New-York tribune., 1908-11-02
HOLLANDS ULTIMATUM
TENEZUELA ALARMED.
No Signs Of Hostile Steps at 'tH-
en,stQd-Mdny Rumors.

wiTlerstad Nov 1.-The Netherlands govern
r,ept fixed November as the limit Of time lot
Venezuela to revoke the decree OF PRESIDENT
Castro. issued on May IA. prohibiting the trans
sbjur.lent Of goods for Venezuelan por's o.
Curacao. Presden; Castro has refused TO re-
woke this decree but far as is known mere
Holland has not decided to take definite action,
There has been much activity here recently out
the Governor Of Curacao said to-day that Hoi-
land ought TO have assurances before taxing
hostile measures that Venezuela had not re-
,-o,xe5 the decree at the last moment he ne
ueved that his government had made ample
1reaarations for any emergency, and added mat
. statement would doubtless be issued to-mor-
now announcing the position Of Holland ana
Venezuela and the action proposed
The opinion is held among naval officers here
that no dircct steps will be taken within week
I Is understood that the battleship Jacob van
r5e-rnskerck viii leave here tomorrow. follow
,nr her custom. for target practice. The Van
rzee,,elerct and the protected cruiser FTiestano
which are row in this port. still have on board
sn the suberluous equipments which would os
discarded in action. The report is current that
can+ain Snethlage. who is in command of the
feet. has been promoted to rear admiral
Last evening the Governor of CURACAO re-
retved an important telegram from Holland ana
8. once called q meeting Of his council and the
lasted q long time but the result has not been
made public.
7-he neople Of Curacao believe that the ships
,ozv here viii soon be reinforced by the battle
shsps Hertog Hendrix. from the East Indies and
the De Ruijter and the cruiser Utrecht, from
Holland The protected cruiser GeldeTland also
IS in these waters.
For the last few days there has been Tumor
here that Holland would send the Governor OF
StIrinanl Dutch Guiana to Venezuela as itS
cona6ential agent. in response to the proposal
made by President Castro to treat with Hoiiaha
with regard to the questions at issue through
q personal representative. No continuation VI
This report can be obtained.
There is no doubt however. that Nenezuelans
believe that the Netherlands government is pre-
parirlZ TO blockade their ports Advfces received
Rv the steamer Zulia from Maracaibo say that
81 was reported on October "a that President
Castro had ordered the mobilization Of 'yo"P'
troops to he ready November = Two days
later there were rumors in Maracaibo that Cen
srsl Nicholas Rolando, 4 leader of the party op-
posed 10 Castro. was crossing the frontier with
10000 men from Cucuta. Colombia No details
Of such a movement could be learned, because
mail and teIegraphic communications with Gu
c1Ita were suspended the following day
Large shipments of powder and shell have been
received at Fort san Carlos. at Maracaibo Lake
and there is great activity around the fort.
Other advices reaching Willemstad again re-
port the serious illness Of President Castro, who.
il is said was compelled take to his bed on
Thursday last. There was some talk, too, Of a
trace OF poison having been found in his food
The residents OF Caracas and other Venezuelan
cities expect the blockade to begin this week.
A wireless system has been established at
Willemstad. that uninterrupted service with
the warships can now be obtained. The last
target practice Of the Dutch warships showed
T;5 per cent of hits at 4 speed Of twelve knots.