Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-29
VENEZUELAN CONCESSIONS
Great Britain VIII Probably Protest Against
Those to an American Company
Action on the Same Concessions When
the American Representatives.

It is intimated that Great Britain will
protest against the concession Venezuela
has made to an American company, and
will warn tine Americans against taking
possession of the territory. part of which
Is claimed by Great Britain. Under ex-
actly similar circumstances the British
foreign office protested against this same
concession. when 1t was first granted to
Americans in 1884, and the warnings at
that time were so determined that the
Americans Gid not push their concession.
which has remained dormant until now
Venezuela regrants 1t, and the Americans
start to assume possession of the territory.
The warning given by Great Britain in
October, 1856, when the last concession
was given to Americans covering the same
lands was as follows:
Great Britain's Former Warning.
Whereas the boundary line between her
majesty's colony of British Guiana and
the republic of Venezuela is in dispute;
and whereas it has come to the knowledge
of her majesty's government that grants
Of land within the territory claimed by her
majesty's government have been made. or
purported to have been made, by. or in the
name Of the government of Venezuela: No
tice is hereby given that no title to land,
or to any right in over or affecting such
land, within the territory claimed by her
majesty's government, purportins to be
derived FROM or through the government
Of Venezuela, or any officer or person au-
thorized by that government, will be ad-
mitted or recognized by her majesty's gov
eminent and that any person taking pos
session of or exercising any right over any
such land under color of any such title or
pretended title Will be liable to be treated
as trespasSer.
This warning was the elimination Of a
controversy following the grant. It was
made in the name of Mr.. Cyrinius c. Fitz-
gerald of New York, who gave the Amer
lean concern the name. of the 'Manoa Com
pany" A son of this Mr.. Fitzgerald is
now connected with the new concession.
and it Is regarded as revival of the old
Manoa interests. The elder Fitzgerald pre-
pared to take possession of the lands,
putting in sawmill plant and sending
forward colonies OF American settlers 10
take possession. Thersupon he received a
letter from the secretary OF the British
governor Of British Guiana, containing the
following:
Prosecution Threatened.
81 am directed by his excellency to in
innate to you that the colonial government
exercises authority within the limits laid
down In the accompanying map, and that
within these limits the colonial government
enforces the law of British Guiana. l am
further to Intimate to you that any person
disregarding the laws of British Guiana
within such limits will be liable to be pros
ecuted according to the laws of the colony.
The colonial government will prevent the
rights of her majesty or of the inhabitants
of the colony being in any way infringed.'
When the Manoa Company sought to set
I'D their saw mill at the mouth Of the
Barima river, the British governor wrote
another warning, as follows:
mo settlement of any kind, whether for
the purpose of trade or any other purpose.
can be made within the limits of the colony
unless in accordance with its existing laws,
and those that may become residents there
in will be required to obey them"
The New Attempt.
AS the Americans continue to push their
interests. the colonial office at London fin
ally issued the warming first given herein.
There was much contention, hut the Amer
lean company at last abandoned its plans,
and the concession has remained in abey-
ance ever since. Now that 1t is revived
the purpose of Great Britain to protest is
said to be clearly outlined by the action
taken ten years ago. 1t is even asserted
that the protests of that day remain opera
tive today, as they cover the same lands,
but that the British authorities will prob
ably renew the warnings in order to give
them more formal application to the pres
ent case.