New-York tribune., 1908-12-10
CASTRO PEACE ENVOY
HIS MISSION TO EUROPE.
Erpects to arrange Al the Disputes
zcith the POrerS.

santander. Spain Dec. 9.-The French steamer
,1-,,ose1onno with President Castro Of Venezuela
on hoard. arrived here to-day. His general
heath is good President Castro will continue
On board the steamer 70 Bordeaux and thence
20 70 Berlin President Castro has come 10
T-ro-,a with the intention Of settling all Nenez-
,7e,.,e international quarrels. including the
aspbalt controversy with the United States
A member Of the Presidents party expressed
the opinion that various governments wouIo De
greatly surprised when certain documents in the
possession Of President Castro were shown 10
them. President castro would not comment on
,l,s Dutch naval demonstration OF Venezuela.
7-ra allegation that Castro said in an
snter15ew that he was proud Of the fact that MS
government was or bad terms with most OF the
powers Of Europe IS not believed by those VINO
know the President closely. and it is not thought
that be IS trying 10 create confederation OF
the states OF North and South America agali st
Europe and the United States 1t was eX-
,,lsine5 nv one Of his aides that President Cas-
t~o regarded International relations as business
which could be attended 10 in large measure by
consuls, and that the President had little pa
:ieuce with diplomatic ceremonial and 'proto-
coils" He had been annoyed also by the char-
cter Of some OF the foreign representatives sent
TO Caracas, considering their selection s4lehl
on the dignity OF Venezuela
The Guadeloupe few the Venezuelan nag as
she entered the harbor. II addition to President
Castro there were on board his wife, his sister,
sefora Cardenas. two aids. and three physt-
clans Dr. J A. Baldo, Dr. Pablo Acosta Ortiz
End Dr.. FOnseca-
The mystery Of the Presidents trip was dis
Yelled soon after the Guadeloupe dropped anchor.
The reports that Castro was critically III, that
he was deserting Venezuela, etc, were at once
termed absurd. It was said that he came TO
Of heir NJ
ined by European specialists and to settle
Venezuela's outstanding differences with foreign
mowers As President Castro IS his own Minister
of Foreign Affairs, he IS confident Of being able
20 conduct successful negotiations. and he be
neves that he viii return TO Caracas in Febru-
a-y with Venezuela at peace with the world
AN OPERATION POSSIBLE
The doctors said that the Presidents general
condition was excellent. and that he had derived
great benefit from the voyage over. He spent
hours every day promenading the deck and
chatting freely with his fellow passengers. They
explained that he desired TO consult European
specialists regarding the adyisabiity Of an oper-
ntson. He has been suffering for some years
from disease which is understood TO be tumor
Of the kidneys.
The President Of Venezuela paid heed TO
the warnings Of the Venezuelan consuls who
talked with him on board the Guadeloupe that
he might not be permitted land in France
The consuls feared that the President might be
hur7ilated Il he continued on board the Guaoe-
loJ1re % Bordeaux But Castro brushed these
warnings aside, and announced that he mad
started for Bordeaux, and that was where he was
going He has made the first advance by au-
tborizinR the return Of several Frenchmen who
had been exiIed for political reasons, and during
the voyage over he had number Of long talks
with NJ AIerleou, the French Minister to Peru,
fellow passenger. TO whom he explained his In
tentions and showed number Of documents
which Castro believes VIII have the effect OF
changing the French governments attitude
toward him He said TO ". NerleoU that he was
ready 70 make important concessions in order
TO restore arnicable relations with France. N.
Berlsou assured the President Of Venezuela that
France would be exceedingly gratifed 70 learn Of
his ccnciIatory disposition. and he guaranteed
that Castro would suffer no disag greeable incident
on landing at Bordeaux In a dispatch from
Sanrander II. Nerleou informed the French gov
ernment fully Of the situation
President Castro himself declined to talk for
publication. and remained IN his cabin all the
time the GUadeloupe was in port His wife,
however. charteG with the newspaper men 1t
was possible 10 confirm officially the above in
formation relative 10 President CastrO's purpose
70 try settle the disputes Of his government
with Holland and France, including the matter
of the French Gable Company.