Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-23


again. and this time In rather more acute
form than usual. The exciting cause OIL
this acute development Is an ult'nao''"'
Of Great Britan's. resulting from the
uruana incident. which involved the ar
rest Of British sergeant and smai'
force or the territory. In dispute between
Great Britain and Venezuela. The ser
xeant and his associates were refused.
AMI the general commanding The military
district in which the arres; occirred was
rebuked by being relieved ana s'ht 10
another post: but upon representations
made to the home government by the az
grieved subordinate British functionary'
the u,imatum above referred to was
finally issu.d What the demands oil
that dread OF the diplomats are have not
becn authofitatively announced nor IL ]"
competent at this juncture to 1redict 'he
results These demands may prove se'
rious matter. or they may turn out W NC
a Quaker gun. az has frequently been the
case OF late with British ultimatums' anu
the chances are In favor OF the latter
eventuation. certainly so far as necessity
grave trouble connected with the ques-
tiOn IL concerned.
The Venezuelan boundary complication
taken as whole, l.. diplomatic 'a'h-
dvce We. Jarndyce case. never enuihg'
still beginning" IL has been inherited III
succession by a number OF British Pre-
miers and several Secretaries OF state
a
rived British Guiana from the. Dutch,
and Venezuela derived her possessions
from Spain. Venezuela has steadiastiy
contended that the extreme western from
tie- Of the domain coded by Holland TO
Great Britain was the Esquibo river, but
on the other hand Great Britain, almost
as early as the date of the Dutch cession.
set up a vague claim to territory west OF
the Esqubo. This claim was based upon
treaties said Ia have been made between
the Dutch and the Indians. and just IN
propcrticn as the riches Of the coun-
try i'm dispute have been disclosed British
ideas as TO the extent Of these territorial
rights TO the westward seem to have ca
panlei ana their insstence upon these
rights have intensified.
As we have indicated, several Score
taries of state of the United States have
heired an interest in the dispute. bui'
iupon taking an average OF the manner
in which they treated the controversy
we are left i'm doubt as 10 whether 'he
United States have anything 10 do WIN
IL. even under The most latitudlnous Gun
struction Of the Monroe doctrine. we
might offer our good services in the mat
ter Of bringing about an amicable settle
ment Of the trouble but even In mat
event we could not proceed too carefully
Aside from the fact that there Is great
diversity OF opinion among what We may
term disinterested parties regarding the
true boundary between British Guiana
and the Venezuelan possessions. there j.
abundant evidence that the attitude
Venezuela assumed on more than one &C.
cason towards Great Britain was IN
spired by the hope OF getting the tnlteu
States into a quarrel With Great Britain.
As has been well said. when NeheZueia
realizes that this government has no IDEA
of becoming involved in a Monroe-doc-
trine war on her behalf, unless II be
clear that the Monroe doctrine has been
violated. she will probably he glad to
renew the arbitration negotiations she
broke on in 1887. II she shows DISPOSE
ton To do this. even AT this late date, IL
is not impossible that the uitimatum may
he withdrawn and the dispute be settled.
if not strictly upon historical. at least
upon AN equitable compromise basis.
As 10 the "Manoa grant" which has
been dragged into the controversy 10y
thos. who desire the United states To
pursue a vigorous policy In regard TO
the Venezuelan question. IT may be sam
that that grant and the citizens OF the
United States interested in 1t do not APP
pear 10 have any standing in the quarrel.
So far this is case OF crying ont De
fore one has been hurt In short. We can
not assert the Monroe doctrine until We
know and il can be shown that the Mon
roe doctrine has been violated or is en-
dangered.