The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-04-25
VENEZUELAN BOUNDARY
"o Letters From Secretary Gresham
to Ambassador Bayard,

oho venezuelan boundary dis
pute is found in two letters addressed
by Secretary Gresham to Ambassador
Bayard at London. One is dated Julv
l. last, but the other is dated Deem
Der 10. The first begins:
during your incumbency of the
ONCE OF secretary of state you became
acquainted with long pending con-
troversy between Great Britain and
venezuela, concerning the boundary
between that republic and British
Guinea. The recourse to arbitration
was proposed in 1881, having been sup.
ported by your predecessor, and was in
turn advocated by you in a spirit of
friendly regard for the two nations in
volved. In the meantime successive
advances OF British settlers in the re-
gion admittedly in dispute were fol-
lowed by similar advances of British
colonial administration, contesting and
supplanting Venezuelan claims to exer-
else authority therein.
Toward the end of 1887, the Brit
lsh territorial claim which had, it
seems, increased by some 5000 square
miles between 1885 and 1888, took an
other comprehensive sweep westward
to embrace the rich mining district of
Yuruari, as far as Guacipiti, and this
called for your instructions to Mr..
Phelps of February II, 1858, respect
ing the widening pretentions of Brit
lsh Guinea to possess territory over
Which Venezuelan jurisdiction had
never Heretofore been disputed.
Since then repeated efforts have
been made by Venezuela, as a directly
interested party, and by the United
States, as the impartial friend of both
countries, to bring about resumption
of diplomatic relations, which had
been suspended in consequence of the
dispute now under consideration. The
proposition to resume such relations
had, however, been intimately bound
up with the ultimate question of arbi-
tration. Until recently Venezuela had
insisted on joining to the agreement
to arbitrate a stipulation for the restor-
alton Of the status quo of 1850, pending
the proposed arbitration, but it seems
this condition is now abandoned. On
the other hand, Great Britain has on
several occasions demanded, as a pre-
liminary to an understanding touching
arbitration, that Venezuela shall def
nitely abandon all claim to a larger
part of the territory in dispute, and
limit the eventual arbitration to that
portion only to which Great Britain
has more recently made claim.
Secretary Gresham goes on to give at
length a history of the various attempts
that have been made by the United
States and by Venezuela herself to
bring out settlement by arbitration
of this dispute, bringing it down to
October s, 1898, where it now rests,
when he says:
1.-The president is inspired by a de-
sire for a peaceable and honorable adj
justment of the existing difficulties be-
tween an American state and power
full transatlantic nation, and would be
glad to see the establishment of such
relations between them as
would promote that end.
81 can discern but two equitable So
lutions to the present controversy. One
is the arbitral determination of the
rights of disputants as respective sue
cessors to the historical rights of Hol-
land and Spain over the region in ques-
ton. The other is to create new
boundary line in accordance with the
dictates of mutual expediency and con-
sideration. The two governments have
been so far unable to agree on con-
yentional line. The consistent and con-
spicuous advocacy by the United States
and England of the principle OF arbl-
tration, and their recourse thereto IN
the settlement of important questions
arising between them have made such
a mode of adjustment especially appro-
pirate in the present instance, and this
government will gladly do what it can
to furnish determination in that
sense. With these considerations, l
commit the matter in your hands, leav-
ing to yourself any conventional oppor-
tunitv to advance the adjustment OF
the dispute in question. y
In this letter of last December, Sec
retary Gresham thus addressed Mr..
Bayard:
sIn conference with Senior Andred
during your visit here, he doubtless
expressed the earnest desire OF his gov
eminent for speedy determination OF
the question by arbitration. l cannot
believe her majesty's government Will
maintain that the validity OF their
claim to territory long in dispute be-
tween the two countries shall be con-
coded as condition precedent to the
arbitration of the question whether
venezuela is entitled to other territory,
which. until recent period, was never
in doubt. Our interest in the question
has been shown by our friendly efforts
to enter into settlement alike honora-
ble TO both countries, and the president
;s nleased to know that Venezuela is
obie to renew her efforts to bring about
such an adjustment. -,
cit is not doubted that you VIII ols,
cretely exert your influence IN 1avor Oh
so,oe nlan of honorable settlement. .
AGAINST the Northern Pacinc'