The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-15
CONSIDERS HOLLANDS ACTION
 AS INVASION OF COUNTRY
Citizens of Caracas Attack Office
 of Fl Constitutional.
A pitched Battle Enussa Between The EmpIoyes of The P.p- : per .na the Crowd ana sev- eral Were wounasa aaa
 enc KilIsd.

Caracas. venezula. sunday. Dec. 13 Via Port Spain Dee Iz.-The news of the capture of the Venezuelan guard ship Alexis by tho Dutch cruiser Cel- derland last Saturday. became known in Caracas this niofnlng. 4 big crowd assembled in the Plaza Bolivar and demonstrated It's support by Acting President Gomez places the republic in a state of defense. crowd of citizens at the office of El Constftutional. the organ Of Presi- dent Castro. indulged In a counter demonstration A pitched battle ensu- ed between the employees of the paper and the crnwd The fighting lasted for five minutes Several men were wounded and one has since died. The police armed with rifles dispersed the crowd.
 The captain of the Alexis, who canas ashore at Puerto cabelio. has senk to Caracas the communication handed board from ths GelderIand. This note reads.
 ron board the cruiser Geideriand. Becemher12
 '.IEer Majesty, The Queen of Holland. has given orders for her warships tem- porarily to seouestrate and embarwo all Venesuelan government vessels. i mand that you lower your fIak and surrender your ships and your peraons to the commander of the Gelderiand. All resistance wilI be usoless If you resist. tho result win be the loss of your vessel and death to many of you
 (Signed) Second lieutenant Boinar.e
 Acting President Gomez issued a de- cree today in which he relates the cap ture of the Alexis. after which he de- lsc1area:
 T consider these actions a true fn- | vasi0n of Veueznelan territory ana an agnression against the Venezuninn ] Rovernment. They constitute a grave threatened and the territorial inte&ri~ ty. honor and dignity Of the fathsr. land IS in danger.
 'Ts7decres the nation in a state oe defense and consequently tue execu- tive assumes and will exercise the ex- traordinary faculties conferred on him by section of article Lxxx os the Venezuelan constitution.
 The news that the republic had been placed In q state Of national de- fense against Holland, spread through the city like wild fire and in a few moments there was an enthusiastic crowd in front of the yellow house. the executive mansion, to greet Act ing President Gomez.
 
 plaza to the yellow house, he was re- ceived with enthusiasm. The yellow house was crowded with a numerous assemblage of the most distinguished citizens of Caracas. Speeches were made demanding that all political pri- soners be set at liberty and that the existing government monopolies be abolished. The threatened danger from without had a double effect on the people. they demanded measures Of protection. but at the same time they insisted upon the termination of one of the most unpopular courses of the Castro administration. the main- torrance of government monopolies on the neeessaries of life. Following ttis minister Paul replied. He exhorted the people to trust Gomez to solve the difficult problem confronting venexue- Ia today and to help him carry his bur- den Of tremendous responsibility.
 The hostile demonstration at the of- flee of EI Constitutional is an evidenes of the unpopularity of President Cas- tro.