PLOT OF REVOLT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1921, Page 5

PLOT OF REVOLT.

PROVOKING REBELLION. BRITISH GUNBOAT BOUGHT. COMIC OPERA SETTING. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— -Copyright. Loudon, July 30. Mi. Justice Eve has ordered the forfeiture of the former British gunboat Har--1 rier to the King for the violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act. The Attorney-General stated that the l Government learned that two Venezuelan generals came to Europe to collect means of overthrowing President Gomez. They ! negotiated through a London resident named Quillian for the purchase of the [ Harrier, intending to refit her as a warI ship. Sir Basil Thompson, director of the Inl telligence Department, interviewed General ICarrabanco, who admitted the collecting of armj with a view to provoking a rebellio' 1 and deposing Gomez, and the Home Secretary forthwith ordered the detention of t the Harrier. j The owners of the vessel did not coni test the application for the forfeiture. ' Generals Martinez and Oarrabanco, who engineered the purchase of the former British gunboat Harrier, were formerly members of the Gomez Cabinet. Being dissatisfied they resigned and came to Europe with the object of intriguing to secure the Presidency for Martinez. The latter, who is wealthy, devoted a portion 'C'.’ his fortune to the scheme, and promised oil mining concessions to those willing to finance th? conspiracy against Gomez. One Englishman invested £30,000 and lost it all. The conspirators bought a Dutch steamier, but Gomez’s secret service wan ed the Dutch Government, which siezed the steamer with a quantity of arms and also correspondence which revealed the conspirators.

In England the activities of Scotland Yard revealed that Quillian was acting for the Nicaraguan. Minister in Paris, who was of Venezuelan nationality and opposed to Gomez. The Nicaraguan Government was not implicated. Martinez and Carrabaneo were then requested to leave England. Martinez is now in France and Carra- : banco in the West Indies.

The plot collapsed but the conspirators were not aware that Gomez’s secret service was fully acquainted with their activities. Gomea had just bought two French cruisers, and was fully prepared to crush the attempt.