The Venezuela Crisis of 1902

[miketr]

Background:

The end of the 19th century saw Venezuela face a number of internal crisis, rise of strongman (caudillo) government and international crisis.  In 1887 Guzmán Blanco, long time president of Venezuela retired and this marked the starts of the instability.  Till 1899 Venezuela had seven presidents whom took office either through revolt, previous president stepping down and sometimes even election.  Along the way one of the Caudillo's picked a diplomatic crisis with Great Britain over the border between Venezuela and Guayana that saw the United States become involved.  Also a number of attempts at attracting foreign investment such as the Great Venezuela Railway built between 1888 and 1894 through Krupp AG of Germany.  The project cost £1,969,000 to be repaid at 7% interest. 
In Cipriano Castro lead a revolt and seized power as the new caudillo.  Soon after taking office Castro defaulted on all international debt, began to harass foreign nationals and since then the German Empire and the United Kingdom the two largest creditors have been attempting to get Castro to honor the previous debt and end the harassment.

Today: Fall 1902.
After repeated attempts through diplomatic messages to the Castro government to resolve the despite the German Empire has dispatched a cruiser squadron with oversized naval infantry detachments to 'Show the Flag' in the Caribbean.  In a classic example of German lack of subtly the first port scheduled for visit is Caracas, Capital of Venezuela. 

The German Squadron is made up of the Armored Cruiser SMS Beowulf (Flag Ship) detached from 1st Scouting Group based in Kiel and the 6th Scouting Group made up of the Protected Cruisers SMS Medusa, SMS Frauenlob and SMS Arcona.

[miketr]

Ultimatum of the German Empire and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

It is with regret that our governments have not been able to reach a resolution to the current difficulties but at this time we do not see any hope through continued diplomatic means.  Especially as the government of President Cipriano Castro has refused to even reply to any of our notes on the subject this year.   As such our two governments will be taking the following joint action.

1)   As of December 20th, 1902 a blockade for all ports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will be in effect.  Only vessels carrying mail, diplomats and or humanitarian relief will be allowed to enter or exit Venezuelan ports and waters.

2)   Any naval vessels of the Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela that leave port will be treated as hostile military forces, subject to attack, capture or destruction.

3)   Any attack upon blockading forces will be responded to with overwhelming force.

The blockade will continue till the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela agrees to binding arbitration at Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague over the following issues.

A) Sovereign Debt of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with respect to British Banking Interests for the amount of £3,000,000 dating back to 1881.  In Default since August 1901.

B) Sovereign Debt of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with respect to Krupp Aktiengesellschaft for the construction of the Great Venezuela Railway for the amount of £1,900,000 dating back to 1894.  In Default since August 1901.

Nether the German Empire or the United Kingdom have any desire for territorial expansion at the expense of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Bernhard von Bülow
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
German Empire

Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
United Kingdoms of Britain and Ireland, British Dominions, and Empire of India. 

[Walter]

3)   Any attack upon blockading forces will be responded to with overwhelming force.

Hmm... What if the attacking forces are powerful enough to overwhelm any ships sent to respond with overwhelming force?

[miketr]

3)   Any attack upon blockading forces will be responded to with overwhelming force.

Hmm... What if the attacking forces are powerful enough to overwhelm any ships sent to respond with overwhelming force?

Then we get to see. 

Michael

[snip]

TO: GULFCOM

FROM: NAVINT

DATE: NOVEMBER 15TH 1902

SUBJECT:

GERMAN SQUADRON KNOWN TO BE EN ROUT TO VENEZUELA.

STRENGTH OF SQUADRON UNKNOWN.

ASSETS TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM ALTCOM TO REINFORCE.

--THREE TACOMA CLASS CRUISERS
--TWO PROVIDENCE CLASS CRUISERS
--USS KEARSARGE

MOVE KEY WEST NAVAL STATION ASSETS TO NEW ORLEANS TO ALLOW KEY WEST USE AS CRUISER BASE.

TO: C23-USS CHAROLETTE

FROM: ATLCOM/GULFCOM

DATE: NOVEMBER 20TH 1902

SUBJECT:

ESTABLISH SHADOW ON GERMAN SQUADRON EN ROUT TO VENEZUELA.

ROTATION TO BE ESTABLISHED IN CONSORT WITH C22 AND C26 FROM KEY WEST NAVAL STATION.

REPORT ON STRENGTH OF SQUADRON AS SOON AS CONTACT IS MADE.

KEEP SAFE AND GODSPEED.

TO: F5-USS KEARSARGE

FROM: ATLCOM/GULFCOM

DATE: NOVEMBER 21ST 1902

SUBJECT:

TRANSFER TO NEW ORLEANS WITH C15 AND C16 AS ESCORT.

ON ARRIVAL BE READY TO LEAVE PORT WITHIN TWO HOURS AT ALL TIMES.

TO: ADM DEWEY, COMMAND 4TH BATTLE SQUADRON & REAR ADM WAINWRIGHT, COMMAND 2ND FRIGATE SQUADRON

FROM: ALTCOM

DATE: NOVEMBER 21ST 1902

SUBJECT:

BE READY TO SAIL WITHIN 6 HOURS OF NOTICE.

[Logi]

Issue from the Castro government:

The government of Venezuela refuses to stand down to the predatory nations who swarm around men on their feet like vultures and use savage force to get what they want. The British and German governments are attempting, through violence, to rob free men of their freedom, rewrite the law of other nations, and make the world walk to their beat. This so-called foreign debt ought not to be and is not a matter for discussion beyond the legal guaranties found in the law of Venezuela on the public debt.

If Venezuela is felled by the twin serpents, these two nations, allied by their greed, will most definitely not stop there. Their eyes wandering, who know which nation and free peoples they will prey on next?

Venezuela will not submit to gringos.

[Kaiser Kirk]

In Rome, the Prime Minister walks over to his globe and peers intently at the map of South America.

[snip]

I split off the OOC talk, thets keep this thread for IC stuff only.

[miketr]

Puerto Cabello, Venezuela
November 23rd, 1902

Out beyond the protected bay the German cruisers SMS Beowulf and SMS Medusa road at anchor.  Ashore several of the Germans were meeting with Venezuelans and an office from the staff of their embassy in Caracas

***
Four naval officers wearing tropical white uniforms stood waiting with a Venezuelan officer.

"We had not expected a visit from Germany, the foreign ministry in Caracas told me nothing."  The Venezuelan said to the German translator.

The senior German officer gave an impassive shrug.  Von Moltke had made sure to review the Venezuelan rank tabs, the speaker wore a seedy jacket and rank tab of Corvette Captain and pants out right frayed on the bottom, "No doubt a simple error Corvette Captain.  Word was sent by Berlin that we were coming."

The Germans uniforms were perfect while he hadn't had time to dig out his best set.  The Venezuelan wasn't satisfied by the answer and he ignored the contempt he saw in several of the Germans eyes.  It was a look he saw from most gringo's.     

The other Germans we looking the port over.  One of them let his gaze rest on the old stone fort known as Libertador which was built by the Spanish and some of its guns looked to be that old too.  Another looked towards the gun boats tied up not 100 yards away.  Even from here it was obvious that the ships wasn't ready for anything.  Streaks of rust ran down the sides and there crew were sitting around not doing much of anything.

At last Kapitän zur See Helmuth Adolf Graf von Moltke wiped the sweet from his forehead, "Is it always this hot here?"  It was nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity nearly matched. 

The artillery officer that been looking over the old fort interjected, "Washington is worse Captain."

Von Moltke raised an eye brow, "Really?"

The artillery officer nodded as he broke out his binoculars, checked a chart and looked for another fort on a rise above the town.  "Yes captain, the American's built their capital in a malaria swamp."  The officer said with all the conviction born of a two year two attached to the German Embassy in the US.

The Venezuelan Officer didn't speak any Germany so most of the by play was lost but he did catch Americans and asked, "We have other unexpected visitors.  Shortly after you arrived the Americans did too.  I didn't know that Germany and America were sailing together."

Most of the Germans let out a chuckle, the Americans had been shadowing the squadron since shortly after they arrived in the Caribbean.   

Von Moltke smiled as he answered his host's question, "We are not the Americans just happen to be going wherever we are going." 

The Venezuelan smirked also.  He didn't like the Americans either but the idea of gringos bugging each other appealed to him a great deal.

A fifth German arrived, wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army, tan yellow tropical type.  The officer was older, had the rank badge of Major and wore a monocle.  He came to a stop exactly 10 feet away from the naval officers, "Captain von Moltke?"

The German squadron commander nodded at which point the Major clicked his heels together, which produced a loud CLACK as the hard leather boots smacked together and at the same time he saluted.  "Captain I have the information requested and a message from Berlin."  The major held out a dispatch case.

Then Venezuelan looked back and forth between the Germans.

Von Moltke found the dispatch from Berlin, it just confirmed that nothing had changed and to proceed to Jamaica. 

"Anything I can help you with Captain?"  The Venezuelan asked.

Von Moltke pulled out a chart of the town from the dispatch case provided by the Major, the location of the two forts, the coast battery, location and strength of the town garrison and gunboats were all noted.   "No I appear to have everything I need."

The Corvette Captain's eyes went wide when he realized what was on the map and he turned red.  "I demand that you turn that over at once!  My government will demand an apology for this insult!"

"You can demand all you want Corvette Captain but I wouldn't expect much."

The Venezuelan pointed back out to sea, "I expect you will be leaving with the tide... good day."

Von Moltke smiled, "Don't worry... we will be back."

[snip]

Washington DC, November 23rd, 1902

Theodore Roosevelt sat behind his desk in the Oval Office, sunlight gently lit the room and those within. All doors were closed. William Henry Moody and Elihu Root sat on the other side of Roosevelt, the latter holding several documents. Roosevelt spoke softly "Gentlemen, you have an update for me?"

Root responded. "Yes Mr. President. We have had a cruiser shadowing the German squadron. She reports that all the ships indicated would be part of the cruise are present. As of the last update from the cruiser the Germans were in Puerto Cabello."

"What about the British?" Roosevelt inquired.

"We know they are sending some ships, but we do not know if they plan to link up with the German squadron or what sort of numbers they will bring." Moody answered. "As you know, we placed the USS Kearsarge and some additional cruisers in the Gulf of Mexico as well as placed several squadrons on order to be ready to steam on short notice. Admiral Dewey has informed me he is ready to commence operations at the receipt of order."

"Yes, of course." Roosevelt replied. "What is your best guess of what the Royal Navy could reasonably bring to bear?"

"I believe we could expect a force similar to what the Germans have in the region already." Moody responded "I would need to ask for more exact figures."

Roosevelt looked out a window, thought etched in his face. "Gentlemen" he said after a lengthy pause "I want to ensure that this crisis does not culminate with an invasion of Venezuela by European powers. To that end, I want enough forces in the area to enable the Navy to break any blockade if one single German or British solder sets foot on Venezuelan soil to extract the funds owed by force. Venezuela must repay her debts, of course, and we will not enable her to shy away from that responsibility. But extracting the debt by force of arms is a line we cannot allow to be crossed. That will be all gentlemen."

Moody and Root replied "Thank you Mr. President" in unison and then left the room.

TO: REAR ADM WAINWRIGHT, COMMAND 2ND FRIGATE SQUADRON

FROM: ALTCOM

DATE: NOVEMBER 23RD 1902

SUBJECT:

TRANSFER TO NEW ORLEANS

[miketr]

ARBV Curacao vs. SMS Beowulf

December 21st, 1902
Near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela

SMS Beowulf
The first full day of the blockade being effect and it appears that the Venezuelas were actually going to challenge the blockade.  The German Armored cruiser spotted a Venezuelan gun boat at sea.

Prepare for full ahead was rung, the stokers started to throw more coal into the boilers and steam pressure began to rise.   In the meantime battle stations was called out and all off duty personnel ran to their duty stations.  The galley staff cleared the tables while the ships doctor and his aids brought in their gear to turn the area into a first aid station.

Ten minutes later the engine room answered the bridge.  The repeater on the bridged showed full speed available.  Von Moltke turned to officer of the deck, the executive officer had moved to his battle station in the auxiliary control room deep in the ship, ready to take command if anything should happen to him, "Is my ship ready?"

The officer nodded, "All stations report battle ready and full speed available."

"All a head full, cut off her escape."

The repeater was run to full and the engineers set the VTE for all a head full.  Soon Beowulf started to increase speed towards 20 knots.

ARBV Curacao
"Damn it, it's the Germans!  Full speed ahead!"

Unlike the Germans the Venezuelans had ordered full pressure on the boiler, they didn't have to conserve fuel.  The commander of Curacao had ordered full pressure at least.

The repeater on the bridge was set for full speed but within a minute the repeater on the bridge switched from full speed available to half speed.

Venezuelans looked at one another in horror.  The ships commander went over to the speaking tube, "Whats going on down there!  Why don't we have full speed?"

From the engine room, "Sorry captain!  We are leaking steam and a vibration started on the shaft when we tried to raise speed."

The captains face went red in rage, part of him knew that the engines were not maintained well and he didn't run a very tight ship but he still felt a need to scream at someone, "Why was the damn repeater showing full speed available?!?  I want full speed as soon as possible!"  To the rest of the crew, "Battle stations!"

The ships crew went to battle stations as best as they could.  Several of the crew were drunk or nearly so and had trouble moving.  Two took one look a the German ship in the distance and looked towards the shore and then back at each other.  They judged trying to swim to shore was better odds than a battle with a German ship over a dozen times their own ships size and the crewmen jumped over the side and started to swim for shore.

SMS Beowulf
"They are taking their sweet time one speeding up...  Range to target?"

"12,000 meters Captain..."

Von Moltke nodded, "Single fleet command that we expect to engage shortly and that we do not require aid."  Turning to a runner, "Inform the artillery officer that we are to fire a warning shot first but full broadside.  I want to make an impression but not damage them."

ARBV Curacao
A lookout and a young ensign came onto the bridge, "We are getting a message from the Germans Captain."

The Captain snarled, "Well, spit it out..."

"I believe that want us to surrender."  The young ensign answered.

The snarl on the captains face turned up even more if possible, "You believe Cadet?"

The ensign held a signal book and a scrap of paper.  It had to be an officer to read messages as most of the crew couldn't read or write beyond making their mark in the payroll ledger.  It appears that the cadet was having trouble with this task.

SMS Beowulf
A runner came onto the bridge, "Artillery officer reports that the target is in range, all gun stations report they have received your instructions and we are ready to fire a warning shot."

The captain took the information in, "Any response to our damned?"

"No captain.  No response."

"Speed?"

"Still five knots Captain."

The captain shrugged, "Very well. Inform the artillery officer that he may open fire at his discretion."



ARBV Curacao
An argument was raging at the forward 6" battery.  The gun crew were screaming at one another as to how to prepare the weapon to fire.  They couldn't rotate the gun as the weapon was locked in place and the gun hadn't been fired in 3 years so none of the current crew knew how to unlock the gun to allow it to move.  They just practiced how to feed shells and brass canisters into the breach.  The gun commander had jumped over board and the remaining crew were too frightened to inform the captain.

*WOOSH!*It sounded like dozens of shells whizzed over the gun boat to crash about a 1,000 meters beyond exploded.  Creating a huge wall of white as the high explosive shells went off.

At last one of the crew ran for the bridge.

***

The Germans had opened fire, the engine room still couldn't give full power not that it would do them much as good as on her best day Curacao typically had trouble breaking 10 knots anyways and now it was clear that the ship couldn't even return fire for any type of effect.

The captain let out a sigh, "Fire on the starboard side, single run and then single our surrender."

Most of the ships crew looked at each other in confusion, as Germans were on their port side.  At same time they didn't care as surrender meant they weren't going to fight a hopeless battle.


SMS Beowulf

"Target has opened fire, Starboarded side!  I repeat they opened fire on the starboarded side.

Von Moltke only nodded at the move and was waiting a few moments for a theory to be proven.  Which was confirmed when another report came in.

"They are raising signal flags and lowering their flag

Von Moltke smiled, "So a single shot for honor of the flag, eh?"  A brief chuckle, "Send a boarding party to take command.  Pass the word, hold fire but stay at battle stations and well done."

3 hours later
Von Moltke was reading the boarding party report and was amazed that the Venezuelans had even gone to sea.  The condition of the ship was nothing short of amazing.  A ship in such condition would have scrapped in Germany.  Still despite the engine problems the hull was sound and shouldn't founder.  So a prize crew with additional engineering support would be sent over.

[Logi]

December 22nd, 1902 - Issue for Venezuela

Yesterday, the Germans and their band of privates seized the RBV Curacao which was on a routine patrol. The government of Venezuela condemns the illegal seizure and further aggressive actions will be meet with appropriate response.

[miketr]

Conclusion:

Cipriano Castro's bluff had failed, he first believed that the European powers wouldn't dare intervene in Venezuela and if they did the United States would chuck them out.  Neither prediction proved true.  While there was a rash of yellow journalism in the USA to the effect that Germany and to a lesser extent the United Kingdom intended to conquer Venezuela the articles soon dried up.  Repeated statements by both blockading powers that they didn't want anything from Venezuela beyond the debt served to quiet the discord in the American press. 

After the first few clashes between the two blockading squadrons of the Royal Navy and Kaiserliche Marine things had settled down.  And become a very game of waiting on events.  Perhaps the tipping point for events was when Theodor von Holleben the German Ambassador in Washington had to return home because of illness; rumors were that the man's already poor health had been stretched to the breaking point by the crisis.  A replacement had been selected Hermann Speck Baron von Sternburg, a noted Americanophile who had married the daughter of an American Industrialist in 1900 and had a distinguished diplomatic record. The problem was that Baron von Sternburg was in India and it would be months before he could arrive in Washington.   Bernhard von Bülow, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, hit upon a solution that paid dividends all out of proportion to what was expected to be a caretaker expedient.  With no one more senior at hand von Bülow requested of his counterpart in London, Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for the British Ambassador in Washington to represent Berlin's interest and London's in the crisis.  Sir Michael Henry Herbert paid a visit to the White House with the newly promoted Chargé d'affaires for Germany.  When President Roosevelt was informed that Sir Herbert would for the next three months be responsible for both British and German interests with respect to Crisis over Venezuela talks that had been largely stalled resumed. 

President Roosevelt agreed to press the Venezuelan government to accept binding arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.   The British and German Governments agreed to scale back their demands to something more manageable for Venezuela to pay.  As the unpaid debts, interests and the new war damages claimed by London and Berlin were greater than ten years' worth of government income for Venezuela.  With his last hope dashed Castro agreed to the demands of the blockading powers. 

The ruling in the Hague would have to wait for many more months but in the meantime the crises had ended.  The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Venezuela had to pay the debts and pledged 30% of its customs income at its two major ports (La Guaira and Puerto Cabello) to the creditor nations.  Also the United Kingdom and German Empire received preferential treatment with respect to debt repayment as they had 'won' the war.