Huntsville gazette., 1892-09-17
tories the base Of a conquest which, II

no other bounds than the dictates of
her own will"
Returning to his post of duty at
Washington, Mr.. Olivarria again ad-
dressed Mr.. Bayard, February 20, 1888,
as follows: Disastrous and fatal con-
sequences would ensue for the indie
pendence of South America if, under
the pretext of question of boundaries,
Great Britain should succeed in con-
summating the usurpation of third Of
our territory and Herewith a
river as important as the Orinoco
Under the pretext of a mere ques-
tion of boundaries, begun on the
banks of the Essequibo, we now
find ourselves on the verge of loss in
regions lying more than five degrees
away from the river, and under the
same pretext a raid has been made
from Cape Nassau for the survey of the
island Barima, at the mouth of the
Orinoco.
II greatly rely on the friendly and
disinterested offices of the government
of the United States; but in the sup.
position that the British government
will continue to regard the case as
simple question of frontiers, and will
keep on protesting that she is opera
ting in her own territory, it occurs to
me to respectfully suggest to your ex-
cellency that the opportunity has come
for the government of the United
States, in view of the recent occur
rences, to regard the question under a
nd fo q
means of its effective intervention"
This different aspect" appears now
to be taken by our government, and
Admiral Walker has been charged with
the mission of bringing about the ''ef-
fective Intervention"
The progressive character of British
claims in Venezuela is shown by dis
patch received from our minister, Mr..
Scruggs, dated Caracas, April 25, 1890,
in VIII ich he says: "The recent
occupation by British police
force of a large area of territory
south and west of the limits hitherto
claimed by England as the boundary
of her Guinean possessions is creating
grave apprehension here. 1t will be
remembered that Venezuela has stead
lily maintained, since 1886, that the
E ssequibo river is the limit of British
possessions. 1t will be remembered
that in the earlier stages of this con-
troversy England claimed only to the
Pumaron. subsequently she ex-
tended her claims westward to the
gulf of Morujana and southwark to
the river Guiaima. Later on,
taking advantage of the un-
settled political condition Of
the country. she further extended her
claims, first to the river Barima then to
Braza Barima (including the fertile ISL
and of that name), and finally south
ward up the main channel of the ORR
noco delta as far as Amacura, the start
ing point from westward of what is
known as the 'Schomburlx line
Never, I believe, until quite recently,
has England claimed this line as
the southern boundary of her
colonial possessions. On the con-
explicitly disclaimed any such
pretensions. Yet she now not only oc-
cupies the entire territory north of this
line, but has taken possession of large
districts south of it. More than this,
she now lays claim to almost the entire
territory north of the Caroni east of the
Orinoco below the mouth of the Caroni.
This includes, of cause, the vast terri
tory of Yuruari, wherein are situated
the rich and productive gold mine Of
Caratal and Colloa.o
''Of course the Venezuelan govern
ment is not prepared to resist these
bold encroachments; otherwise they
would hardly be attempted. The gov
ernment here has been endeavor-
ing for more than six months past to
re-establish diplomatic relations. re-
store the status quo of 1886, and have
the question of boundary referred to
prospect of success. The British
government makes it condition that
Venezuela relinquish her claim to all
territory north of the 'Schcmburk line
and that arbitration be limited to dis
puted territory south of that line. The
restoration of diplomatic relations be-
tween Venezuela and Great Britain has
recently been brought about through
the good offices of Minister Lincoln.
during the closing days of the Sails
bury government, but there the con-
cession stopped. AS our minister to
Venezuela subsequently reported:
The vital point in dispute,
namely, the command of the
great mouth of the Orinoco is precisely
the one which Great Britain now re-
fuses to submit to friendly arbitation.
1t may be that with powerful squad
ron of the United States in the harbor
Of La Guyra, under command of an adj
miral specially instructed to aid and
assist to the full extent of his power,
Venezuela may be able to renew the
overtures for arbitrat ton to better pur-
pose
Honors will be easy so far as con-
Germs the display of physical force.
Immediately after the consummation
of the seizure of Barima the British au-
thorities ordered three war steamers
of their Barbados squadron, the
Belleropon, the Emerald and the
Partridge. to rendezvous in Demarara
with the surncSed r1rnose of intini-