The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-22
THE ULTIMATUM
England viii Hold Venezuelan Terri
tory Marked by Schomburg.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TANGls
Which Promises to Assume
Great Proportions.

WASHINGTON, Oct "A dispatch from
London announces that in view of the
many reports In circulation regarding the
attitude OF Great Britain toward Ven
ezuela, the following announcement was
officially made yesterday:
In consequence of Venezuela not offering an
apology for ihs Uruan incident, the Marquis
of Salisbury has taken steps TO inform her as
60 what reparation Great Britain requires.
But. as relations between the two countries
have been broken OF for some years. the com
municaiion was not sent through the diplo
matte channel
As thu document has not reached its destina
tion, II is not considered desirable TO give de-
tails OF its contents but 70 is coucsed ia forci'
BILE terms. and points out that Great Britain
will not permit Venezuela 20 oyerstep tho
boundaries marked by the courses OF the
rivers Cuyuni aud Amacura; but is willing
that the q lestion of the other disputed terri
tory should be submitted 20 arbitration.
Officials of the diplomatic corps who
are in q position to speak with full under
standing and authority on the Venezuelan
question. upon careful reading OF the
above official statement OF the British for
eign office. say that IL Is a decisive rejec-
ton of the claims made by Venezuela
and a negative answer to the requests of
the United States that the subject be sub
nIitted 10 arbitration.
The essential feature of the foreign Of
fee statement is pointed out to be that
Great Britain will not permit Venezuela
10 overstep the line made by the Amacura
and Cuyuni rivers" but will submit TO
arbitration the other territory in dispute.
Ii Is stated that as there is no other terri
tory in dispute, the British denial OF arbi-
tration is comprehensive and complete.
The line made by the Amacura and
Cuyuni rivers is practically what is known
as the Schomburg line. Included within
il is all the territory on the south bank
and at the mouth of the Orinoco river.
The British already occupy the north
bank, so that he official assertion of this
claim To the south bank gives them tho
entire entrance 10 the great waterway OF
South America. Included also within tho
line of tho two rivers Is large part
probably one-half-of the tract recently
granted by Venezuela To United ateates
syndicate.
Under the foregoing circumstances, the
statement of the foreign office Is said 10
sweep aside all basis OF compromise or
arbitration, such as the United States has
urged, and to be a final insistence Of Brit
ish sovereignty over the essential territory
at issue, covering and commanding the
south bank OF the Orinoco.
About the schomburg boundary.
Venezuela entered In 1922 her first pro-
test against British invasion Of her terri
tory. Negotiations went on for many
years, and In ls41 England sent Sir Robert
Schomburg as commissioner in Ven
ezuclan Guiana. Schomburg instead OF
carefully studying the boundary question
erected line of posts and other signs ol
possession and frontier the demarcatior
Of which boundary was perfectly absurd,
not taking into account topography OF
local tradition and history.
Protests were made Immediately by
Senior Fortique, the Venezuelan minister,
and, In consequence of his conference
with Lord Aberdeen, the British govern
ment ordered, on Jan. 81, 1S42, the de-
struction of the frontier marks placed by
Schomburg Mt Barima, In the Orinoco re-
gion. This order was executed by the
governor Of British Guiana, and notice of
the fact was communicated to Venezuela
by Mr.. O'Leary on April 3, ls42.
The recent discovery of gold in the Gu.
YUM, Yurudri and other parts Of the con-
tested territory incited the British colon.
lists to push their settlements farther and
farther inside the Venezuelan land. They
pretended to have discovered there re.
mains of old Dutch forts, which would
have been an evidence that these settle
ments had belonged To Holland, and were,
consequently. the rightful property OF
England.
But Venezuelan explorer, Count
Momhallo, went TO live for many months
among the savage Indians of the region.
and he failed TO discover any traces of
Dutch forts. This exploration and Count
Momballo's declarations have narrowed the
whole question TO one Of veraoity, which
could be easily decided by arbitrators, II
the British foreign Office were not OBJ.
stinate in Its resolution TO refuse any kind
of arbitration.
At Urnan, on the Cuyuni river, there IL
o British police station, where commits.
stoned officer with a small force has looked
after British rights. Across the river, op.
posite to Urnan, the Venezuelans no,
long since built a station on their own
territory, and gradually increased the
force in charge till 1t overnumbered the
British force at Urnan 10 TO |.
They then crossed the river Cuyuni to
the British post and informed the officer
In charge that his security depended upon
his remaining inactive. II he did any.
thing, he would be interfered with
Finally the Venezuelan officers arrested
the British agents and created the "inci.
dent" for which Great Britain demands
reparation at the cannon's mouth.