The herald., 1895-10-20
THE BRITISH ULhMA1UM
In the Venezuelan Boundary
Dispute Matter
DISPUTE MUST BE ENDED
Intimations That Force Will Be Used
if Necessary
shadowed in an Official Statement-.Plain
Denial of English Claims

LONDON. Oct. 19.-The st. James Ga
zette this afternoon follows up the dis
closures of yesterday regarding the policy
| of the Right Hon. Joseph Cham berlain, +,
secretary of state for the colonies, toward
Venezuela and the apparent determination
| of the British government TO uphold its
claims by force of arms, by making the
| following important statement: I'VE are
| in position to state that Marquis Sails
| bury has sent an ulJimatum to President
Crespo, which not only sets out the de-
| mands of the British government for
deparation on account of the arrest of the
reputation and inspectors of police at
Bruan, but it also states the terms upon
which Great Britain will definitely deter
| mine the boundary dispute with that
republic. The uitimatum is now en-
route to President Crespo, if not already
| delivered to him.
"This final action was decided upon by
Marquis Salisbury and Mr.. Chamberlain
before the formers recent holiday in
France. Both Marquis Salisbury and
Mr.. Chamberlain are in perfect agree
ment as to the necessity of ending the
frontier dispute. even if Venezuela has
TO be brought to terms by means which
are most effective in reaching an under
| standing with South American repub-
lies"
The st. James Gazette also published
letter signed Hugh Watt. deploring the
retrograde condition of British Guiana,
due, it is claimed. to the attempt to
bolster up the decaying sugarcane in
dustry, but predicting that Cham ber-
lain's policy will revive his industrial
prospects.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-The answer
of Venezuela to the British ultimatum
appears to be clearly foresh allowed in an
official statement from the Venezuelan
minister OF foreign relations received IN
Washington. 1t states with rositiyness
the attitude and policy of Venezuela up
on the exact subjects covered in the ult
matum ana in Minister Chamberlain's
letter to the government of British Gui-
ana. Thsse official statements disclose
the present ultimatum is repetition of
a demand made by Great Britain in No
vember last. As Great Britain had no
minister in Venezuela, relations being
broken off, the German minister consent
ed to act in presenting the British de-
nands. Venezuela promptly rejected the
demand and refused to give the assur
ances Great Britain asked for. The re-
fusal was accompanied by a re-statement
of all Venezuela claimed. The circum
stances of the demand and refusal are
| given as follows in the official statement
| OF the Venezuelan foreign office received
| here:
In Septem Der last the government knew
that the high authorities of Demarara.
| British Guiana, were ready TO make pro-
tests and raise questions because some
| Venezuelan soldiers had crossed the
river Cuyuni, near the place where the
so-called English station is. and had
| felled timber on the right bank of the
| river. Information has boen received
| here that this movement began with
some threats of the colonial agents to
certain Venezuelan citizens who had re-
sided at that point for a long time. 1t
was also known that the band OF Vene-
Zuelan soldiers had crossed the river only
for the purpose of celebrating the IA
tional festivty of July 9Th in the house
| of some friends of theirs residing in that
territory. The British colonial agents
who have exercised their authority since
the day in which the government of De-
marara wronEfully attempted to occupy
that part of Venezuelan territory, were
allowed to continue in their place with
out being molesred py the forces of Vene-
zuela.
Such was the state of affairs when in
the early part of last November the Ger
man legation, who were in charge of the
protection OF British interests in Vene-
zuela. received a telegram from Berlin in
which, in the name of the British cabi.
net, mention was made of supposed vIo-
lation of the colonial frontier and assur-
ances were urgently demanded that in
the future no Venezuelan soldiers should
be allowed to cross the stream on that
side and go to the right bank of the
Cuyuni river. A declaration of this kind
by Venezuela would have been equivalent
to an implied recognition of the alleged
rights of Great Britain to the possession
of that territory and would have also i'm
piled the withdrawal of the several pro-
tests made by Venezuela ever since 1887
against any infringement or nbridgement
| OF her territory.
Under these circumstances no hesita-
| tion was possible and the answer given by
| the department Of foreign relations SO
| far from giving the assurances dem anded
| by the British cabinet, served only to
make repetition Of all that the republic
| of Venezuels had said against the claim
of England, although stating at the same
time the desire of the govern nment to
avoid new difficulties through just and
fair settlement of the question.
| The official statement fiom the Vene-
Zuelan foreign Office covers a set policy of
! Venezuela in case the British attempt to
| Oullu the military ROAD recommended by
| British Minister Cham berlain in his let
ter to Governor Lees of British Guiana.
| The Venezuela statement closes with the
| significant sentence that on the question
| of buildingItbis road the course of Vene-
| Zuela has been such that the invading
neighbors ''cannot make another step
| further on the Venezuela side Of the
| line" without provoking collision.
| At the British legation it is stated with
| positiveness that no advices have been
| received concerning Venezuela and that
! Sir Julian Pauncefote has taken no ac-
| tion whatever on the ubiect. This is
| emphasized by EN- bassy Officials.
| Sir Julian called at the state depart
ment yesterday, but the Venezuelan sub
| ject was not referred TO as the London
authorities, it is declared, are not con-
| Quoting any branch of Rthe negotiations
through the embassy here.
| The Venezuelan legation received its
| first news of the ultimatum from the As
sociated Press cables. The fact that Min
lister Andrade has not been advised from
Venezuela indicates that the ultimaGum is
still en- route and has not reached Car
| acas.
President Crespo is at present at sum
mer resort and the vice-president is act
ing president. The Venezuelan congress
will not convene until next February.
1t happens alec that cabinet crisis &C.
CURED tour days ago. DR.. Pulido, min
lister of foreign affairs resigned and