The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
HAS SENT
 NOTE ID HOLLAND
Difficulties Between The Ns-
 tionS May Pe Adjusted
PRESIDENT IS SICK MAN
Venezuela's Demand Upon Holland for Satisfactory Adjustment of the
 Troubles May Cause a
 Hitch In Proceedings.

Caracas, Sunday, October 1S.-On Octo- Der 12 the day of his patron saint, Cip- riano, and while lying on sick bed, Pres- ident Castro answered the second note from the Netherlands government, which fixes the date of November 1 for the revocation of the trans-shpment decree of May II. It was not until the follow ing day, October 13, that Venezuela s anxiously awaited reply was delivered into the hands of Baron von Seckendorff, the German minister who is in charge of the Dutch interests. Because of the lack of steamer facilities this important conn munication will not start on it's way to Holland until tomorrow, October 1y.
 Dr. Paul. minister for foreign affairs, closes his answer to Holland by saying that, as an Interruption of diplomatic re- lations exists today between the Nether- lands government and Venezuela, and as the Venezuelan government desires to ar rive at an amicable arrangement he asks the government of Holland to send to and instructions to settle all the differ ences now existing.
 The point of view of Venezuela, as ex- pressed in this answer, is that, nothwith- standing that the government of the Neth- erlands in its last note, admits the good grounds for the grievances presented by the Venezuelan government. 1t has not given the requested satisfaction which is necessary for the forgiveness of the of lenses. The Dutch government in it's note limited itself merely to an offer to pay the material value of the consular shield destroyed by the Curacao mob.
 Venezuelas answer expresses surprise at and calls inexplcable, the fact that the government of Holland after having admitted in it's note the perfect right of Venezuela to issue the trans-shipment de- cree at the same time asks for It's revoca- tion and simultaneously makes the threat that it will no longer consider to be in force the protocol of 1894 unless said de- cree is revoked by November l.
 The protocol signed at The Hague on August 20. 1884, by the special commits sioner of Venezuela, General Garcia, and the Dutch government was for the pur- pose of re-esta blishing the relations of friendship between the two nations, which had been severed for 19 years By it Venezuela agreed to drop all claims against Holland and Holland agreed to prevent conspiracy and filibustering expe- ditions.
 Holland makes no further threat in her note, but the fact that two Dutch war ships left Holland at the same time as the note and are now laying in the har- bor of Curacao has been interpreted here by the government and by the people 10 be a direct though mute threat that force will be used on November l to compel the revocation of the decree of May IA.
 President Castro has answered the threat by making all necessary naval and military preparations to meet any reason able contingency, and shells for the large coast defense guns on the Laguaira mountains were carried up to the guns last week. Now everything is in readiness in case Holland prefers to send the war ships instead of the confidential agent, as asked for by Venezuela.
 The President, although a very sick man and confined much of the time to his bed, is apparently as decided as ever to resist any use of force against Vene- zuela He believes that his request for confidential agent is fair and one which consequently cannot possibly be refused by Holland.