of the protocol as submitted py MT. Bowen and nine-tenths of which the allies have accepted;
 The New Protocol.
 Article l. The question as to whether or not Italy. Great Britain and Germany are entitled to preferential treatment in the payment of their claims against v<ns- zuela by reason of the fact that thsy blockaded the ports of Venezuela so as to compel her to make a settlement with them, shall be submitted for final decision to the tribunal at The Hague. Venezuela having agreed to set aside 90 per cent Of the custom revenues of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello for the payment of the claims of all nations against Venezuela. the tribunal at The Hague shall decide how the said revenues shall be distributed among the said nations and its decision shall be final
 Article II. The facts on which shall depend the decision of the questions iu Article shall be Rscertained In such manner as the tribunal may determine.
 Article III. The Cxar of Russia shall be Invited to name and appoint three arbitrators to constitute the court that is to determine and settle the questions subs mitted to 1t under and by virtue of this protocol. The court shall meet septenn- Der 1. 1903 and shall render it's decision within six months thereafter.
 Article ". The proceedings shall bs carried on in the English language Ex- cept as herein otherwise stipulated. the procedure shall be regulated by The Hague Convention of July 29. 1899.
 Article V. The court shall decide where.
 
 tration shall be paid.
 Article VI. Any nation having claims against Venezuela may join as a partx In the arbitration provided for by thi1 protocol.
 A number of amendments submitted by the allies to the protocol drawn by Mir. Bowen are verbal, or of minor importance and are acceptable to MT. Bowen.
 The Offensive Amendment.
 Mir. Bowen strenuously objected to ads ding to Article I of his protocol this proposed by the allies: '.In the question of preferential oS separate treatment to be granted the powers. the tribunal shall other than the 90 per cent customs reves nues so set aside, which may be avaik able for the claims of other powers."
 He also opposed inserting the following ls q new article to be deeignated ArticiS II: ''If preferential or separate treat nent is not given to Great Britain, Ger many or Italy. the tribunal may consideg any and what compensated should be made by venesuelA out of the % per cent customs revenues set aside t4 .hese powers for the expense which theg nave incurred fin connection with thz 
 Mir. Bowen, in a letter to the British Ambassador. thus stated his objections 70 these two important proposed amend nents:
 They constitute new demands os claims. consequently have no place in thi4 protocol or in this controversy.
 You are precluded from gaining recs ignition or favor for Tenn by Article V # the British protocol of February IA sOs.
 By terms of the British protocol od 13. 1902. the only questions thai Ire to be submitted to The Hague Trfhp nal are those relating to the distribus ion of the said 90 per cent and for the or separate treatment.
 ''Inasmuch as the German and Italiaq protocols of February 13. f90B, contain he same provisions in regard to thii natter as the said British protocol. and ls all three of the said protocols are dulx Iigned and sealed. they must be consid. sred binding on all the parties thereto.M
 In another amendment. the allies pro- 'osaI would have limited the arbitration ' ribunal somewhat in the matter of costs, md MT. Bowen objected. to 1t. The peace 'owers have been given copies of Mr. 3owens note in answer to the allies rAnnaod onaandxxaanfs