The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-16
A CURIOUS
 SITUATION No American Warships Near Venezuela. AN ACUTE CRISIS AT HAND Holland May Have Tacit Consent
 of America. A State of War Between Holland and .veneseels Is New Practically in Existence--war.hip Returns
 with Prizs.

" @5hkH& tOH, &@V%s 40s--- HC CAASbCthG9 of what amounts practically to state of war between Holland and Venezuela, the absence for the first time in many years in an acute crisis of this kind of American warships from their prop CT sphere of influence and the profes- sion of ignorance of the State Depart n1ent officials of the intentions of Hoi- land, constitute most curious and in- teresting international situation.
 The fact that America has quarrel of her own with Venezuela and has terminated diplomatic relations with that country. gives rise to doubt as to the accuracy of the statement that this government is not interested in what is going on off the coast of Venezuela. Indeed, there is reason to believe that while the records may fail to show the existence of any formal agreement be- tween America and The Netherlands, the government of the latter country Is processing with the tacit consent of America, to bring an end to the chaotic conditions that have prevailed in an international sense in Venezuela for the past two years. So long as the Dutch ships act strictly within the lines of the Monroe doctrine as con- strued in the annual message to Con- gress of President Roosevelt last year; so long as no attempt is made to seize Venezuelan territory for permanent oc- curation: so long as the Dutch war ship captains conflne their activities to the seizure of Venezuelan ships and the blockade of ports and the attempt to redress tae affront. to Hollands honor, there probably will be no interference on the part of the United States gov ernment.
 Of course it is. inconceivable that this government has no. already re- cetved some assurances from Holland on this point, but 1t Is probably the casea that those have not been reduced to wrtttngs but are simply matters of mutual understanding. The accept ance- of the. allied powers who ap- peared against Venezuela several years ago would seem to have indicated to Holland the necessity of coming to some understanding with the United States before proceeding to the point of actual hostflities, which. after all Is the situation on the Venezuelan coast. notwithstanding diplomatic dis chalmers
 Logically the next step win be the declaration of a blockade and of this due notice must be given by Holland to all maritime nations in order to pre- vent the lodgment of claims for un. warrantable injury inflicted upon neu- tral commerce. Mean while the action of the Dutch cruisers in seizing Vere- zuelan ships is calculated to have de- pressing effect upon the trade of Ven ezuela and to discourage prospective shipments of merchandise from the present unsettled conditions.
 
 Returns With Prize.
 WHlemstad. Dec. 15.-The Dutch battleship Jacob Van Heemskerk, ar rived in the harbor at o'clock this morning, towing as a prize the Vene- zuelan goats guard "2S de Mayo"
 Word of the. capture had already beenGracBived here and a great tfirong ofs people Tined the quays to witness the entrance of the Dutch battleship conducting her capture within the har- bor. The flag of The Netherlands had been hoisted to the peak of the can- tured Venezuelan coast guardship and astern of the Dutch flag. aloated the colors. Although the Ven ezuelan flag was still shown. it was in minor contrast to the Dutch pen nant flying from main mast and fore mast both of the warships and it's prize.
 The capture oftthe "23 de Mayo" was effected on December 13, at a point a l little north of Cumana, on the Gulf of | CaracO. The battleship Jacob Van | In the offing. took possession of her | and sent prize crew aboard The | Venezuelan crew which had been in | charge of the "23 de Mayo" was sent | ashore in the small boats of the cap- tured ship. The Jacob Van Heems- | kerk then proceeded back to this port | escorting her prize.
 The crew of the de Mayo made no | All the rifles found on | board were sent ashore with the crew. | The "23 de Mayo" was formerly an | American steamer called the Alliance. 1 She belonged to a Mir. Smith who was | at one time American consul here. She was captured by Venezuela in 1897 while in distress of Maracaibo on the | ground that she was engaged in run hing contraband to the Venezuelan 1 coast. Mir. Smith made a claim against the Venezuelan government for the vessel and his demand was reduced in 1903 to s2,900 by the mixed commission that adjudicated various matters of this kind.
 The Dutch cruiser Gelderland left here yesterday for the Venezuelan coast. She had on board a seaman tn thoroughly acquainted with the small bays and iplets along the Venezuelan shores. She Is out after the Venezue- Ian torpedo boat Margarita, a steel vessel of ninety-seven tons and armed with four 3-pounders and two torpedo tubes. This vessel is supposed to be at the island of Margarita.
 The Jacob Van Heemskerk will leave here tomorrow to resume her patrol service on the coast.