The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-14
A GUk<D SHIP
 TeAPTuRED Drs h Flag Hoisted Over Venezuelan Vessel. ENTHUSIASM OVER INCIDENT Forts at Puerto Cabello Remained
 Silent, Reports From MarIcaIbo state The Air Is Fan Of Rumors Of RevoIu-
 ton in Interior of
 Venezuela.
ENTHUSIASM OVER INCIDENT


 wilIemstad. Island of Curacao. Dee. 1s--The Dutch cruiser .Gelderiand came into this port this morning towing the Venezuelan coast guardship Alix with the Dutch flag flying and Dutch crew on board.
 The Gelderland captured the Aiix off Puerto CabeIlo, on Saturday At that time the Alix was lying close inshore and notwithstanding the threat which the Venezuelan government had made to fire upon any of the Dutch warships committing a hostile act. the Gelderland steamed at full speed to- wards the guardship and sent an of- ficer and guard in a launch to seize her. No shot came. from the forts on land.
 The crew of the Alix was put ashore and the Dutch officer and marines re- mained on board. the Gelderiand finally taking the Alix in tow and steaming away with her prize.
 The seizure of the Alfx was in Rc- cordanoe with the plans of the Hol- land government when instructions were issued to the three Dutch war ships now in these waters to make demonstration off the coast of Vene- zuela and to capture any Venezuelan ships of war, or guard vessels that they might find.
 The people of Curacao are greatly rejoiced. The governor of Curacao said thIs afternoon:
 ''The capture by our warships of coast guards and war vessels Is not to be considered an unfriendly act against the Venezuelans. It is merely a re- prisal against Castro's government which refuses to give satisfaction for his unfriendly acts toward Holland"
 It Is learned from the officers of tine Gelderland that the battleship Jacob van Heemskerk and the cruiser Fries- land are now off La Guayra, and that further captures may be expected at any time.
 The steamer Maricaibo which ar- rived here today from Venezuela. re- ports that when she was at Maricaibo, i the air was Fun of Rlnhofs of a revo- luton in the interior of Venezuela. situation Strained.
 The situation between Venezuela and the Netherlands has been strained for some months. The trouble arose in- directly in the expulsion from Caracas of M. De Reus. the diplomatic repre- sentative of Holland. but it has already been rendered acute by the course of Venezuela in issuing decree on May
  commerce of Curacao.
 President Castro refused to with draw this decree, notwithstanding the fact that Holland issued an ultimatum that she would take retaliatory meas Iures unless he took prompt cognizance of her demands. Castro suggested that Holland send a representative to Caracas to confer with him on this sub ject, but this the Netherlands govern | l. 1 avnfA ing. however. to ascertain whether or not this suggestion would be adopted Castro sailed for Europe. Other in- cidents that have added to the ill-feel- l ing has been the stoppage of Dutch sailing vessels at sea by the authori- ties of Venezuela and the storming of the Venezuelan consulate at Willem- stad by a mob.
 Venezuela has made preparations to resist any act of hostility. The forts at La Guayara, Puerto Cabello and Maraicaibo have been reinforced with men and 4hunitions. but until Saturday no untoward act occurred which would give Venezuela an opportunity to an- swer force with force. More than a week ago the three warships the Jacob Van Heemskerk. the Friesland and the Gelderland. steamed along the Vene- zueIan coast from Purto Cabello to La Guayara at distance of three thous- and yards from the shore. Later the two cruisers went to Maraicaibo where they made a similar demonstration. It l is understood that the battleship De Ruitjen is now on its way to Willem- stad where 1t will join the others in continuing the demonstrations against | Venezuela. The naval force of Vene- zuela consists of ten vessels Of these, l three the Bolivar, Miranda and Mar garita are guRboats. The others. with the exception of the Restaurador are hardly worthy of mention. They are nothing more than armed tugs. There is one twelve pound gun on the Res turador, but outside of this there is not a gun in the fleet bigger than a | six poundeT.
 The Venezuelan forts. however, | mount some more siX-inch Krupp guns.