The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-27
ote Of Senior Rojaz OF the

an pending questions between thc wv
governments. Mr. Olney - mistaken III
supposing tG.t IN PSI treaty "as p''.',I
tically agreed upon containing a schel"'
arbitration clause, under which the par
ties might have submitted the nounr"'s
dispute 10 the decision OF q uiiIu 49,
or Of several powers IN dhhtl WIN DVN'',
10 is true that General Sulnan bidh'"
prouossd thar the commercial treaty DC
tween the two countries shoulu co"'ais'
clause OF this nature, nut IL nd" .rt't
ence 10 future disputes only iiti MtJ'1
Tvs Government nave always lhslsttH on
q soparafa ASCENSION of the frontier
question. and have considered us settle
rueut TO be "A necessary preliminary 10
other arrangements. Lord hosepeiI9
proposal. made in July, isol, was INA.
the TWO governments should akfee 10
consider the territory lyine between tne
boundary lines respectively proposed IN
the eighth paragraph OF senior i@oJt~
note OF the list of February, NJ, aHe III
Lord GranVilie's note or the lolh OF sep
temOer 1881 as the territory IN dispute
between the two countries, and tnat
boundary line within the limits OF TINS
territory should be traced either by an
arbitrator OF by joint commission on
the basis of an equal division or TINS
territory. due regard being had TO natural
boundaries
Senior Guzman Blanco replied. declining
the proposal and repeating tnat atpltld-
ton on the whole claim Of Venezuela was
could suggest This pretension Is hardly
less ex0rDtant than would be a rdusal
by Great Britain TO agree 10 an &tnitia-
ton on the boundary OF Brush CoiumRia
and Alaska unless the United states
would consent TO bring into question one
hdil or the whole area or the latter TER
rltory. He shortly afterwards left Eng
land, and as there seemed no nope OF
arriving AT an agreement by Iufthef us
cussiOus the SchOmbuIgk llne was pro-
claimed as the irrcducibie boundary or
the colony in October lsW. IL must be
borne M mind that In taking TINS step
hei Majesty's Government ala not assert
nylning approaching their extreme
claim, but confined themselves within
tne limits of what had, as early as 1910,
been suggested as a concession out or
friendly regard and complaisance.
W hen Senior Guzman BlancO, having re-
turned to Venezuela, announced his IN
tention Of erecting a lighthouse az Point
Barma. the British Government express
eel their readiness 20 permit this n ne
would enter into a formal written agree
ment that ITS erection would not be he'd
20 prejudice their claim TO the site.
Tn the meanwhile the Venezuelan Gov
eminent had sent commissioners into the
territory 90 tno east of the Scnomhufgk
me, and on their return Two notes were
addressed 20 the British Minister at Ca
ltcas dated. respectively, the 25th and
5isr january 1857, demanding the evacua-
ton OF The whole territory held boy Great
britain from the mouth OF the Orlnoco 20
the p0merOOn river. and adding that
should this not Doe done by The ZDth Feb
ruary. and should the evacuation not be
accompanied by the acceptance Of arhl-
uatiOu ae the means OF deciding the pend
lug frontier question. Diplomatic relations
would be broken of. I'm pursuance of this
decision the British representative al ca
rafas received his passports, ana relations
were declared by the Venezuelan Gov
eminent 90 DEE suspended on the Zlst
February, lNl
Boo December of that year. as matter
or precautiOn and In order that the claims
of Great Britain beyond the SchOmbuIgk
line miIht not be considered to have
been abandoned. notice was issued by
tine Governor OF British Guiana formally
reseryng those claims No steps have.
however, az amy time been taken by the
British authorities 10 exercise jurisd ictiOn
beyond the SchOmburgk line, nor 10 inter-
teic with the proceedings Of the Nenezuc-
Jams in the territory outside of IL. al
though. pending settlement OF the dis
pute. Great Britain cannot recognize
those proceedings as valid, or as confer
ring any legitimate title
Tine question has remained IN this posi-
ton ever since. The bases on which her
Maiesty's Government were prepared 10
negotiate for its settlement were clearly
Indicated To- the Venezuelan plenipoten-
tiaries who We're successfully dispatched
90 London i'm leN. 1891. and 1893 20 uegO-
tate for a. renewal OF diplomatic reia-
tons, nut as ON those occasions the only
solutions which the Venezuelan Govern
mont professed themselves ready 90 ac-
cept would sfill have involved the SUBJ
mission 20 arbitration of the Venezuelan
claim TO a large portion of the British
colony, no progress has yet been made
toward a settlement.
10 VIII be- seen from the preceding state
mcnt That the Government of Great brl-
tain have from the first held the same
view as 90 the extent of territory which
they are entitled 10 claim as a matter of
right. II comprised the coast line up 10
The River Amacura and the whole basin
OF the EsscquiDO river and its tributaries.
s. portion OF that claim however. they
have always been willing 10 waive alto
gcther. Bon regard TO another portion. they
have been and continue 10 be perfectly
ready 90 submit the question of their title
20 arbitration. AS regards the rest. that
which lies within the sO-called Schom-
burgk lire, they DO not consider that the
rights IF Great Britain are open to uues-
tion. Even within that line they have.
ON various occasions. offered 20 Venezuela
considerable concessions as matter of
friendship and Cancellation. and for the
purpose or securing an amicable settle
meuf OF the dispute. TT as time has gone
on the concessions thus offered dmin-
ished IN extent ami have now been with
drawn, this has been the necessary con-
sequence of the gradual spread over the
country of British settlements. which her
Malesty's government cannot In justice
20 the inhabitants offer 10 surrender 10
foreign rule. and the Justice of such
withdrawal IS amply borne ont boy the
researches In the national archives of
Holland and Spain, which have furnished
further and more convincing evidence in
support of the British claims.
The discrepancies In the frontiers as
signed 20 the British colony in various
maps published I'm England. and erron-
c0rsly assumed 20 be founded on official
Information, arc easily accounted for by
The circumstances which / have men
toned. Her Maiesty's Government can
not. Of course Doe responsible FOR such
publications, made without their authOri-
ty.
Although the negotiations in 1880 Isl.
and 1898 did not lead TO any result her
IaJestys Government have not ahan-
doned the hope that they may be resumed
with better success. and that when the
internal politics Of Venezuela are settled
on more durable basis than has lately
appeared 10 be the case, her Government
may De enabled TO adopt more moderate
and concilaioty course In regard 10 this
question than that OF their predecessors.
Tier Malestys Government are sincerely
de- ilous OF being on friendly relations
with Venezuela and certainly have no de-
sign 20 seize territory that properly be-
longs go her or f0rcibly go extend sover-
cienf} over any portion OF her population
They have, on the contrary, repeatedly
expressed their readiness 10 submit 10
arbitration the conflicting claims OF Great
Britain and Venezuela TO large tracts OF
territory which from their auriferOEs ma
tule are known % be OF the almost un-
told value. But they cannot consent 10
entertain, or 60 submit 70 arbitration OF
another power or OF foreign Iurists. how
ever eminent claims based on the eN-
traNasant pretenslons Of Spanish officials
in the last century. ahd involving the
transfer OF large numbers OF British sub