Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-03
Mucn IN Ir.
May Cause Trouble Between England
and Ourselves.

washington. April 2. There is a
great deal moro III the news from Fhri-
hault OF the grant ~ a concession by
Nent zuele at the mouth OF the Orinoco
than Is indicated In the dispatch. The
conc tsion may become more or less
famous in the history OF the diplomacy
OF the United States and Great Britain.
The concosSicn is well calculated to
bring to an acute stage the most trou-
blesome diplomatic question before the
sta 70 department, and one which. M
exclusively stated heretofore In the As
sociated Press dispatches. has caused
the administration more real concern
thal the Alliancia affair. the late
Guattmalean- Mexican dispute aud 9TH
er internal episodes. The concession is
In the heart OF she territory long in
dispute between Venezuela and Great
Britain. and Ambassador Bayard for
some time has vainly strivcn. In ac-
cordanoe with a resolution recently
adopted by congress, to persuade Great
Britain to submit the whole dispute to
arbitration, Great Britain being willing
TO arbitrate only beyond what is known
as the Schomberg line. There have
been limitations that the adminlstra-
tion In the event OF n physical conflict
over the disputed lands might deem IL
necessary In the enforcement of the
Monroe doctrine 10 follow up the moral
aid It has rendered Venezuela with
more substantial assistance.
The fact that citizens OF the United
States now by this concession are
thrust, 50 to speak. between Great
Britain and the United States, consider
ably increases the measure OF this
eountry's responsibility.
Senior Andrade, the Venezuelan min
lister at Washington, when seen com
corning the Farlbault paragraph, said
he had nfT ..f
grant OF the concession but added that
he does not doubt It's correctness. az IL
Is in line with reports that such con-
ccssions would be MADE.
The land included In the concession,
he said, Is the vital point Of conflict
between Great Britain and Venezuela.
The Orinoco Is the great commercial
artery OF South America, running far
inland through Venezuela, Brazil and
other countries. Whoever controls the
mouth OF the river. Minister Andrada
said, will control the great commerce.
Great Britain has taken possession Of
Punta Barlna, the mouth OF which Is to
the Orinoco what the island OF Gibral.
tar is TO the Mediterranean. She has
also effected a naval station on Trint-
dad island, Just Off the mouth Her
claims embrace both banks OF the
stream at the mouth. II Is part OF the
strategic territory that Venezuela now
AAHlN ~ ONlltu SNhttH gltlHenN. Inc
concession near Trinidad island IL be-
leved to be the Island OF Pnlos. II Is
very near to the British naval station
and particularly rich In asphalt The
present concession Is the most emphatic
declaration OF ownership Venezuela has
made since 1884, In that year a CON
cesslon was made TO Messrs. Fitzgerald
and Turnbull, citizens Of the United
states, part OF this territory. II was
about to be operated by United
States company known as tho Mauoa
company when Great Britain entered
such an emphatic protest that Venezu-
ella cancelled tho concession Since
then the conflict between Great Britain
and Venezuela has been waged
through diplomatic channels Now
venezuela reasserts her rights and
turns them over TO United States cltl-
zcns' The Interesting question thus
arises; What steps viii now be taken
to assert their clnlms2 And what en-
deayor to prevent the United States
syndicate operating Its concession?