CAPTURE OF THE FLEET, VENEZUELAN SITUATION, DRYDEN'S CONGRESS HABIT, AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

SMS Panther.

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, December 11, 1902.

CAPTURE OF THE FLEET.

Was Accomplished by Ten German and Four British Cutters.

   La Guaira, Dec. 11.—The Venezuelan fleet was captured Tuesday by 10 German and four British cutters. They went alongside the Venezuelan vessels and ordered them to surrender, and without a shot being fired the British and German forces seized the Venezuelan fleet in the name of the German emperor and the king of England.

   Two of the vessels which were undergoing repairs were broken up. The German cruiser Panther steamed into the harbor during these proceedings with her decks cleared for action.

   The Venezuelan steamers were taken outside the harbor and early in the morning the General Crespo, Tatumo and Margarita were sunk.

   The Ossun was the only vessel spared in view of the protest made by the French charge d'affaires, H. Quievreux, who notified the commodore of the allied fleet that the Ossun is the property of a Frenchman.

   At 10 o'clock in the evening 130 German sailors proceeded to Cardonal, a suburb of La Guaira, in which is situated the residence of the German consul, whom with his family they placed on board the warship Vineta. On their way back to this port the German sailors met a party of Venezuelan soldiers but no collision took place.

   At 5 o'clock Wednesday morning a landing party of 30 British seamen went to the British consulate and conducted the British consul and his family on board the Retribution.

 

GUNBOAT BOLIVIA SEIZED.

Entire Northern Coast of Venezuela to Be Blockaded.

   Port of Spain, Trinidad, Dec. 11.—The British cruiser Charybdis seized the Venezuelan gunboat Bolivar in this harbor Tuesday night.

   She landed the Bolivar's officers here, while the British sloop Alert took the crew of the captured gunboat to the port of Guairá, situated on the Venezuelan coast opposite to the island of Trinidad.

   The British torpedo boat destroyer Quail has sailed with instructions to capture the Venezuelan war vessel now engaged in blockading the mouth of the Orinoco.

   The entire coast of Venezuela from the Orinoco river to La Guairá will be blockaded by British war vessels, while the Venezuelan coast from La Guairá to the Colombian frontier will be blockaded by German war vessels.

 

El Presidente Cipriano Castro.

Castro Calls to Arms.

   Paris, Dec. 11.—A Venezuelan government communication to its representative here protests that Britain and Germany, acting in concert, have committed an act of hostility in a manner as arbitrary as it is unprecedented, by the seizure of Venezuelan vessels lying at La Guairá.

   The communication says that indignation in Venezuela is at its highest pitch and the government is resorting to justifiable reprisals.

   It has arrested the resident subjects of both hostile countries and has seized the railways and other undertakings belonging to them.

   At the same time, adds the communication, President Castro has appealed to the Venezuelan people to take up arms. He has decreed a general amnesty for all political offences and has ordered the restitution of the confiscated property of Venezuelan citizens.

 

THE VENEZUELAN SITUATION.

President Castro is Gathering an Army to Resist Germans and British.

   La Guairá, Venezuela, Dec. 11.—There is no sign of weakening in the Venezuelan position. Instead, President Castro is gathering an army, reports from Caracas state, to resist German and British aggression. Two thousand men and eighteen guns have been sent from Caracas to reinforce the garrison here. They are now encamped 4 miles from town.

   Fort Laviga is being stocked with ammunition and there are indications of preparations to resist.

   Castro's position is very popular and volunteers are offering themselves in numbers. Nearly 1,000 such have been armed here.

 

PAGE FOUR—BRIEF EDITORIALS.

   The Venezuelan idea of the Monroe Doctrine seems to be that Uncle Sam is sponsor for South American delinquency in the payment of just obligations. The sooner the Venezuelans get this notion out of their heads the better for them.

   Admiral Dewey, who is now in command of the fleet [over 60 warships—CC ed.] in Caribbean waters, may be expected to cut out some very rapid work for the captains before the [war game] maneuvers are over.

 

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Will Adjourn Tomorrow to Extend the Tax Rolls.

   The supervisors will not finish the work of the session today, but they expect to adjourn tomorrow to extend the tax rolls.

   The committee on coroner's bills, to which was referred certain bills in the Bennett case, reported that the bills be sent to the superintendent of the poor with instructions to locate the party or parties liable for the payment of these bills, and if found to be a county charge the same should be audited.

   The committee on refunding tax on railroad bond exemptions for 1901 reported that the following amounts should be paid back to the several towns and city:

   Cincinnatus $90.00

   Cortland City, $265.28

   Cortlandville, $195.89

   Cuyler, $165.08

   Solon, $85.19

   Truxton, $156.79

   The report of the equalization committee was adopted this morning. The full table of values will be published later. The following is a comparative statement of percentages for this year and last:

 

   The report was adopted.

 

Dryden's Congress Habit.

   Congressman John W. Dwight of Dryden, Tomkins county, was sworn in today, and his appearance as a representative suggests the somewhat curious fact that Tompkins county has furnished three congressmen since the organization of the Republican party—Milo Goodrich, Jeremiah Dwight and John Dwight. All three lived in the same election district in the village of Dryden, N. Y. The new congressman is the son of Jeremiah W. Dwight. He has extensive business interests in New York [City] and stays there in the winter.—New York Tribune.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The annual meeting of Dryden Agricultural society will be held Saturday afternoon.

   —Dr. J. H. Benson's office, 8 Maple-ave., has just been connected with the Home Telephone exchange. His number is 770.

   —The Home Telephone company opened its line to Ithaca yesterday. It connects with the independent company of that city, which has about 700 subscribers.

   —The Woman's Foreign Mission circle of the First Baptist church, will meet at the home of Mrs. Simonson, 31 Charles-st., Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock.

   —The funeral of Mrs. William Foster, who died last Tuesday, will be held from her late home in Harford tomorrow at 11 o'clock. Burial will be made in Cortland.

   —The Woman's Home Missionary society of the First M. E. church will hold its regular meeting, Friday at 2:30 p. m. at the home of Mrs. F. P. Saunders, 52 Clinton-ave. Ladies are requested to come prepared to sew.

   —The new display advertisements today are—F. Daehler, Christmas gifts, page 5; G. H. Wiltsie, Kid glove sale, page 4; McGraw & Elliott, French stag novelties, page 5; W. W. Walters, Shoes, page 4; Scotch Woolen Co., Suits, and overcoats, page 8; J. W. Cudworth, "Optical talks,'' page 5.