Evening journal., 1892-09-12
WJRk FOR OUR BIG GUNS
We May, Perhaps, Have a Go
at England's Warships.
ADMIRAL WALKERS SECRET CRUISE


cards Great Dritain's Aggressiveneas.
WASHINGTON, Sept l2.-There are good
reasons for believing that the sealed instruc
tions which We're today delivered TO Ad.
miral Walker on board the Chicago intrust
ed him with n mission more important, per.
haps, than any that has been confded to an
American naval officer in recent years.
The protracted conference which presi.
don't Harrison held with Acting Secretary
OF State Adee on his recent visit TO Wash.
ingtoni the long consultation between Sec.
rotary Of the Navy Tracy and Nh Adee
yesterday before Admiral Walkers instruc.
lions were finally agreed upon; the care.
fully worded official statement given out
Through the United Press that Admiral
Walker twas directed to pursue vigorous
course in dealing with tho situation, espe.
cialiy in connection with foreign aggres.
sion,' all take on new significance when il
Is stated that Admiral Walkers mission TO
La Guayra with his squadron will be TO
prefer tho friendly intervention of the
United States 10 the Venezuelan authori-
ties, whoever they may be by tho time he
arrives out there, Tor tho purpose Of pre-.
venting the final absorption Of Venezuelan
territory by Great BrNain, and further, TO
secure the restoration Of the status quo TO
boundaries as it existed prior 90 1877, and
70 obtain consent for the submission 90 ar
uitfation of the question of title 20 the ter
ritofy in dispute between the two gov1lu-
ments.
The keynote Of the whole expod 'ion is to
be found ia the following extract from a
dispatch addressed to Mr. Blaine before his
resignation Of tho state department port
folio by Mr. Peraza, the Venezuelan minis.
ter to Washington:
Tho Keynote OF tho Expedition.
The Hon Mr.. Blaine Is already aware that
agents Of the government OF Great Britain have
taken possession, unduly and forcibly, OF tho
port OF Barima az the mouth OF the Orinoco.
which up 20 that timo had been possessed by
Nonezuoln whose title 30 10 was indisputable
IL Is only necessary 10 cast n glance nj tho man
OF South America IN order 20 SEQ tho vast i'm.
portanco of this aggressive stop OF Great
Britain. when "a Furorean MARTINA mower
has once obtained q foothold az Barima IL ab.
tolutely controls the Orinoco river ana its ma.
merous aniucnts. Through that artery it may
penetrate as far as the Rio do la Plata Won.
czuelais therefore not the only American ne.
public that IS at the mercy of the naval power
shat gets control OF tho Orinoco river
Colombia, Peru. Bolivia, Brazil. tho Areon-
tine Republic and Uruguay arc likewise az its
mercy. This Is not danger which threatens
Venezuela aluno; Il threatens an America and
Is perhaps more serious than the possession of
tho Panama canal by European power. since
~ would render nugatory the efforts which
through the initiative of the United States gov.
eminent are now being made by the nations
of America 10 draw close their family bonds, 10
unity the intercatg and TO havo one aud tho
same destiny ia future An these aspirations
might be rendered fruitleas by the presence
ana control IN the OrinOco of SO formidable
naval power as is Great Britain. Hor vessels
would entor the mouth of that river aud wouid
carry 90 the great contcrs OF population hef
productions, her ideas and her exclusive inter.
ests
Mr.. Pcraza, on behalf OF the Venezuelan
government, earnestly and almost pathetic
ally begged the United States government
70 intervene TO prevent Che republic from
nnai disruption, and TO secure the submis-
sion 90 arbitration Of the questions Ia dis
pute with Great Britain.
highlands Eneroachmcnts.
The encroachmonts which thus culmi-
mated had been long pursued. On Nov. %.
1851, the legislature OF Demerara by direct
instigation, as It appears, of the queens
proctor under Instructions from the Co
lonial Office, passed an act asserting British
OF Caratal, az the head waters of the Yu.
ruari river; and ON Dec 81 of the same
year the governor Of British Guiana issued
decree denying tho validity o. a grant
made by the Venezuelan government for a
railroad 10 Guacipat, city ia the Caratal
district, on the ground that 10 passed
SIN and over certain territories aud lands
forming part Of the colony Of British
GUIANA
This assumption was referred to at the
time by Secretary Bayard, IN q dispatch 10
our minister in London, as one which
necessarily gives rise 20 grave disquietnde
and creates an apprehension thar tho tor-
rit0rial claim does not follow historical
traditions or evidence, but is apparently
Indefinite and Mr. Bayard authorized
Minister Phelps 20 express to Lord Sails
bury apprehension lest tho widening pre-
tensions OF British Guiana 20 possess terri
tory over which Venezuelan jurisdiction
has never heretofore been disputed might
not "oblge the good disposition Of the
United States 10 aid in a settlement to give
place TO a feeling Of grave concern"
Nevertheless the British colonial authori-
ties lost no time in perfecting their usurpa-
ti0n. An armed force was dispatched TO
the luruaIi region and took possession with
barely numbering hundred. all the rest Of
the men at the mines being English
The Venezuelan minister az this period,
who was Mr. Olavarria, writing from Paris
to Secretary Bayard, very pointedly said:
Dayard's Warming.
With these facts before you your oxcemency
must be convinced that tho British government
in such proceedings follows a proconceivod plan
with tho object Of gaining possession IN the
shortest time possible Of the whole of tho tori.
tory Of Venezuelan Guiana and of the most i'm.
portant Of southern rivers. Already this move.
ment Is no longer concealed under pretended
boundary rights; 10 Is no longer confined to the
capricious lines mapped out by adventurous
engineers upon the charts of that important re
Eioa in obedience 70 the viii that pays them
England has sc last declared omphaucaliy that
her rights are without limit, and embrace what
aver regions may be suggested TO her by hor in
suitable thirst for conquest.
She even goes 30 faI 90 dony the validity
Of railway grants comprised within territory
where not even the widest dreams of fancy
had ever conceived that the day would com,
when Fenezuula's rights thereto could be dis
luied The fact Is that until now England ha
relied upon impunity; she bcholds as n veal
and unillencly nation, and socks 70 make ia,
Venezuelan coast and territories the base OF
conquest which, If circumstance arc not al