Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-02
GIVING CASTRO TINE
Holland Will Wait for Reply to
UItimatum.
ANSWER WAS DUE TODAY
No Blockade Will Be Ordered Until
It Is Received.
VENEZUELANS EXPECT WAR
Big Coast Guns Manned and Mobil
ization of $4,000 Troops
Reported Ordered.
ANSWER WAS DUE TODAY
VENEZUELANS EXPECT WAR

THE HAGUE. November 2.-No block
ade of the ports of Venezuela by Tie
Netherlands government yet has been or
dered nor will any definite action be
taken until the government receives the
official text of President Castro's reply
to the second Dutch note This is expect
ed to reach here November 6.
AS has already been stated. however,
Holland is fully prepared for any naval
demonstration including a blockade that
the circumstances may demand.
The time fixed by the second note of the
Dutch government to Venezuela, which
has been regarded as an ultimatun, de-
manding the revocation of the obnoxious
decree directed against the trade of Gu
racao, expires today.
Activity at Curacao.
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao. November .
comply with the demands oe the Dutch
government regarding the decree of May IA
prohibiting tn transshipment in Curacao
OF goods destined for Venezuelan ports, the
government of this island is very active
at present, and Sc ms to be preparing for
acton against Venezuela. Complete
secrecy is observed by naval officers and
government employees.
Private advices received here announce
that the roply to the second Dutch not
by the Venezuelan government was
couched in very polite terms and request
I'D Holland to send an envoy eXtraordi-
nary to settle the pending disputes on
amicable terms. The reply was remitted
October 10 from La Guira via New
ber D..
Governors Council Meets.
Saturday evening the Governor of Cura-
Gao received an important telegram from
Holland, and he at once called meeting
of his council and the commanders of the
warships The deliberations were lengthy,
but the result has not been made public
The governor declared that the Dutch
government would only take active meas
ures If it Is assured that. Venezuela has
not complied with its demands at the last
moment OF the time fixed. lie believed
that his government had made ample
preparations for any eventuality. and add
ID that a statement would doubtless be
issued today announcing the positions
of Holland and Venezuela and what ac-
tion 1t was proposed to take.
The opinion Is held among naval off,
GERS here that no direct steps will be TAX
en- within week, and 1t is understood
that the bait eship Jacob Van Heems-
tom. for target practice The Van Heems-
kerck and the protected cruiser Fries
land. which are now in this port, still
have on board all the superh0us equip
ments which would be discarded in time
of war The report is current that Capt.
Snethlage. who Is In command of the
fleet. has been promoted to rear admiral.
The people of Curacao are confident that
the ships now here will soon be reinforced
by the battle ships Hertog Hendrix. from
the East Indies and the DeRuijter and
the cruiser Utrecht. from Holland. The
protected cruiser Geiderland also is in
these waters.
Venezuelans Expect Blockade.
There is no question that Venezueans
believe that the Netherlands government
is preparing to blockade their ports. Ad-
vices received by the steamer Zuia, from
Maracaibo. state that it was reported on
October "a that President Castro had or
dered the mobilization of $1,000 troops, to
be ready November .. Two days later
there were rumors in Maracaibo that
Gen. Nicolas Rolando, who previously had
been charged with leading revolutionary
movement in Venezuela, was crossing the
frontier with % eco men from Cucu.a,
Colombia. No further account of this
movement could be learned because mai.
and telegraphic communications with Gu
cuta were suspended the following day.
Large shipments of powder and shells
have been rec ived from Fort San Car
los. at Maracaibo lake, and there IS much
activity around the fort