The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-10-31
VENEZUELA AND GUIANA
The Governor Of the British Col
ony Arrives in England.
HE ANTICIPATES NO TROUBLE

The Concessions to Americans. Governor
Lees Declares, Are Not within the Brit
ish Sphere Of Infiuence-Thinka There
VIII be No Resistance to the Demands.
LONDON, Oct. 3l.-Sir Charles Cameron
Lees, governor of British Guiana, arrived
at Plymouth at midnight, having been
called to England to confer with Colonial
Secretary Chamberlain on the Venezuelan
boundary question. Sir Charles was seen
upon his arrival by q representative OF the
Associated Press, who sought to obtain
his views upon the Venezuelan qustion,
and to whom he accorded an interview.
He said
II regard the frontier outrage (the no
called Uruan incident) as purely indi-
vidual act, as the British subjects, Barnes
and Baker, who were arrested by the Ven
ezuelan officer, when brought before the
higher representatives Of the Venezuelan
government were asked by them to return
to the British territory. But they declined,
on the ground that there was no means of
transit back"
The Uruan incident referred to by Sir
Charles Lees was that upon which the re-
ported British ultimatum to Venezuela
was based A British sergeant Of police
(the Barnes above referred to) and two as
sistants crossed the river at Uruan and
planted the British flag on the Venezuo-
Ian side The Venezuelan police tore down
the flag, drove the intruders across the
stream and subsequently arrested them.
While on their way to Ciudad Bolivar
with their prisoners they were instructed
from Caracas to release the Englishmen,
and to permit them to return to British
Guiana. The British government de-
mands reparation for these arrests.
Sir Charles Lees was asked further to
explain tho action Of the Guiana high
council In voting its disapproval Of Co
lonial Secretary Chamberlain's suggestion
for the purchase Of Maxim guns to be
taken TO the Venezuelan frontier. Sir
Charles said:
with regard to this vote the matter was
purely an imperial one There is only one
post, consisting of seven men, at Uruan,
being merely police station to mark the
frontier on the Schomburgh boundary line,
and there Is practically no military station
there, although the colonial government
has repeatedly asked the imperial govern
ment for supply of Maxim guns.
"The Venezuelan party when they crossed
the river at Uruan hoisted their flag upon
building within the Shomburgh bound
ary. Sergeant Barnes and Baker hauled
1t down to show that 1t was within the
British boundaries, though the colonial
governments would be delighted to well
come squatters to that territory, and only
desired to show 1t was British territory"
He was asked II he thought any serious
affair would occur in the event of a crisis,
to which he replied:
81 think not as there Is only a very
small police station on the Venezuelan
frontier. The Venezuelans tried their ut
most to persuade Barnes and Baker to re-
turn to British territory after they had
been arrested"
The Associated Press representative then
asked the governor If any difficulty was
likely to arise out of the concessions made
70 American capitalists by Venezuela He
said;
mo concessions have been made within
the British sphere of influence, and there
fore no difficulty Is likely to arise
Il have no idea that there will be any
serious resistance 10 tho British demands
growing out of the Uruan incident, as the
Venezuelan government seems desirous Of
doing everything possible to repair any in
jury done to British subiects.n
Sir Cameron has come home principally
to recruit his health, and although some
matters of private business will also re-
ceive his attention, he will zee Mr.. Cham
borlnin secretary of state for the colonies,
as early as possible.