Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-06
1t is Expected to Arrive in New
York Today.
NOT TO Be MADE PUBLIC FOR A MCNTH
North Atlantic Squadron Ordered
on a Southern Cruise.
W II AT NJ AY ZAP P E N

Lord Salisbury's reply to Secretary Olney's
note of July Lass touching the Venezuelan
boundary dispute is adverse to the PROPOSE
ton to arbitrate the title to the lands lying
westward of the Schomburgh line, the fact
that the reply itself has not yet reached
Washington preciudes the idea of any
speedy action by our government in this
matter. When the reply is received by Sir
Julian Pauncefote he may occupy himself
several days at least in Its careful con-
s;deration in order that he may make sure
that he is transmitting to Secretary Olney
the views of his government SO far as 1t
Is proper for them to DE communicated TO
the United States government without at
the same time imparting any portion OF
the note that may be framed for his pri-
vate guidance.
Then the absence of the President would
operate further 10 delay proceedings by the
State Department, for 1t is beyond question
that Secretary Olney would not feel Justi-
fled in making forward movement at this
stage of tie case, which IS now commonly
regarded as, at least, approaching a crit-
cal point without advising fully with the
President.
AS the latter has promised Congress TO
communicate in special message the ma
ture of Lord Salisbury'S reply, further de-
lay may be caused by the prepai alton OF
: this message, so, on the whole, it is i'm
probable that the next step can be taken
before the latter part of the present
month.
A Shrewd Position.
From what is gathered to the nature
of Lord Salisbury's note. 1t Is assumed
here that it is really calculated to make an
issue that If allowed to fall into the course
of treatment usual in diplomatic contro
verses might drift along for indefinite
period of time for while there is abate-
ment of the assertion of Great Brtain's
right to the larger portion of the territory
east of the schomburgh line. for the iirst
time arguments are submitted to justify the
assertion. Heretofore all of the facts pre-
sented to our government concerning the
rightfui ownership of the territory nave
come from We. ezuelan sources for although
the British government has been afforded
frequent opportunities in recent years to
present its case, it has never gone so far
as to admit that there could be any doubt
of it's title, and has therefore simply abb
stained from argument in support of that
position.
.plomat:cally considered, therefore, this
last move of Lord Salisbury's may be re-.
earded very clever, for he can easily
find precedents to warrant lis request that
the British case be considered on it's mer-
its. and as this is all new to our government,
a compliance with the request would in
volye much patient research and comparison
of authorities and maps and surveys, all
calculated ID consume n great deal of time,
and carry the issue along to a period when,
perhaps, Great Britain, being freed from
its present embarrassing situation growing
out of the Turkish complications will be
able to devote her entire energies to set
tlement Of the Venezuelan question.
Conc for Snlisbury's Letter.
The British embassy expects the arrival
today of the steamship Britannia. bringing
the official mail from the foreign office,
containing the important answer of Lord
Salisbury to Secretary Olney's letter. Dom
Alison. the special messenger of the en-
baSSy, has gone to New York to receive
the mail direct from the Britannia. He
makes fortnightly trip for this purpose,
carving official
from Washington, and dealing directly
with the stewards of the steamships. The
steamships flying the British flag are the
special custodians Of this class of mail,
and they in turn, transfer 1t directly to
the representative of the ambassador
Ordered Southwark.
The Secretary of the Navy has prepared
orders for the departure of the North At
lantic fleet on the 18th instant for a
cruise in the West Indies. The fleet con-
sists of the flagship New York, Columbia,
Raleigh, Montgomery and Amphitrite, now
at Hampton Reads, and the Cincinnati at
Key West. Their departure for the Carib-
bean sea will leave the west coast of the
United States without any active cruising
vessels for the first time in six months.
Unless the orders of the fleet are changed
1t will extend its cruise to Venezuelan
waters, lut II is said that there would be
no special significance in such a visit even
urder existing conditions, inasmuch as it
is customary for naval vessels cruising m
the Car ibbean to spend two three weeks
at the port of La Guayra. Secretary Her.
bert is authority for the statement that the
contemplated movements of the North At
lantic squadron have no relation whatever
to the pending controversy over the Guiana
boundary line.
Nevertheless, he expects that the orders
to the fleet will be construed In some quar-
8. ters as an indication of the purpose of the
administration to make a naval demon
stration off the coast of Venezuela in the
interests of that country, that the cruise
is intended as an intimation to Great Brit
ain that the United States is preparing to
enforce its position in the Venezuelan
affair.
To Avoid Venezuela and Cuba.
According to the Secretary of the Navy
Admiral Bunce. who is in command of the
fleet, will have precisely the same kind of
orders that were given to Admiral Meade
his predecessor in this command, when he
went on a similar cruise last winter, when
the situation was much less acute than 1t is
at present. These Instructions, in brief
were to cruise from port to port in the Car
ibbean for the purpose of exercising the
fset in evolut4ons, naneuvers, target prac-
tice, landing drills and other necessary
Parts of the naval service.
In case the progress of events shall indi-
cate possibility of the United States be-
coming involved in hcstilitles with Great
Britain in the near future over Veuezuela-
an unlocked for contingency-it Will be nee
essary, of course, to make radical change
in the present policy of the Navy Depart
ment, to he extent, at least of having our
warships more convenient for the defense
OF our own coast, rather than to send them
away for the protection of a South Ameri-
can neghbor. Self-preservaton. the first
law of nature, would lead naturally 10 a
policy of protecting own ports from
foreign attack, before going to the assist
ance of a friendly neighbor. no matter how
great our sympathy for her distress or our
interest In her struggle with a powerful
foreign foe
In this view of the case. the departure of
the entire naval fleet on the home station
for a foreign shore. would clearly indicate
deep sense of security on the part If
the sdmnistrat alton and of our own i'm
munity from attack. The impression is
growing that in order to avert all possible
misunderstanding on this point Admiral
Bunce will be specifically Instructed to
avoid the ports OF Venezuela and Cuba dur
icg the prevailing state of affairs in those
countries. Trere is ample cruising ground
in the Caribbean for feet evoutions with