The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-07
The UIiima,um 10 Venezuela.

|
| Some OF our American friends nave
| been. in their own expressive phrase, a
| little too previous IN their interpreta-
| ton of the report that Lord Salisbury
| has sent an ultimatum TO Venezuela.
| An ultmatum Is indeed on It's way, but
| IL cannot yet have reached the 'eile-
| euelan Government, nor IS its tenor
| such as TO raise the question which
portion OF the American press seems SO
| anxious to discuss. Diplomatic relations
| between Great Britain and Venezuela
were broken off some years ago, and
| British interests in that country have
been conGded TO the benevolent care OF
the representative of the German En-
peror. Consequently, IL is through Ber-
I'm that Lord Salisbury must send any
communication that he may desire TO
address to Ncnezueia-not, as some may
hastily suppose, either through the
American Minister here. or through any
representative of the Venezuelan Govern
ment. 1t is one of the conditions Of
modern life, 10 which governments as
well as individuals have 10 submit, that
the fact OF CommuniCa tons having been
addressed TO them, as well as, in some
! cases, Il tclerably accurate knowledge Of
| their contents may be in possession OF
! the public long before the communica-
| tions themselves reach their destination.
cut case. When Lord SalisDury's uiti-
matum reaches Caracas, the Govern
ment OF Venezuela will md that the DIS
puted boundary questions are not for the
moment directly under discussion. An
other and more specific grievance engages
the attention of the Foreign Oihce. At
the beginning of this year the Nene-
zuelans crossed the Cuyuni river, de-
ported small British police post on the
fah
and took possession of the arms and
ammunition our men had strict orders
not to night, and, after being held pris-
Oners for night, the two officers were
allowed to 20 back to their station on
parole. They round the place totally
wrecked and looted. They were then
taken before a Venezuelan general. who
marched them to Gpata, where, Oh Jan
uary 20th more than fortnight after
the attack upon their station, they were
informed that an officer had arrived
from Caracas, with orders 10 renstate
them. They very properly declined this
offer. and made the best of their way 10
GEORGETOWN. to lay their case before the
Governor of British Guiana. On Jan
uary "a, the same day that the British
police were taken prisoners by the
Nenezuelans, a British subject settled
on the British side Of the Cuyuni river
was carried away, beaten, and other
wise Hi-treated.
Lord Salisbury thinks that sufficient
time has now been allowed Tor the
Venezuelan Government to apologize ana
make reparation for the outrageous IN
suit thus offered TO Great Britain. As
that government does not appear 10 have
any proper sense of what justice and
international courtesy require or II,
Lord Salisbury has made a formal de-
mand for satisfaction, with the .hrm-
ness which the occasion calls for, and
has fixed a time-limt. not, however, or
a harsh or unreasonable narrowness,
within which an answer must be return
ed II will be seen, therefore, that the
ultimatum does not raise the question
Of frontier delmitation. except In so far
as the Nenezueans may conceivaoly
plead that the right bank Of the Cuyuni
river belongs 10 them. such pela
could not of course, be listened 10 for
an instant. as an excuse Tor their at
tack upon British police. However
strong they may believe their claim 10
be, they obviously cannot DE permitted
10 enforce it by acts OF war without De-
ing called upon TO accept the iull re-
sponsibihty. Until thelr NloieAOe -
atoned for. and ample apology Is maze
they are in the position Of having sud
denly removed a dispute from the sphere
of diplomacy. and challenged It's settle
ment by force Their offer 20 reinstaie
the British post I'm its ruined and pill
LACED station. after inflicting upon IL
the indignty of eighteen days cap
tivity. sufficiently shows that they are
aware Of the unJustinable character OF
their action. They have not, however
had the good sense and good feeling 10
make the amends called for by such an
obi
has been allowed them for reflection.
Possibly they calculate upon enjoying
IMMUNITY on account of the distance OF the
scene of action from Georgetown. VI
like other weak States Venezuela may
presume upon It's insgnincance 10 90
things which no great power would at
tempt. In either case. IT is time that
the politicians Of Caracas were taubht
a salutary lesson. Lord salisbury ui'l-
matum has not come moment TOO sooh'
since II is plain that our fellow-country-
men in British Guiana can have no Sc
curitv whatever, If unprovoked insoience
OF this kind is overlooked.
As regards the question OF frontier, IL
has TO be observed that the Cuyuni river
is not the ultimate boundary or the ter
ritory claimed by this country, as the
heir Of the Dutch colonists. IL Is
tributary of the Essequibo river, the en-
tire basin OF which Is CldlUltu ny Ni'"t
Britain. upon grounds at least as Nalld
and substantial as any that venezuela
can allege. That view Of our rights car
ries British Guiana right up to the wa
tershed dividing the EsseQuibo basin
from that Of the Orinoco. But II was
long ago suggested that in order TO settle
the whole dispute by an amicable com
promise. the region claimed by both
norties should be bisected by line
traced bv Sir r. Schomburgk. about half
way between the Essequibo and the
frontier 10 which he held that Great
Britain could justly lay claim. rms
proposal. for one reason or another was
never accepted. but The compromise sug-
gested was taken as the basis or future
negotiation. Great Britain. while VIII
ing to submit to arbitration her claim
10 territory outside this line. has steadiiy
refused to apply the same process 10
what falls within II. In other WORDS
while the Orinoco watershed represents
what we hold TO be our just and leg.u-
mate frontier. the Schomburgk compro-
mise line represents the irreducibie mini
mum OF our claim. Now the Cuyuni
river forms part of the Schomhurgk com
nromise frontier. and its right bank.
where the British outpost was assailed,
=, p...t.b doc, fuculfel and a British