The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-21

THE EEITI>H SIDE OF THE CASE.
The press agencies sent the Presidents
message concerning Venezuela out In run
10 the country. and they also sent out
n very fun abridgement of Secretary Ol-
ney's dispatch of last July 10 Lord SAILS
bury, arguing his view Of the contro-
versy between Great Britain and Nene-
zuela But II has not sent out even an
abridgment OF Lord Salisbury's reply
delivered TO Mr.. OlLey two weeks ago.
in which England's Prime Minister sets
out the British side of the Venezuelan
question That. however was sent 10
Congress by the President along with ms
message. and it appears i'm the Congress
sional Record for Tuesday. December
18th, at page POI. How any one can
read that paper and think that any case
has arisen in South America for the
Interference of this country upon any
construction OF the Monroe doctrine,
passes che comprehension OF The Times
If its statements of fact are true (and
as TO most OF them, The Times knows
from its own Investigations, that they
are true). the entire contest between
Great Britain and Venezuela is one OF
boundary made by the British Govern
ment In perfect good faith, and one In
which the case seems 10 be entirely with
her and il is proposterous 10 claim that
the case has in It any element of colonial
ton or extension of the monarchical
system OF government, If Lord Sails
bury's statements of facts are really
facts.
The document is too long for us 10
give even an abstract Of it, but we can
state its essential points. The Span
iards settled Venezuela. the Dutch set
tied the country 10 the south OF the
Orinoco. which they called Guiana Both
settlements were made more than three
hundred years ago. 1t Is true the Span
iards were always at odds with the Dutch
about their boundary, though they seem
To have always conceded that there was
some territory there that the Dutch had
right to, and the Dutch right such
as 1t was. VAS formally recognized by
the treaty OF Munster of 16iS. which
binds Spain and all who claim under
her. But there is the most authentic
record that the Dutch were long ago
claiming against the Spaniards all of the
very territory now in dispute. In li9s,
and again I'm 1863. the States General of
Holland addressed formal remonstrances
10 the Court OF Madrid against the incur
sions Of the spaniards into their ports
and settlements in the basin of the Guy
uni river. In these remonstrances they
distinctly claimed all the branches OF
the Essiquibo river, and especially the
Cuyuni river. as lying within Dutcn
territory. They demanded immediate
reparation for the proceedings OF the
Spanards. and reinstatement of the ports
said 70 have been injured by them, and
suggested that proper delineation be
tween the colony of Essiquibo and the
Rio Orlnoco should be laid down by au-
ihority
To this claim the Spanish Government
never attempted 10 make any reply
Their treatment OF the complaint amounts
to concession that the Dutch claims
could not be answered. 1t looks. there
fore. like a demonstration that as far
back as 1863 the Dutch claimed that all
the basins Of the Cuyuni and Essiquibo
rivers were their territory. that the Span
ish Government OF that day conceded the
claim, the Dutch have never abandon
cd an iota OF that claim. and. within
nifty years after 1863 the English fei
heir TO the Dutch claims, and have never
abandoned one jot or title OF II. The
Dutch claim. as made 10 the Spanish
Government In 1863. covers all the ground
now IN dispute between Great Britain
and Venezuela.
Nevertheless. controversies grew up be-
tween Venezuela and Great Britain about
the true boundary after the British ac-
quired the Dutch claims and in 1870 the
British Government directed distin-
guished engineer. Sir Robert Schomburgk.
TO investigate the matter and run the
true line between the two countries. This
gentleman studied the subject very care
fully and very thoroughly and ran his
line according 70 what he was able TO as
certain TO DO the furthest limits OF the
old Dutch settlements. He was guided
by the remains OF Old forts and posts. by
actual settlements and by the traditions
u the Indlan uiSss living nssSest. lie