Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Monday, December 15, 1902, DEFIANT VENEZUELA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 290, 15 December 1902, Page 2

Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Monday, December 15, 1902, DEFIANT VENEZUELA.

To defy either Great Britain or Germany singly would be folly enough, but the Venezuelan Government has cheerfully embarked upon a policy of defiance towards the two great Powers combined, and is guilty therefore of an act of almost inconceivable imbecility. But conceit and a sort of devil-me-care patriotism are amongst the salient characteristics of the Spanish Americans, and it is probable that had not General Castro, the President, taken the course he has taken, he would have been expelled from office and rim the risk of being shot. At present the Venezuelans threaten, and, indeed, have commenced reprisals. Precisely what is the quarrel that Great Britain and Germany have with the Venezuelan Government we do not know. There muat be other grievances than the non-payment of financial claims made by British and German subjects, for if South American debts w.re always to be collected by men of war, the British navy would be kept pretty constantly employed. Although the Venezuelans may wax indignant and, indeed, bloodthirsty over the prompt and firm action taken by Great Britain and Germany, it is improbable that they will offer any prolonged and serious resistance. There will be a "big show of bravado, but unless the Venezuelan is actually mad he will speedily realise the folly of defiance. At the same time, should he persist in his madness, he may for a time, at least, give a good deal of trouble, and there may be a serious and lamentable shedding of blood* The British and German war vessels can bombard La Gnayra and can blockade the coast line. But should President Castro remain defiant it may be necessary to land troops, and here it must be remembered that these Spanish-Americans are full and fond of fight, are well armed with modern weapons, and have just emerged from a blood-thirsty cruel war, which must have whetted their steel and nerved their arms for a combat with a foreign foe. Once it is determined there shall be a landing of British and German troops and there may arise, as arose in China, jealousies and disputes between the commanders. Later on, too, in the final settlement of affairs, there may openly be displayed the long suspected design of Germany to establish herself permanently in South America. If this comes about, our American friends, with their Monroe doctrine, will be on the alert, and the seeds of a very awkward international dispute may be sown. These are, it is true, but possibilities, but possibilities have a nasty way of turning into probabilities when international jealousies are about.