The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-22

monument upon teu<Sutt4 hS ~ - wv"
Britain 10 prove possession Ia le&&
BRITAIN AND HOLLAND.
Venezuela insists that Britain can only
claim such as Holland was In actual pos
session OF I'm l6lS Britain insists that
the treaty does not mean that actual
possession, but would include much more
Thus she insists that as Holland, IN i6zts
chartered body OF merchants under the
title OF the West India Company. and
gave them exclusive privilege to trade
with America and 10 found colonies with
limits to the west bank OF the Orinoco
river. that this company must be con-
sidered In i6is, the time OF the treaty. a.
In possession OF all the land that their
charter covered. under the we'll known
principle Of law that a person who en-
ters land under title deed IL considered
IN possession not only OF the land he
actually occupies. hut all that his title
deed calls for.
This was the foundation for the ex-
travagant claim of Salisbury In 1879. when
he refused arbitration and made claim
of vast portion of Venezuelan terri
tory, which had never before been con-
sidered In dispute.
Britain further claims that the treaty
in l6is. giving to each the possession OF
the commerce then enjoyed. necessarily
meant the possession Of the territory
where the commerce existed Under this
construction she would claim the entire
territory In dispute where the Dutch
traded.
It can be readily seen that this pre-
sents a case where England, under pre-
tence of right. can make unhounded ag-
gressions and despoil weaker power or
her territory.
GOLD FIELDS INVOLVED.
The prize for which she IS consenting
n of very great value. II includes the
richest gold fields I'm the world IL in
cludes the control. by her OF the mouth
of the Orinoco river. and I'm consequence
the northern portion OF South America.
n country of incredible richness and fer
tility. She owns the island OF Trinidad.
which commands all the other outlets of
the Qrinoco river. II her right is estab-
llShed to the Schomburgk line. which
Salisbury refuses TO arbitrate. II gives
her control OF the other and chief out
let OF the Orinoco river II means her
ultimate control and dominating OF north
ern South America.
Her own records her own maps. her
own treaties. her own conduct proves she
has no title to this territory now claimed
by her.
Innumerable English Biographies. as
late as 1928. fix the Essiquibo river M
the boundary between Venezuela and
British Guiana, as clalmed ~ Venezuela.
England. by treaty OF Utrecht. liz.
guaranteed TO Spain 10 aid her In re-
establishing her possessions az they were
at the time Of the death OF Charles H..
which would Include the territory as
claimed by Venezuela.
In i79i I'm treaty between Holland
and Spain for the restitution OF fugi-
tives. 1t distinctly recognizes the rights
Of the Dutch al the Esslqulho, and the
Spanish at the Orinoco.
In 1896. the representative OF the Brit
ishI Government at Caracas requested
the Venezuela Government 10 pot a
lighthouse at Punta Barima. She thus
distinctly recognizes the rights and own
ership OF Venezuela. yet all these places
are in the territory which Salisbury
now claims that the British right Is so
clear TO that he will not submit 1t to
arbitration.
in 1874 Lord Aberdecn Offered to cs-
taDlish n boundary line. TO comfnrn,>s on
the coast at Morocco river. hundreds or
miles west OF the mouth Of the Orinoco
river. and from the Schomburgk line.
which Salisbury insists shall be recog-
nized before he VIII arbitrate for the
rest.
THE SCHOMBuRGK LINE.
In isil, an engineer. Schomburgk ran
the celebrated line as his fancy might
suggest, without maps without data. and
without anything TO guide him. except
his own wishes gie erected posts.
flags. and did many things to indicate
Britain's claims and ownership. When
Venezuela protested. Lord Aberdeen. In
I42 directed them all TO be removed.
thus disclaiming ownership.
I'm n dispatch OF the ist Of September.
1896. the British Governor OF Demarara,
a portion OF British Guiana. declared
that the rights OF Britain extended only
to the river Pumaron. hundreds OF niles
west OF the Schomburgk line.
In la0 fhe British court In Guiana
refused to take cognizance OF a murdet
committed by an Euglshman IN the teri
ritory now claimed by Salisbury. because
It was foreign territory and the British
court had ne jurisdiction.
The evidence Is all convincing Of the
rights OF Venezuela. II could be en-
larged on to an almost indefinite extent.
Conscious of the weakness OF his case,
there is no surprise that Salisbury should
refuse TO arbitrase. lie expects 20 ae-
qulrc by force what he is unable 10 get
by right Bfitain's conduct towards
Venezuela has been outrageous. Sne
entered into solemn compact in 1856
that neither would occupy nor encroach
upon The disputed territory. After agree
ing To this. she has completely Ignored
IT, and occupied the territory IN dispute.
and exercised over Il all the rights OF
sovereignty.
She now refuses TO admit OF doubt 10
her right 20 the territory then IN dis
pute, but requires that Venezuela should
admit her rights 10 all disputed I'm 1850,
before she will even agree TO arbltrate
territory not then claimed.
The settlement and occupations al
luded to by Salisbury. as resulting IN 4
hardships n Britain should lose. were
made IN direct violation of the COM
pact OF iS5D.
THE ENcROAcHMENTs.
Britain has made her encroachments as
fast az gold has been found In isSi the
gold sent from Veuezuela from the dis-
puted territory amounted TO 235.5B
ounces Venezuela In 1898 mined abogt
1900 ounces. In the five years from
lSs5 10 1880 British Guiana. on an av-
erage. yearly mined 95.5ss pounds sterling
OF gold; IN 1893. 80, no pounds. Nothing
proves more clearly than this British
aggression. Each year. as the gold
found became more valuable. she c;aimed
the territory and robbed Venezuela. Her
Increased gold production. and vsne-
zuelas decreased gold production clearly
evinces British aggression.
Venezuela. has always Insisted upon
arbitration as a settlement. Lord Gran
Vile finally consented 20 arbitrate the
matter. and the treaties were prepared
and ready fob exchange. when there
was n change OF ministry. and Salisbury
refused Granville had also agreed With
Russia for settlement OF the Afshanistan
but there had heen no ex-