The Portland daily press., 1895-04-05
ENGLAND'S REPLY.
Will Allow No Meddling in the Ven
ezuelan Dispute.
AUTHORITIES RECOGNIZE THE
GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.

lomatic Terms But is None the Less
| Decided Refusal to Permit Interfer-
ence.
New York, April A Washington special
to the Herald was that no Interference by
| the United States in the boundary dispute
between Great Britain and Venezuela will
be to lerated by the British COVER nment.
This. in effect, is the reply OF the British
foreign uffce to Ambassador Bayard's rep
resentation of the desire of the United
States to bring about a settlement of the
boundary dispute by arbitration. A cable
gram was received at the State Department
yesterday from Ambassdor Bayard coz yey-
ing this information.
LOrdKimberlys communication to theambas-
sador was couche d in be usual diplomatic
language, but he plain English of it is un
derstood to be that Great Britain will not
admit the right of the United States under
the Monroe doctrine to interfere in her
controversy with Venezuela as to the
boundary lines between British Guiana and
Venezuela.
lit is.understood that the British government
informed ambassador Bayard that it would
insist upon the boundary line surveyed in
1S4l by Sir Robert Sohomburg. and would
not submit to arbitration in any form thar
would bring that line into question. 1t is
claimed on behalf of Venezuela that the
British position practically amounts TO
declaration that if Venezuela will admit
| the claim of Great Britain to all the terrific
| ry on the British side of the Schomburg
| lire arbitration may be resorted to 10 de-
| termine whether still more territory shall
not he taken by Great Britain.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS PLEDGED.
The attitude of Great Britain in this mat
ter makes the Venezuela boundary dis
| rute an affair of the utmost Importance 10
the United States. This government has
! practically made the cause of Venezeula
her own. Not only have several Presidents
ehdeayored in every way possible to.bring
| about an.arbitI Ia tion of the long standing
dispute, but the last Congress passed a
| joint resolution reques sting the adminislra-
| tion to urge the Bri ish government to
agree 10 arbitration. and thus gave the
sanction of the legislative branch of the
government to the efforts made by the Ex
ecutiye to secure settle ment of this ques-
/ tion in such way as to protect the rights
Of Venezuela.
/ POSSIBLE CLASH AT ANY MOMENT.
| a greatsdeal will now depend upon the
action of the two governments in the dis
putded territory. Both Venezuela ana
Great Britain have esta blished small out
posts along the Guyuni river, which flows
/ through the centre of the territory in con-
4 troversy. These outposts overlap each other
| some of those established by VeneZeula
being nearer to the territory which is ad-
mittedly British than some of the Brit
| ish out 1t will be seen that the sta
| lion is such that a hestile clash might be
| brought at any time. and ii Great Britain
should follow up her insistence on the
| Shomburg line by an attempt to expel the
i Venezuelan soldiers it would bring matters
| to a crisis at once.
The forcible occupation of the disputed
| territory by Great Britain would make it
necessary for the, administration TO deter
mine upon definite policy at once and
either abandon Venezuela to her fate or
follow up the moral aid which she has ex-
tended her by forcibly holding her side of
the controversy. If the Monroe d octrine is
carried by the President and Secretary
Gresham to the extent which many promi-
| nent Democrats are urging upoL the ad-
ministration it will practically amount to
the United States taking the stand that
not only are the European nations preclud-
ed from acquiring territory whio b is admit
| tedlythe property of an American nation,
but that disputed boundary lines where
European interests are involved can only
be settled by arbitration which is satisfac-
| orv to tho IJniteu fats
MAY MAKE A NAVAL DEMoNsTRA-
/ TION.
| On account of the action of Congress in
this matter. President Cleveland and Sec
retary Gresham may feel warranted in car
rying their opposition 10 Great Britain
further than they otherwise would. and if
Great Britain insists upon the withdrawal
of tho Venezuelan outposts along the
Cuyuni river there is little reason to doubt
that the United States will make naval
demonstration in force along the venezu-
elan coast, and il is possible that int erfer-
| ence might be carried SO fan as to give act
ual assistance to Venezuela in resisting the
| forcible occupation of the disputed terrific
ry by Great Britain.
| The situation is very grave and is giving
the administration a great deal Of concern,
though .it Is hoped that before matters ale
carried to the extreme the diplomatic nego-
| tiations between the United States and
Great Britain may lead to an amicable
settlement. 1t is held in Washington that
Great Britain would be very reluctant to
come to an open rupture with the United
States on account of the disturbance which
would result, and it is held hat while the
relations between the two countries might
become very much strained satisfactory
settlement viii be reached in the end
| Should occasion arise for a display of
force in Venezuelan waters. Rear Admiral
Meade's squadron, now in he West Indies,
could be ordered there at once.
VENEZUELA DETERMINED.