The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-03-23
ULTIMATUM BY FRANCE.
Two Warships Are Also Ordered Post
Haste to Venezuela to Coerce
Castro-Crisis Reacher.

A Washington special says: The
French Cable Company complications
have reached crisis, and Ministe"
Brown has informed the state depart.
ment that the French minister at Ca
racas, by instructions Of his govern.
ment. has notified the Venezuelan gov.
ernment that there must be no fur
ther proceedings on its part toward
the cancellation of the company's
franchise or interference with its
property.
Further, Mir. Bowen reports thar
two French warships have been or
dered poSt-haste to Venezuela to &C.
in accordance with the instructions
OF the French minister. These are
the Julian de Gravierre and the Du-
plex, now in the Caribbean sea.
It Is expected in Washington that
the appearance Of the warships at
La Guayra will cause President Castro
to accede promptly to the demands Of
the French minister. failing which the
minister probably will place the le-
cation in the care of some other min
lister at Caracas, and go aboard one Of
the warships, thus severing diplomatic
relations between France and Ven-
ezuela.
The present situation cannot con-
tinue more than a few days, accord
ing to the opinion of official Wash
ington. If the Venezuelan govern
ment seizes the cable office near La
Guayra, it is fully expected that the
French warships will make a demon
stration, attempt to land a force To
recover possession of the property,
and, if resisted, open fire on the de-
fensive works recently constructed to
defend the harbor and roadstead at
La Guayra. The Cutch government
has lodged a very serious complaint
with President Castro against the
treatment of its citizens and it may
join with France in coercive meas
ures.
The French government has no:
asked the consent of the United States
to it's proceedings against Castro, nor
does it feel called upon to do so. But,
with a perfect knowledge Of the poi
icy Of the United States in such mat
ters, the French government is going
on the theory that there will be no
Intervention on the part Of this gov.
ernment. This assumption Is right,
as there is no intention on the part
Of the French government of selling
with a view to its retention OF any
Venezuelan territory.
In the case of the last demonstra-
ton. Mr.. Bowen, the American min.
ister. was able to prevent lombard
ment and secure the reference OF the
dispute to The Hague tribunal, but as
it was, Venezuelan commerce suffered
somewhat from few weeks blockade.
Now. however, Mr.. Bowen's relations
with President Castro are very differ.
ent, and even If he had the disposl'
ton to do so he lacks power to in
duce President Castro to peaceabiy
settle this trouble. The state depart
ment also is not disposed to repeat
the history Of the first settlement
with Venezuela as the results have
been far from satisfactory, neither
the allied powers nor Venezuela pleas
ed at the outcome. The obligations
incurred under the award OF The
Hague tribunal never have been met.
It is. therefore, the present 1nten-
ton of the United States government
not to interfere with any dispute OF a
foreign nation with Venezuela proVid'
ed the Monroe doctrine is not lntrins-
ed. This determination does not es-
top action on our part in the inter
ests of American concessions and
properties in Venezuela.