The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-12-13
THR YEaEzuRIAH pIePuTR:

between Great Britain and Jhe UnfJed
States.
For upward Of seventy years the re-
public of Venezuela has protested
against the usurpation of its territory
by Great Britain. A handful Of miners
aud spectators has served the English
authorities as a means to claim an i'm
mense territory and thereby threaten
the very existence Of an important
South American country. In 1922 the
official records show that the Venezue-
Ian government instructed its minister
to St. James to bring about an arrange
ment of the boundary question "be-
cause the colonists of Demerara and
Berbice have usurped large tracts of
land along the Essequibo."
From the beginning the history of
England's diplomatic relations with
this boundary question has been one of
long delays and annoying subterfuges.
Il may suffice to say here that when
England's encroachments were at their
height in 1841 Lord Aberdeen stated
officially shat he could not see why
Venezuela was so urgent in her request
to settle the boundary dispute"
Venezuela's claims are naturally
based on the discovery of the country
by the Spaniards, followed up by the
conquest of the country by AIonzo de
Ojeda. For over three centuries Spain
was regarded by the world as owner of
the Guiana territory. Holland recOgn-
lied this in the treaties Of Munster and
Aranjutz. Portugal followed and Eng
land ratified the Spanish claims and
possessions by the treaty of Utrecht in
the year l713.
Many charts and maps have been
produced to show the original posses
sion of Spain in what is now the re-
public of Venezuela. The Cumans
chart was made in 1761 by the royal or
der and the province is there shown to
include all the territory eastwardly
from the EssequibO to French Guiana.
The Spanish crown had always cOnsid-
cred the Dutch simply as colonists in
her territory till the treaty of West
phalia nominally made the EssequibO
the boundary.
Among other proofs cited to show
that the Dutch never possessed the
territory west of Cape Nassau mention
may be made of the destruction of a
Dutch fort on the right bank of the
Morocco by the Spainards in accordance
with the royal order of October, 1880.
England's real interests in Guiana
begins with her possession of the
Dutch colonies by the treaty of 1914,
in which no boundaries we're mention
ed. In the Columbian and Venezuelan
constitutions of 1910 and 1921 the de-
ClaratiOn is made that said countries
comprise all the territories belonging
to the ancient captain generalcy of
Venezuela and Nueva Granada. In 1910
England sent Sir Schomburgk to ex-
pl0re and make a boundary line in the
OrinocO country. Answering the pro-
test made by the Venezuelan suthori-
ties, the governor of Demerara British
Guiana) declared that "there was no
intention on the part of the British to
take possession; that the line was a
mere preliminary, aud that the govern.
ment Of Venezuela could rest assured
that no forts would be built nor troops
brought into the country" Finally, in
January, 1912, Lord Aberdeen ordered
the boundary monumets set up by the
SchOmburgk commission to be destroy
ed in accordance with the protests Of
Venezuel8's plenipotentiaries.
At about this time Lord Aberdeen
proposed a boundary line starting
sOuthwesterly from the Morocco river
to the Acarabisi, then following up the
Cuyuni to the Roraimi mountains. As
this line would deprive Venezuela O
the immense territory watered by thi
Essequibo and Cuyuni with the rici
gold mines which produce millions an
nually, no arrangement was possible.
In 1914 British encroachments be
came SO marked that Venezuela pro
posed line running due south from
the mouth Of the Morocco to the Paca
rama mountains or Brazilian bound
arg. Finally, England proposed a statU
quo in 1850, and nothing was done sgeiE
TO bring about practical settle
ment till Lord Granville, answer
ing Venezaela's Morocco proposition
stated that England would agree to
line running from the Barims river il
q soutbeFiy direction TO the Sehom
burgk line, thus increasing the claim
of England by thousands Of miles owe
what vas proposed by Lord Aberdeen
in 1872
Ia 1874 Vsnezuels offered to arb
TRAITS tie question, bnt England's &c
swsr vas. as usual, in the negative.
Although Great Britain hsd promises
90 respect the statu quo Of 1885, mimi
parties we're constantly at work II dii
fefsnt sections Of the gold fields, and Il
1884 British fGHctionaTies assembled tn
orinosos placed monuments snt
notices stating Chat the country Va
nader British laws, and finally carries
or q Venezuelan commissarg, who va
imprisoned, tried and convicted j
Esi5i5h Guiana.
Vsaezusis demanded the return c