Mr. Russell to Mr. Hay.
Caracas , June 30, 1901.
Sir I have the honor to inform you that the commission appointed to examine and pass upon claims for damages arising from the revolution which placed General Castro in power has completed its work and closed its sessions.
Seven hundred and twenty-five claims, natives and foreigners, were presented to the commission, amounting to 16,438,034.73 bolivars. Two hundred and twelve claims were accepted, amounting to 3,676,202.12 bolivars, and of this amount 1,223,200 bolivars were recognized.
In the list of foreign claimants appear the names of Richard Morgan Olcott and Felipe Soto Linares, North Americans. Mr. Olcott’s claim is stated to be 100,000 bolivars, all of which is recognized. The 100,000 bolivars due Mr. Olcott is not in the nature of a claim to be passed upon by the commission, but is the second payment due in accordance with an agreement entered into by Mr. Olcott with the Venezuelan Government on the 12th of December, 1900, and it would appear that this is an attempt to pay it with the scrip to be issued for the debts recognized by this commission. The other North American mentioned is a Porto Rican, whose claim I know nothing of.
The foreigners whose claims were allowed by the commission are as follows: Italians, 38; Turks, 1; Germans, 7; Spanish, 2; Colombian, 2; French, 1; Arab, 1; Dane, 1; North American, 2; total, 55.
In this connection I would state that several of the foreign ministers have approached me lately and suggested that there should be some combined action in regard to claims. In accordance with instructions the Venezuelan Government has been informed several times that our Government could see no reason for departing from its practice of treating the claims of its nationals only on a diplomatic basis, and the only answer to these representations was in the case of the claim of Ford Dix, which was forwarded to the Department.
In case a meeting of the diplomatic corps is called for concerted action I will cable for specific instructions.
I have, etc.,