VENEZUELA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 59, 10 March 1903, Page 5

VENEZUELA.

BLOCKADE BY OUR SHIPS.

(By Cable.—Press Association,

Copyright.)

(Received 9.7 a.m.)

NEW YORK, March 9. Venezuela has re-established the blockade of the Orinoco, Guanta, and Canalano. Protocols of the blockade have been gazetted at Caracas and cooly received. It is stated that the Venezuelan Congress is unwilling to aprove.

SAN FRANCISCO, February 20,

Anxiety on account of the Venezuelan controversy has at last given way to satisfaction, seeing that the quajrrel is to be settled by arbitration. Protocols have been signed* by Minister Bowen, representing Venezuela, and representatives of the various Powers interested, by the terms of which the controversy is to be settled by arbitration at The HagueFollowing are extracts from the British protocol, the terms of which correspond with those of other parties to the dispute:—

The Venezulean Government declare that they recognise in principle the justice of the claims which have been preferred by His Majesty's Government on behalf of British subjects. The Venezuelan Government admit their liability in cases where the claim is for injuries to or the wrongful seizure of property, and, consequently, the questions which the mixed commission will have to decide in such cases will only be: (a) Whether injury took place, and whether seizure was wrongful; and (b) if so, what amount of compensation is due. The mixed commission shall consist of one British and one Venzuelun member. In each case where they come to an agreement their decision shall be final. Iv case of disagreement, tbe claims shall be referred to the decision of an umpire, to be appointed by the President of the United States. The Venezuelan Government, being unwilling to provide a sum sufficient for the payment of claims within reasonable time, of claims specified in Article 111., aud similar claim, preferred by other Governments, undertakes to assign to the British Government, commencing March 1, 1903, for this purpose. and to alienate to no other purpose, thirty per cent, in monthly payments of the Customs revenues of La Guayra and Puerto Cabello. In ease of failure to carry out this undertaking, Belgian officials shall be placed huehargc of the Customs of the two ports, and shall administer them until the liabilities of Venezuelan Government, in respect of above mentioned claims, shall have been discharged- Any question as to distribution of the Customs revenues so assigned, and as to rights of Great Britain, Germany aud Italy, to separate settlement of their claims, shall be determined, in default of arrangement, by the tribunal at Hague, to which any other Power interested may appeal. Pending tlie decision of tlie Elague tribunal, the said thirty per cent, of the Customs of the ports of La Guayra and Puerto (,'abello are io be paid over to liie reprerentatives of the Bank of England at Caracas. Specifications arc made for tho lifting of the blockade of Venezuelan ports.