Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-09-12
UNCLE SANS POWER
Called Upon to Aid a
Sister Republic.
GEN. WALKERS MISSION
Is Thought to Be One Of Great Inter.
national Importance.

NEW YORK, Sept. l2.-The cruisers Chi
tago and Philadelphia left the navy yard
at 9 o'clock yesterday, bound for La Quay
ra, Venezuela, under scaled orders
WASHINGTON, Sept l2-There are good
reasons for believing that sealed instruc-
tions. which were yesterday delivered TO
Admiral Walker on board the Chicago.
entrusted him with a mission more i'm
portant, perhaps. than any that has been
conflded 10 An American naval officer In
recent years.
The conference which President Harri-
son had with Acting Secretary Of State
Adee on his recent visit to Washington;
the long consultation between Secretary
of the Navy Tracy and Mr.. Adee Saturday,
before General Walkers instructions were
finally agreed upon, the carefully worded
statement given out that Admiral Walker
was directed To pursue a vigorous course
In dealing with the situation. e.
pecially In dealing with foreign az
gression;" all take on new signih-
cance on the supposition believed 10 Be
well founded that Admiral Walkers mis-
sion 20 La Guayra with his squadron will
he to proffer the friendly Intervention Of
the United States to the Venezuelan
authorities, whoever they may be by the
time he arrives out there, for the purpose
of preventing the final absorption OF
Venezuelan territory by Great Britain and
further 10 secure the restoration OF the
status quo IA 20 boundaries N IL existed
o,l 30. In aatt for ha
submission 20 arbitration Of the question
of title to the territory In dispute between
the two governments.
Tho Key Note
Of the whole expedition Il 20 be found IN
| the following extract from dispatch ad-
dressed To Mr. Blaine before his resigna-
tion Of the state department portfolio, by
| Mr.. Peraza, the Venezuelan minister 10
Washington;
The honorable MI. Blaine Ia 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 0ri.
| noco. which up TO that umo had been possessed
by Venezuela, whose title 10 IL was undisput-
| able. IL IL only necessary to cast . glance Of
| tho map OF South America In order TO SEQ tho
vast importance u this aggressive stop of
| Great Britain.
When a European masftirne power has onop
| obtained q foothod ut BarirRa, 10 absolutely
| controls the Orinoco river and Its numerous
| aiiiuents. Through that artery II may pene-
trate M far A. tho river Rio dc Ia Platte. ven-
| ezuela IL, therefore, not tho only American
| Republic that II al tho morcy Of the naval
| power that gets control Of the Orinooo nver.
| Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, the Argentine
| Republic and Uruguay are likewise ak Its
| mercy.
This is not tho danger which threatens
| Venezuela alone; IL threatens all America,
| and is. perhaps, more serious than tho posses.
| sion OF the Panama cnnal by European
| power since IL would render nugatory the
! efforts which, through tho initiative Of the
| United States government, are now being
| made by the nations of America To draw close
| their family bonds, to unity the interests and
| TO have one and the same destiny In future.
| All these aspirations might be rendered fruit
| less by the presence and control II the Orinoco
| OF No formidable naval power a. 6reat
| of that river and would carry 70 the greae
centres Of population her productions hss
/ ideas and her exclusive tDteresta
| Mr.. Peraza, on behalf of the Venezuelan
| government, earnestly and almost pathet-
ically begged the United States govern
ment To intervene, TO prevent the republic
from final disruption, and 10 secure the
submission 10 arbitration of the questions
| I'm dispute with Great Britain. The restor-
alton Of diplomatic relations between Ven
ezuela and Great Britain has recently been
brought about through the good offices of
| Minister Lincoln, during the closing days
of the Salisbury government, but there
| British Concessions stopped.
| As our minister to Venezuela subse-
| quently reported: "The vital point In dis
pute, namely, the command Of the great
mouth of the Orinoco, is precisely the one
which Great Britain refuses TO submit to
friendly arbitration"
II may be that, with powerful United
States squadron In the harbor Of La
| Guayra, under the command Of an ad.
miral specially instructed TO aid and as
sist to the full extent Of his power,
Venezuela may be able to renew the over
lures for arbitration TO better purpose.
|