Show GUNS TRAINED ON PORTS ion i < u 4 TBom6ar3nionit nt Pnerto Cnbello Was 1 on Fortress Alone I Washington Dec 15 Minister Bowen I has confirmed tho press reports to tho effect that the gun of tho allied forces which bomtfardtd Puerto Cabcllo Saturday I Satur-day were directed entirely at the fortifications fortifi-cations and not at the town Regrettable nti It was this statement relieves tho affair af-fair of the first suspicion that It constituted t consti-tuted a violation of international law In the fact that twentyfour bourn noUco wan not served of the bombtirdrncnt I The requirements as to notice applies to unfortified or fortified towns where the duo muHt bo directed upon tho inhabitants Inhabit-ants and this wan not the case at Puerto I Cabcllo no that whllo tho officials hero I regret that the firing took place they have as vet no cause to protest 1 But It la now probable that the Unite States will break Us attitude of Inactivity j In tho event that un attompt Is mode to 1 enforce the peaceful blockade toward I I an American ship While the allies woro considering tho ways and means of bring I ting t-ing Venezuela to terms and a blockade of I this character had been decided upon tho German Government Informed the United I States that when tho blockade was established estab-lished It would turn back all shipping j though no effort would bo made to seize the ships Tho United States Government made no I response to this statement at tho tlmo I last year not feeling called upon to do so bcforo presentation of an actual caso I But now that tho blockade Is sought to t bo established Secretary Hay has informed I In-formed the German Government that American ships should not be interfered 1 with In their trading except the Inhibition r S Inhibi-tion applies to nil shipping und further tho note Intimates a disapproval of stoppage > stop-page at nil I In GO doing the Stato department hi following I S fol-lowing a precedent for during tho effort I of tho powers to establish a peaceful I t blockade off Crete In 1SSS Secretary I Sherman formally recorded a refusal to bo bound by It It happened that no i American ship had occasion to enter a I Crctcan port during tho brief period oC s tlmo tho blockade was In force so the Issue I was not made then but In the present pres-ent case with regular lines of American steamers entering Venezuelan ports at I I abort Intervals a test case may soon follow SIt S-It Ls within the legal right of tho alllea to close thctO ports but probably IIB can I S bo accomplished without a piotcst on our part only after a formal declaration of I war rIte hope la growing here that such a declaration can after all bo averted owing to the energy with which Mr Bowen has acted I |