The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-04-17
VENEZUELAN AFFAIRS
Our Governments Interest in the
Pending Controversy,
GRESHAM URGES ARBITRATION,

How the Advance of British Settlers in
Venezuela Were Followed by Similar Ad-
vances of british Colonial Administra-
tion, Regardless of itnuudarv Lines.
WASHINGTON, April 17.-The only ref
erences in the publ he'd correspondence of
the state dep tr;mont for l3Ji puching the
Venezu 'lun bbun 'hry Gispu5i are found
In two letters addressed by Secretary of
state Gresham 10 United States Ambassa-
dor Bayard at London, ona dated July ~
last and the other beariI.g daUe Of Dec
last The first begins as follows:
During your incumbency of the office
OF ofsecretary of state you became acquainted
with long pending controversy between
Great Britain and Venezuela concerning
the boundary between that republic and
British Guiana
"The recourse to arbitration, first pro
posed in 1881, having been supported by
your predecessors, was in turn advocated
by you in spirit of friendly regard for
the two nations involved. In the mean
time successive advances of British set
tiers in the region admittedly in dispute
were followed by similar advances of Brit
ish colonial administration, contesting
and supplanting Venezuelan claims to ex-
ercise authority therein.
Toward the end of 1887 the British ter
ritorial claim, which had, as it would
seem, been silently increased by some 49,
600 square miles between 1885 and 1886,
took another comprehensive sweep west
ward to embrace the rich mining district
of the Yuruari as far as Guacipati; and
this called forth your instruction to Mr..
Phelps of Feb. H. 1888, respecting the
widening pretensions of British Guiana
to possess territory over which Venezuelan
jurisdiction, had never Heretofore been
disputed.
since then repeated efforts have been
made by Venezuela, as directly interested
party, and by the United States, as the i'm
partial friend of both countries, to bring
about a resumption of diplomatic rela-
tions, which had been suspended in conse-
quence of the dispute now under consider
alton. The proposition to resume such re-
lations has, however, been intimately
bound up with the ultimate question of
arbitration. Until recently Venezuela has
insisted upon joining to the agreement to
arbitrate stipulation for the restoration
of the status quo of 1850 pending the pro-
posed arbitration. But it seems that this
condition is now abandoned. On the other
hand, Great Britain has on several occa-
sions demanded, as a preliminary to an
understanding touching arbitration, that
Venezuela shall definitely abandon all
claim to a large part of the territory in
dispute and limit the eventual arbitration
to that portion only to which Great Britain
has more recently laid claim"
Secretary Gresham goes on to give at
length history of the various attempts
| that have been made by the United States
and by Venezuela herself to bring about a
| settlement by arbitration of the dispute,
| bringing 1t down to Oct. g. 1898, where it
| now rests, when he says:
"The president is inspired by desire
for q peaceable and honorable adjustment
| of the existing difficulties between an
American state and a powerful trans
Atlantic nation, and would be glad to see
the re-establishment of such diplomatic
relations between them as would promote
that end.
Il can discern but two equitable solu-
tions to the present controversy. Onei is the
arbitral determination of the rights of the
disputants as a respective successor to the
historical rights of Holland and Spain
over the region in question. The other is
| to create a new boundary line, in accord
ance with the dictates of mutual expedi.
ency and consideration. The two govern
/ ments having so far been unable to agree
on a conventional line, the consistent and
conspicuous advocacy by the United States
and England of the principal of arbitra-
tion, and their recourse thereto in settle
ment of important questions arising be-
/ tween them, make such mode of adjust
ment especially appropriate in the present
| instance, and this government will gladly
do what it can to further a determination
in that sense"
In his letter of last December Secretary
Gresham thus advises Mr. Bayard;
81 cannot believe her majesty's govern
ment will maintain that the validity OF
their claim to territory long in dispute be
tween the two countries shall be conceded
as precedent to the arbitration of the
| question whether Venezuela is entitled &c
other territory which, until very recent
i Dorind fr,1 -