Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-25
DESCRIBED BY A DIPLOMAT
Minister Romero Tells About the Present
Boundary Dispute.
Some OF the Points at Issue Between
the Republic of Mexico and
Guatemala.

Senior Romero, In speaking Of the present
status of the pending boundary question be-
tween his country and Guatemala, said:
'"The treaty signed at the City of Mexico
on the 9th of September, 1882, defined the
boundary line between Mexico and Guate-
mala from the Atlantic to the Pacific, thus
settling a question which lad been pending
for over half a century, and said treaty fur
ther provided that mixed commission
should mark that line with suitable monu-
ments. When one Of the boundary rivers,
the Usumacinta, was reached, it was found
that the data furnished by Senior Irun-
garay an engineer sent by Guatemala 70
survey the land before the treaty was made,
was not accurate since, according to such
data, and the respective treaty, the Usnma-
cinta river ought to serve a boundary
line from a point situated considerably
above in it's course, which left in Mexico a
very important part of what had been con-
sidered as Guatemalan territory. The gov
ernment of Guatemala. held that the Usu-
macinta began at point below the one
fixed on the treaty, and that the boundary
line ought to be Chixoy river, situated west
of the Usumacinta.
Decision of Mexico.
'"The government of Mexico accepted, by
reasons of equity, the ideas of the Guate-
mala government, on condition that no new
difficulties should be raised by Guatemala
in the final drawing Of the boundary line.
In the meantime, the time in which the
demarcation of the line ought to be done,
expired without it being possible to survey
and mark the whole line, and that time was
extended by an additional agreement. At
the expiration of the time of the rev agree
ment before the completion of the work,
another agreement was signed which did
not receive the sanction of the Guatemalan
legislative assembly, which caused the sus-
pension of the work of the mixed commits
sion. Recently another agreement was sign
ed, which Is still pending before the con-
crosses of both countries.
I'm the meantime Engineer Miles Rock,
the chief of the Guatemalan boundary COM
mission, traced an arbitrary line leaving
on the side of Guatemala territory, which
from time immemorial has been un-
questionably in possession of Mexico,
both governments having given charters to
several companies to cut mahogany in said
territories. Mr.. Rock acting under special
authority of the Guatemalan government,
invaded that territory with an armed force,
destroyed the lumber camps, built with the
authority of the Mexican government. ard
seized the lumber. The Mexican govern
ment complained of that conduct to the
Guatemalan government and demanded an
indemnity for the sufferers.
Present Status Of the Case.
THE government of Guatemala has main,
tanned armed force of about fifty men
on that territory belonging to Mexico, but
which is now claimed by Guatemala un-
der the Rock arbitrary map. and as Mex
leo is satisfied that said territory is her
own, having been in possession of 1t from
time immemorlal, the government of Mex
leo considers that 1t has the right to de-
mand the withdrawal of that force, using
all the means in its power TO attain that
end" Senior Romero hopes, however, that
the question will be amicably settled be-
cause 1t is only incidental one, which
Is finally decided by the boundary treaty
and which will disappear when the line
is marked in accordance with the same.