"note After a free interchange of views it was decided to send a verbale," unsigned and written in the third person. All of the ministers agreed to conform to the model herein inclosed. Two other meetings of the diplomatic corps have been held, but they were quite informal in their nature. The members of the diplomatic corps were notified of the blockade of Puerto Cabello by means of two copies of a printed proclamation containing the decree of General Castro. These printed circulars were inclosed in a foreign office envelope and sent to each legation, no receipt being taken for them, and they were not accompanied by a written communication of any sort. The same circular was thrown about the streets of the city. It was thought that this method of announcing the blockade to the diplomatic corps was not quite courteous or regular, and the contention was made at a meeting of the corps that the least the Castro Government should have done was to send copies of the Official Gazette containing the decree to each foreign minister at Caracas. YOUR EXCELLENCY: In accord with popular sentiment from one end of the Republic to the other, the Government established in February, 1898, has ceased to exist, and since yesterday Gen. Cipriano Castro, director and chief of the revolution, has been in charge of the executive power. General Castro is well aware of the fact that one of the first duties of every civilized power is to preserve and strengthen the bonds of friendship with friendly nations. The new Government will take especial pleasure in maintaining the cordial relations which exist between Venezuela and the United States, and will do all in its power to work for the mutual good of the two nations. General Castro having honored me with the portfolio of foreign affairs, it will give me extreme satisfaction to enter upon official relations with your excellency, and I therefore inclose for your legation two copies of the Official Gazette, containing an account of the transfer of the Government to the chief of the revolution, and also two copies of the same Gazette containing the first official decree of the new administration. I am extremely pleased to offer to your excellency the homage of my distinguished consideration. R. ANDUEZA PALACIO, [Inclosure 2.] Mr. Loomis to Mr. Palacio. The envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America has had the honor to receive the note that His Excellency Dr. R. Andueza Palacio was good enough to address him on the 24th instant, inclosing the numbers of the Official Gazette which announce the transfer of the executive power. He will avail himself of the first opportunity of forwarding these for the consideration of his Government, which will doubtless send him instructions on the subject as soon as possible. FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. No. 343.] Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: The Castro Government appears to be extremely desirous of formal recognition by foreign powers, and does not conceal its anxiety in this connection. A majority of my colleagues in the diplomatic corps have cabled their Governments for permission to formally recognize the Castro Government as a de facto government. I suggest that authority be sent me by cable to give similar recognition when the proper time seems to have arrived. As I have said in another dispatch, the Castro Government is in possession of all the ports, all the fortified places, and of all the cities and towns in Venezuela save Barquisimeto, which is of small importance. It also possesses and uses the machinery of Government, and is the only Government of any sort in Venezuela to-day. I think it is as well established as any government is likely to be for years in Venezuela. There is reason to think that none of them may have a very long lease of life, but I do not see why this Government should not endure as long as the Andrade government did. I have, etc., FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. Mr. Loomis to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, I think it may be to our advantage formally to recognize Castro's as a provisional government soon. Several foreign ministers have telegraphed for this permission. Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay. LOOMIS. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Referring to my cable of yesterday in which I said it might be to the advantage of the Government of the United States to recognize the Castro government as a provisional government, soon, I meant only to suggest that power be given me to do this when the course of events here seemed to indicate the proper time had arrived for such recognition. I did not mean to convey the idea that I urged immediate recognition, but, as I was limited in my expression of intention by considerations of brevity, it seemed to me this word of explanation would not be amiss. I am, etc., FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. Mr. Hay to Mr. Loomis. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 8, 1899. If the provisional government is effectively administering government of nation and in position to fulfill international obligations, you will enter into de facto relations. Mr. Hay to Mr. Loomis. ΠΑΥ. No. 303.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 18, 1899. SIR: Señor Agusto F. Pulido, chargé of the Venezuelan legation, called at the Department yesterday afternoon to make oral announcement that, under instructions from the Venezuelan minister of foreign affairs, who appears to be the same person formerly in President Andrade's cabinet, the hargé d'affaires and consuls of Venezuela in the United States are continued in the exercise of their functions until further notice. Mr. Pulido was thereupon told that this Government would simply ignore the fact of a change of government in Venezuela until the question of its recognition should be raised by formal announcement and request to that end, and that the Department would in the meantime conduct all necessary diplomatic business with Señor Pulido precisely the same as if no change had occurred in the home government. I am, etc., JOHN HAY. Mr. Hay to Mr. Loomis. No. 304.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 20, 1899. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your unnumbered dispatch of the 8th instant, explaining that your request for authority to recognize the Castro government was not intended to imply that you urged immediate recognition, but that you desired discretionary authority to do so. In reply, I have to say that the Department's cabled reply of November 8 was meant to cover the point of discretion. SIR: As I cabled you this afternoon, I have to-day entered into official relations with the de facto government of General Castro, he having assured me many times that he possessed the machinery of government throughout the Republic, and all of the ports, cities, and towns, and that he had the support of the State governments. I have refrained from entering into relations earlier for the reason that I wanted to see whether the Hernandez movement was likely to develop serious proportions soon. * * * General Castro has now been in the possession of the Government for a month, and Hernandez has not once offered battle or shown any disposition to fight, so I assume he is not likely to overturn the Castro government very soon. I have, etc., FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay. No. 353.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Referring to my cablegram of November 12, I have to say that Puerto Cabello was taken by the forces of General Castro, numbering about 2,000, on Saturday evening, November 11. It was a fierce and bloody battle. The attack commenced shortly after midnight on the morning of the 11th, and was continued until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The heaviest firing was between 4 and 7 in the morning. The rifle fire was very intense, and there was some artillery fire from the fort on the hill back of the town and from the fieldpieces of the attacking party, and from Castro's gunboats in the harbor. One of the gunboats fired a shell which struck the United States consulate, but did no damage. The defenders of the city, commanded by Gen. Antonio Paredes, did most of their fighting from behind barricades and from towers so erected as to enable them to fire over the tops of the houses. The mortality was great. The killed and wounded probably numbered 300, and the sights about the streets the day of and the day after the fight were extremely grewsome. Many of the dead were burned or partially burned where they fell. There was no provision for hospital service and medical attendance until the surgeon of the Detroit went ashore with his corps and commenced the work of caring for the wounded. He was followed by surgeons from all of the other foreign men-of-war in the harbor save the French cruiser. The surgeons who went ashore were compelled to furnish all of the medicines, bandages, appliances, and supplies of every sort of which they made use. Dr. Braisted, of the U. S. S. Detroit, has been most highly recommended by all who saw or heard of his prompt, excellent, and highly efficient work in the cause of humanity at Puerto Cabello. Puerto Cabello was held by General Paredes, an officer appointed by General Andrade when he was President of Venezuela. Paredes continued to hold the city and its two forts after Andrade left the country, though he was directed to give up his command by Andrade's successor, acting President Gen. Victor Rodriguez, and later received a letter from General Andrade himself, urging him to turn the post over to the Castro government. Paredes declined to withdraw and announced that he would defend the city and "die in the last ditch." His position was a hopeless one, and he caused, quite needlessly, in the opinion of intelligent persons here, a very great loss of life, besides destroying the business of Puerto Cabello for weeks, and putting in jeopardy the lives of thousands of innocent people. Ás Paredes represented no party, no faction, no government, and no flag, he was practically an outlaw, and it seems to me his action in forcing the Castro government to storm the city could probably have been prevented by the commanders of the naval vessels representing those countries which had many citizens and much valuable property in Puerto Cabello. I have, etc., No. 356.] Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay. FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I cabled you on Monday, November 20, that I had entered into relations with the de facto government of General Castro. I told General Castro, during the course of the interview I had with him early Monday afternoon, that I was ready to enter into relations with his de facto government and that he could consider that those relations had commenced. The next morning I sent a note to the minister of foreign affairs, former President Andueza Palacio, a copy of which, with his answer and the translation thereof, I inclose. The Castro government was recognized as a de facto government on Saturday last, November 18, by Her Britannic Majesty's Government. I have, etc., FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. [Inclosure 1.] Mr. Loomis to Mr. Palacio. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I beg leave to acknowlege the receipt of your excellency's very polite note of October 24, with inclosures, in which I am courteously informed that General Castro is in possession of the executive power and that he has an organized government exercising its functions throughout the Republic. It gives me great pleasure to say that I have been authorized to enter into official relations with the de facto government of General Castro, and I venture to express the confident belief that the very agreeable and cordial intercourse which has existed between the Government of the United States and the Government of Venezuela will be continued and strengthened through the medium of the diplomatic association which I hope to have with your excellency and his government. I take this opportunity to assure your excellency of my most distinguished consideration. FRANCIS B. LOOMIS, Mr. Palacio to Mr. Loomis. [Translation.] MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE MR. MINISTER: I have just informed Gen. Cipriano Castro of the contents of the polite note of your excellency, in which you state that you have this day received |