The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-09-12
WALKER OFF
FOR VENEZUELA
Sent There to Check the Ag-
gressiveness of Great
Britain.
CALLS OF THE SOUTH AM ERlCAN
REPUBLIC FOR AID.

The Admiral Directed to Pursue a vigor-
Gus Policy in Dealing with the situa-
tion--His Three Vessels to Confront
Three English Omes--The Most Import
ant Mission That Has Been Entrusted to
an American Naval omoer for Years.
WASHINGTON, Sep 12.-There are good
reasons for believing that the sealed in
structions which were yesterday delivered
to Admiral Walker on board the Chicago
entrusted him with mission more inn
portant, perhaps, than any that has been
confded to an American naval officer in
recent years.
The proUracted conference which Presi-
dent Harrison held with Acting Score
tary Of State Adee on his recent visit to
Washington; the long consultation be-
tween Secretary Of the Navy Tracy and
Mr.. Adee before Admiral Walkers in
structions were finally agreed upon; the
carefully worded official statement given
out through these dispatches that Admi4
raj Walker twas directed to
pursue a vigorous course in deal,
ing with the situa tion, especially in
connection with foreign aggression" " all
take on new significance when the fact is
stated that Admiral Walkers mission to
La Guayra with his squadron will be to
proffer the friendly Intervention of the
United States to the Venezuelan authori-
ties, whoever they may be by the time he
arrives out there, for the purpose OF pre-
venting the final absorption of Venezue-
Ian territory by Great Britain and fur
ther to secure the restoratiOn' of the
status quo as to boundaries as it existed
prior to 1871 and to obtain consent for
the submission to arbitration of the
question of title to the territory in dis
pute between the two governments.
The keynote OF the whole expedition is
to be found in the following extract from
a dispatch addressed TO Mr.. Blaine before
his resignation of the State Department
! portfolio, by Mr. Peraza the Venezuela
/ Minister at Washington.
'Ihe Hon. Mr.. Blaine is already aware
that agents of the government of Great
Britain have taken possession, unduly
and forcibly, of the port of Barima, at
the mouth of the OrinOco, which up to
that time had been possessed by Fenezue-
la, whose title to it was indisputable. 1t
is only necessary to cast a glance at the
map of South America in order to see the
vast importance of this aggressive step of
Great Britain. When a European mari
time power has once obtained a foothold
at Barima, it absolutely controls the Ori-
noco river and it's numerous afluents.
| Through that artery it may penetrate as
far as the Rio de La Plata. This is not a
danger which threatens Venezuela alone;
! it threatens all Ameria, and is more seri-
GUS than the possession of the Panama
canal by European power.
Mr.. Peraza, on behalf of the Venezue-
Ian Government, earnestly and almost
pathetically begged the United States
| Government to intervene TO prevent the
republic from final disruption and to So
cure the submission to arbitration of the
question in dispute with Great Britain.
OF course the Venezuelan Government
| is not prepared to resist these bold en-
croachments otherwise they would
hardly be attempted. The government
here has been endeavoring for more than
six months past to re-establish diplomat
| ic relations, restore the status quo of
1885, and have the question of boundary
referred to arbitration, but without the
slightest prospect Of success.
| 1t may be that with a powerful United
| States squadron in the harbor of La
| Guayra, under the command of an ad-
miral especially instructed to aid and
assist to the full extent of his power,
Venezuela may be able to renew the
overtures for arbitration TO better pur-
pose Honors will at least be easy so fal
as the display of physical force Is con
cerned.
Immediately after the consummation
Of the seizure of Barima the British
authorities ordered three war steamers ol
their Barbados squadron, the Bellero-
phon, the Emerald, and the Partridge. &c
rendezvous in Demerara waters for the
supposed purpose of intimidating Vene
zuela and securing acquiesence in thu
seizure
Admiral Walkers three cruisers, TIN
Chicago the Concord, aud the Kearsarge
will very neatly offset the British squad
ron and will just little out-class them