THE VENEZUELAN TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 8, 10 January 1902, Page 2

THE VENEZUELAN TROUBLES.

AN OCE4N FREE-LANCE. The Libertador bids fair to emulato on a small scale the exploits of the Alabama in the American Civil War. The vesse', formerly known as the Ban Kigh, originally belonged to the Aberdeen Steam Navigation Company, and wa* sold in ftbe month of September to a Mr Paolo, who was described as a London merchant. The vessel was then in the Thames, and as soon as she changed ownership a new crew was shipped, about twice the number of firemen and deck hands being taken on as had formerly been necessary to navigate her. It was variously state 4 that the ship was about to proceed on a yachting trip to the West Indies, anc) that she was being fitted up for the fruit trade. The Oustonjs authorities determined to detain the vessel and to make an investigation into her cargo, dt sanation, and I purpos*, At first it was supposed that the ves9cl was intended to give same aid to the JS;er cause, The vessel was detained under the Foreign Enlistment Act, and the Customs autho rities communicated tbe whole of rhe facts to the Foreign Office. It w.« afterwards stated that the wa» intended to tike part in the struggle at present going on in South America, She was rel as d by the British authorises, apparently because thy found they had no legal right to detain her. The steamer bas bsen declared to ba a pirate by the Vnnezuelao Government, which has offered a large reward for her capture, but as the Government is sta'gd to tje impecunious, it is doubted if the proclamation ' will have much t fib.jt. Meantime it is possible that some of the vessel's doings may cause interoßtional complications,