VENEZUELA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 7

VENEZUELA.

HOLLAND TO TAKE PUNITIVE STEPS. (or TEMGiurn—ntEss association—con right.) (Rcc. August 20, 0.20 a.m.) New York, August 19. • America has assented to a Dutch blockade of the ports of Venezuela.

When Great Britain some years ago wished to talk fiercely to Venezuela and President Castro, President Cleveland, of' the United States, nearly forced Britain : to war. To-day tho United States consents to Holland trying punitive measures which the American Government apparently prefers not to undertake itself. , It is said that tho United States hesitates to act because Action can only bo taken by blockade, which may not be sufficiently effective. Again,. tho aggrieved American parties in Venezuela are trusts, and it is said that (President Koosevelt can see no popularity in actively taking up their cause. I. The other day Venezuela expelled the Dutch 'Minister. It'seems that the causo wns'the appearance in a Dutch publication of an article by the Minister declaring' that President Castro's dictatorial regime was leading to Venezuela's decadence'. -A hostile crowd at Willomstad, a seaport of- Curacas, in the Dutch West Indies, thereupon forced the Venezuelan Consul to tuke refuge in the German' consulate. "Venezuela," Presidont Castro is reported to have declared in a recent -interview, "is on -bad terms/with nearly all foreign Powers. That is my work and my' pride. I am not afraid of Europe.' All tho Powers may form a coalition, but Venozuela will' bo uuconquerablo ; as long as lam alive." ' Holland (the Netherlands) in 1907 had 8 coast'dofence battleships, 8 unprotected cruisers, and 22 tei'pcdo.boats. A few days ago it was cabled that tlio armoured cruisers Holland (381-7 tons, 19.G knots) and Utrecht (39G9 tons, 20 knots) were preparing for foreign service, and that the cruiser Gelderland (3909 tons, 20 knots) is already oruising in tho Caribbean Sea.