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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

15 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

No. 223A,

(TRINIDAD.)

FOREIGN OFFICE to LAW OFFICERS,

[Claim against the Venezuelan Government for the ill-treatment of Messrs. Baldon, Green and Cummings of the " Alemania."]

GENTLEMEN,

Foreign Office, January 21, 1904.

I HAVE the honour, by direction of the Marquess of Lansdowne, to transmit to you the

papers noted in the accompanying list relative to the complaint put forward by Julio Baldon, George Green, and Walter Cummings, British subjects, employed on board the United States sloop " Alemania," of ill-treatment suffered on the seizure of the vessel by the Venezuelan gun-boat "Veinte-tres de Mayo" on the 12th June

last.

It will be seen from the statements made under oath by these men (enclosure in Colonial Office of the 12th August, Paper (A)) that the American sloop " Alemania," 11 tons burden, the property of an American citizen, and sailing under the American flag, left Port of Spain on the 5th June, 1903, for Guiria viâ Macupo, Pataque, Rio Grande, La Salina, and Tagunpara. She was despatched on the return journey from Guiria to Trinidad viâ Rio Grande on Thursday, the 11th June last, and arrived at Rio Grande the same day. Here she took in a cargo of forty-eight and a-half bags of cocoa, and sailed on Friday, the 12th June, about noon.

The Venezuelan gun-boat "Veinte-tres de Mayo" hailed her about 2 o'clock on Friday night, ordered the master, Julio Baldon, to come on board the gun-boat, and to bring his papers and flag with him, which was done. Whilst the master was detained on board the gun-boat, a launch was sent alongside to fetch the seven pas- In the course of this search the sengers, and then search the vessel and its cargo. soldiers upset everything on board, and emptied the water-casks, which act caused much hardship, as the crew were left without water for three days.

When the launch returned again she took the captain and passengers as prisoners

to the sloop, and the master was told that his vessel and cargo were seized on account

of his being despatched from Guiria by the revolutionists.

An armed crew, consisting of one officer and three soldiers, was put in charge.

A line was passed from the gun-boat to the sloop, and the latter was taken in tow until Boca Grande was reached, when the sloop was ordered to proceed under her own sail to Carúpano.

Carúpano was reached on the night of Sunday, the 14th, at 11 o'clock, and the officer went on shore, ordering the mate, George Green, to come with him. The officer carried with him the sloop's register, papers, and flag, which were never returned.

The mate was ordered to look for water, and then the party returned on board with three additional armed men, who were sent on shore again on Monday morning. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 15th June, all hands were taken on shore under an armed guard and marched to the Magistrate's office to be tried.

Julio Baldon made his declaration to the Judge, and nothing was said to the prisoners at the time, but at 5 o'clock on the same day three passengers were liberated, whilst the master, mate, and four passengers were taken to gaol, and kept in prison until the 21st June (Sunday evening). No food was supplied, unless paid for, and, in order not to die of 'hunger, the master had to sell two gold rings to procure provisions.

The three men were then set at liberty on Sunday evening, and were left desti- tute in the streets of Carúpano, where they had to beg for bread. Their clothes and personal effects were detained, and have never been returned to them.

A full declaration of the above-mentioned facts was made before the American Consul, who supplied Julio Baldon and George Green with 70 cents. for food.

Eventually the men begged a passage to Trinidad from the master of the British sloop "Avail," and they left Carúpano on Saturday, the 27th June, reaching Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Monday, the 29th June, 1903.

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