The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-04-06
Great Aritain Gets Control O
the Orinoco Region.
A0NR0E DOCTRINE ASSAILEL
Concessions to Quilted states Citizens se
aside by the Oenezuslan
Republic.

Washington, April 2-There is a great
deal more in the news from Faribauli
of the grant of concession by Venez-
uela at the mouth of the OrinocO than
is indicated in dispatches from there.
This concession may become more OF
less famous in the history of diplomacy
of the United States and Great Britain.
The concession is we'll calculated to
bring to an acute stage the most trou-
blesome diplomatic questions before the
state department and one which has
caused the administration more real
concern than the Alliance affair." the
late Guatemalan- Mexican dispute and
other international episodes.
The concession is in the heart of ter
ritory long in dispute between Venez-
uela and Great Britain, and Ambassa-
dor Bayard for some time has vainly
striven, in accordance with a resolution
recently adopted by congress. to per-
suade Great Britain to submit the whole
dispute to arbitration Great Britain
being willing only to arbitrate beyond
what is known as the Schomberg line.
There have been limitations that the
administration, in the event Of a physi-
cal conflict over the disputed lands,
might deem it necessary, in the enforce
ment of the Monroe doctrine. to follow
up the moral aid it has rendered to
Venezuela with more substantial as
istance The fact that citizens Of the
United States now, by this concession,
are thrust. so to speak. between Great
Britain and the United States. consid-
erably increases the measure of this
governments responsibility.
Senior Andreade the Venezuelan min
lister It Washington, says he has no
official confirmation of the grant, but
admits he does not doubt it's correct
ness, as it is in line with reports that
such concessions would be made. The
! land included in the concession is the
vital point of conflict between Great
Britain and Venezuela. The latter is
the great commercial center of South
/ America, running far inland through
/ Venezuela, Brazil and other countries.
! Whoever controls the mouth of the
river will control this great commerce.
| Great Britain tf1s taken possession Of
! Punta Barina, the mouth of which is to
/ the OrinOcO what the Straits of Gibral-
| tar are to the Mediterra mean She has
/ also equipped a naval station on Trim
! dad island, just off the mouth. Her
claims embrace both banks of the
stream at it's mouth. 1t is part OF this
| important strategic territory that Ven
ezuela grants to United States citizens
! The concession near Trinidad island is
| believed to be the island of Patos. II
is very near to the British naval sta
ton and particularly rich in asphalt
The present concession is the most
| emphatic declaration of ownership Ven
! ezuela has made since 1884 In that
year a concession was made to Messrs
, Fitzgerald and Turnbull, citizens Of
the United States, of part Of this Or
inoco territory. il was about to be OPP
Grated by United States commission
as the ManOa company when Great
Britain entered with such an emphatic
protest that Venezuela Cancelled the
proposition. Since then the conflict be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela has
been waged through diplomatic chan
nels. and now Venezuela asserts her
rights and turns It over to United States
citizens. The interesting question thus
arises: What steps will now be taken
to assert her claims?" and "Wil it
endeavoD to prevent the United States
syndicate operating Its concessions"
THE AMERICAN SYNDICATE.
Faribault, MINI, April 2.-Donald Grant.
a wealthy contractor of this city. with
w. II. Fisher, late manager of the Duluth
& Wnnipes railroad, and j. A. Bowman,
a Grand Rapids banker, have just re-
turned from Venezuela, where they OBJ
tanned a concession of land at the mouth
of the Orinoco, running 1875 miles south
and from 10 to 50 miles east and west. 1t
is rich in minerals mahogany. rosewood
and dye-woods They also have right to
mine asphalt on a small island near Trim
dad. The syndicate will invest a great
deal of capital in working the conces-
sions. and Mr. Fisher is to be the mana
ger.