The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-18

ts4=s4tastt4 JOY t4-Af#HEE I'd So
10y -fsaeT. * taa same date a. he pre-
ssA.aS note, from which Il vas pFooaaslg
= .sft@ tei fsecugse IL deals entirely Wsfl
sc fss@f.Es Of the British elasru - che feg-
..~etZ - dispute. LORD Salisbury explains
s.'-[ re = FAreFerta1 from addressing the
~'eisa government ltse!f. n tome
@ q = suspension RI dlpi0matte re4a-
t.@ns Lord SALISBURY bagas wlfh the
- siEaeat that Her uzesty's govern
snE Hhale they have never avoided pr
-+i4ea argument on the subject with TIE
-}.tFifuent u Neneznega. aavs always
s--t+stie4 t4at the question was ore w1ila
ti4-s 70 erect bearing oa the material n
forests q any other country, ard have
Consequently refra ned hitherto from pre-
Sent1g any detailed statement az fhe.r
esse either 70 the United states
70 other foreign goysrnnla MS.
EFooa2ly Tor ms reason. says Lord SAILS
"AF9, Ar. OlneF statement bears thc I'M
press q being mainly. & no, entirely.
loiisi&ed on 81 parte Nenezue.an statements.
ana gives al erroneous view 81 many OF
me material facts. He challenges Secreta~
y oiney first statement that tae dispute
oates back 20 1914. and asserts that Il id
tDf oesan gnIil 1879 waieh assertion he pro-
e%asas 70 su9port by a long statement Of the
es-i- lions under which British Guiana was
acquired from tine Dutch. the friendly reia-
lions taat bad existed for A dong time be-
tween tae United States Of Colombia first,
and afierward Venezuela. and Great Bril-
tain, and with reference 70 the early de-
erees Of the Spanish government lie as
seris iaat the recent difficulty would never
nave arisen u Venezuela had been content
% claim only those territories which could
re proved OF even reasonably asserted 10
nave been quietly IN the possession OF
capfsiacy general Of Nenezueia- He attacks
ne Spanish t4tle 70 the lands as vague ard
iIi-founded, and contends that 10 the valdi-
y o. the Dutch title, under whIch Great
Britain now Gains. there exist the most
authentic declarations. As far back as 1855
Holland had protested. against Spanish In
eursions into their settlements in the ba-
sn OF the Cuyani. and 70 this claim the
Spanish gov~nment never attempted 10 re-
Ply. the archives showing that they had
nor means 20 rebut a. Lord Salisbury says:
The fundamental principle underlying
the venezuelan argument is that in8smuch
az spain was originally entitled OF right to
Inc whole American continent. any terri
tory on that continent which she cannot
be SHOWN 20 have Acknowledged in specific
and positive terms 20 have passed to an
other power can oniy have been acquired
by wrongful usuTpation, and IL situated
10 the north of the Amazon and west OF
the Atlantic. must necessarily have be-
longed 10 Venezuela as her self-consti-
futed Inheritance In those regions. Ii may
reasonably be asked whether Mr. Olney
would consent 10 refer 10 the arbitration
OF another power pretensions raised by the
government Of Mexico. based on such a
foundation. TO large tracts OF territory
which had long been comprised IN the
federal ton
Lord Salisbury then proceeds 70 state
the circumstances connected with the
marking OF the schomburRk line. He says
tho British government informed Nene-
zuela In lss9 Of its intention 70 provision
ally survey this boundary, its purpose be-
ing after the survey to communicate 10
other governments it's views as 10 the
true lines Of the British boundary and
then settle any details as TO which those
governments might object. At the very
outset Schomburgk placed two boundary
posts al Point Bar!ma. on the remains OF
the Dutch fort. and while the posts there
and at the mouth or tho Amarauca were
removed al the urgent entreaty Of Nene-
zuela. the concession was made on the dis
tinct understanding that Great Britain did
not thereby abandon her claim TO that
position. SchOmburgk held that Great
Britain might Justly claim the whole basin
OF the Cuyanl and Uruan. but suggested
that the claims 10 this region be surren-
dered In return for the recognition of the
right to Point Barima. The Schomburgk
line. says Lord Salisbury. was in fact a
great reduction OF the boundary claims by
Great Britain as matter Of right. and its
proposal originated IN a desire to come to
a speedy and friendly Arrangement with a
weaker power
The note next gives IN great detail
statement OF the main facts Of the discus
siOns which have ensued with the NeueZuc-
Ian government. or Lord AbeTdcen's pro-
posal, which made great concessions out Of
friendly regard for Venezuela. Lord Sails
bury SAYS Il remained unanswered for more
than SIX years. wherefore the Venezuelan
government was notified that II had lapsed.
Lord Grauville's proposition in ISL, also
ffar5a bfa ra3l~f from
Schomburgk lne was. he says. likewise
never answered.
Lord Salisbury charges that Venezuela
has repeatedly violated the treaty Of 1850,
hy the terms of which both governments
agreed 20 refrain from aggression upon
the territory IN dispute for which reason.
in 1890. her maJesty's government decided
not 10 repeat the offer of concessions wn.ch
had not been reciprOCated. but 10 assert
her undoubted right to the territory With
in the Schomhurgk line. while stlll hold
Ing open for negotiations and even athl-
tration the unsettled lands hcyond that
and within what they considered 10 he
their rightfH boundary. Referring 70
Guzman Blanco's decI.nation 20 arb.trate
the title Of these unsettled lands alone. and
iusstence or fall arbitration. Lord sails
bury saws: This preteusion Is hardly less
exorbltaut than would be a refusal hy
Great Britain 20 agree on an arbitration
Of the boundary % British Columbia and
Alaska unless the United States would
consent 70 bring into question one-hdlf OF
the whole area OF that territory"
Lord Salisbury rapidly traces the his
tory ~ the following negotiations down tn
1877 when the situation had become so
artte owing 10 the Venezuelan demands
for an evacuation 81 the disputed terri
tory by Great Britain. that tae British
rerresentatlve az Caracas received his
rassports and diplomats relations were
declared by Venezuela 20 be suspended
He saws that no steps have been taken
hv The British authorities % exercise
Jurisdiction beyond the S'homoorSN Ene
nor 20 interfere with the proceedings IF the
NeneEue'ans M The territory OUTSIDE, al
,Arneh. pending a settlement. Great Brit
,to cannot recognize these proceedings AS
valid or conferfiuE title. The question. ne
adds. has remained ir this position ever
r.e Great Britain has from tAe FIRST
no 20 tho same view as % the extent *
ber territory, waving portion OF rs
Inns however. and being willing
- arsstrate another portion, hHt
..,-4a che rest, within
,f. Sehornburgk line. they 60 not consider
80 tbe rixuts 81 Great Britain are open
. question Z the concessions which
.r,st Rrirain has been willing 70 make
~, f,t,s 10 tirle have diminished. u has
So, ss~atlse sfe is CrNiiilnE 90 surFe frde-
x-.icp rule control over her subjects
-. rets gradually colouized the country.
,l,hs discrepancy in maps - e"SiiY account
80 ma the BRITISH EoVeToment cannot
H. made Responsible" fHr fA''l,''ie"s mace
without their authority. go,
IN conclusion Lord salisbury SAYS. Al
.,-.,-h me negotiations in is%f iNti and
"a = G-