SIR HENRY CAMPBELL-BANNER-MAN (Stirling Burghs)I beg to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether there is anything new from Venezuela.
§ LORD CRANBORNEOfficial information has been received through diplomatic and naval channels, to the following effect:—Three Venezuelan vessels were yesterday seized by armed boats from British and German men-of-war at La Guaira, and a fourth was disabled without resistance. A Venezuelan gunboat, the "Bolivan," was also seized at Port of Spain. The two prizes taken by the German commodore have been sunk. It was reported yesterday in Caracas that all German and British subjects were being arrested. Steps were at once taken 915 by the United States Minister, to whose care British interests have been confided, to verify the facts. The release of all British and German subjects has been demanded, but, so far as we are aware, this demand has not yet been complied with. It was reported that the British Consul at Caracas has been arrested, but it is not yet known whether such is the case. The British Vice-Consul at La Guaira, with some women and children, were taken on board British men-of-war during the night of the 9th-10th. It is stated that President Castro is holding the British and German subjects as hostages Up to the date of the last information, which appears to have left La Guaira last evening, all British subjects, though arrested, were so far unharmed.