Herbert Wolcott Bowen
Persia .
Early life and educationBowen was born in Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. He then attended Yale University as a graduate student but he did not graduate with his class. In 1881, Herbert received an L.L.B. in law and political science from Columbia Law School. He was awarded an honorary master's degree in 1903 from Yale University.[1][2] Bowen published several volumes of poetry.[3]
Diplomatic careerAfter law school, Bowen practiced law in New York City specializing in international law. Consul-general in Barcelona and PersiaIn 1895, Bowen. was appointed by President Persia where he served from 1899 to 1901.[4]
Minister to VenezuelaBowen was appointed by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Venezuela in 1901. After few days in Caracas, the naval bombardments of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello , Castro jailed all British, German and Italian immigrants in the country.
Bowen, as interim diplomatic representative of the European powers which had broken relations with Venezuela, negotiated the release of the foreign nationals. Castro assumed that the Monroe Doctrine would see the United States prevent European military intervention in American hemisphere, but (per the Olney interpretation) President Roosevelt saw the Doctrine as concerning European seizure of physical territory only. Roosevelt also was concerned with the threat of penetration into the region by Germany. On December 17, 1902, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Lopez Baralt requested that Bowen serve as arbitrator in the dispute over the British Admiralty. The Germans and British claimed that the Venezuelans fired first, though the British declared the bombardment "unfortunate and inopportune." The German Foreign Office claimed the attempted entry to Maracaibo was motivated by a desire to cut off supply lines from neighboring Colombia.[citation needed ]
After the Fort San Carlos incident and increasingly negative British and American press reactions to the Germans' conduct, President Roosevelt called for international arbitration in Big Stick policy, and dollar diplomacy in Latin America.
When Bowen returned to Caracas in January 1904, he noted a more peaceful and secure milieu. Castro reassured him that United States–Venezuela relations were at a high point. However, the Castro regime delayed fulfilling the agreements in Washington Protocols. Bowen lost confidence after verifying the participation of American corporations in the attempted overthrow of Castro. The Venezuelan government demanded compensation of 50 million bolivars from the corporations, but they refused to pay. Bowen was dismissed in 1905 for impropriety.[4] Personal lifeBowen married Augusta Floyd Vingut on 26 February 1895 at a high society wedding in New York performed by Roman Catholic archbishop Michael Corrigan.[5] After divorce Bowen married second wife, Carolyn Mae Clegg (1877-1949). Bowen died May 29, 1929.[6] Notes
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