Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-17

snail not have the opportunity of setting
right misconceptions of this kind In the
ordinary way in a dispatch addressed to
the Venezuelan government itself
her maJesty's government, while they
nave never avoided or declined argument
vi 'he SUBJECT with the government of
venezuela, have always held that the
Question was one which had no direct bear
ing on the material interests Of any other
country, and have consequently 1efrained
ii'herto from presenting any detailed
statement of their case. either To the
ments.
II Is, perhaps, a natural conseouanoe of
this circumstance that Mr. OIney's parra-
'ion VI what has passed bears the impress.
VI pehig mainly. If not entirely, founded
oi eA parte statements emanating from
venezuela, and gives, in the opinion of her
HaJestys government, an erroneous view
or many material facts
LORD Salisbury then gives a long review
OF the boundary question, showing on what
ne based the claim of Great Britain. and
concludes as follows:
The British Claim.
1t Will be seen from the preceding
statement that the government of Great
britain rave from the first held the same
view as to the extent of the territory which
they are entitled to claim as a matter of
right. 1t comprises the coast line I'D to
the river Amacura, and the whole basin
OF the Essequibo river and its tributaries.
"A portion of that claim. however they
NAVE always been willing to waive alto
se'hei' In regard to another portion they
nave peen' and continue to be, perfectly
ready to submit the question of their title
ion Ae
Wmch lies within the so-called Schom-
purSh line, they do not consider that the
rights OF Great Britain are open to cues
uon. Even within that line thew have on
various occasions, offered to Venezuela
considerable concessions as matter Of
friendship and Cancellation. and for the
purpose of securing an amicable settlement
OF the dispute. If, as time has gone on the
concesslo's thus offered diminished III ex-
tent and have now been withdrawn, this
mas been the necessary consequence of the
gradual spread over the country of British
settlements, which her majesty's govern
ment cannot, in justice to the inhabitants,
offer to surrender to foreign rule, and TIE
justice of such withdrawal is amply borne
out by the researches in the national
archives of Holland and Spain, which have
furnished further and more convincing evil
dence in support of the British claims.
THE discrepancies in the frontiers as
signed to the British colony in various
maps published in England and erro-
neously assumed to be founded on official
information, are easily accounted for by
the circumstances which have mentioned.
Her majesty's government cannot, Of
course, be responsible for such publication
made without their authority
Refusal to Arbftrate.
Although the negotiations in 1890, 1891
and 1899 did not lead to any result, her
majesty's government have not abandoned
the hope that they may be resumed with
better success, and that when the internal
politics of Venezuela are settled on a more
durable basis than has lately appeared to
be the case her majesty's government may
be enabled to adopt more moderate and
conciliatory course in regard to this ques-
ton than that of their predecessors. Her
majesty's government are sincerely de-
sirous of being on friendly relations with
Venezuela, and certainly have no design
to seize territory that properly belongs to
her or forcibly to extend sovereignty over
any portion of her population.
They have on the contrary, repeatedly
expressed their readiness to submit to arbi-
tration the conflicting claims of Great
Britain and Venezuela to large tracts of ter
ritory, which, from their auriferous nature
are known to be of almost untold value
But they cannot consent to entertain, or to
submit to the arbitration of another power
or of foreign jurists, however eminent,
claims based on the extravagant pretensons
of Spanish officials in the last century. and
involving the transfer of large numbers of
British subjects who have for many years
enjoyed the settled rule of British colony,
to a nation of different race and language
whose political system is subject to fire.
quent disturbance, and whose institutions
as yet too often afford very inadequate pro-
lection to life and property.
mo issue of this description has ever been
involved in the questions which Great
Britain and the United States have con-
scented to submit to arbitra ton, and her
majesty'3 government are convinced that
in similar circumstances the government of
the United States would be equally firm in
declining to entertain proposals of such a
nature. Your eXcellency is authorized to
z state the substance of this dispatch to Mr.
Obey, and to leave him a copy of it if he
should desire it."