New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-25
ENGLAND TURNS TO OLNEY.
,yr WILL. ASK HIM TO USE HIS GOOD
OFFICES WITH VENEZUELA.

ueNIFIcANT1Y FRIENDLY METHOD OF SECURING
THE RELEASE OF THE CROWN SURVEYOR
RECENTLY ARRESTED IN THE DIS.
PUTED TERRITORIAL RADICAL
DEPARTURE FROM PREVIOUS
PROCEDURES.
1ondon. June 24.-A representative Of the
,,,,.ei Press was informed at the Foreign Of
.,o-day that the Government would certainly
..,s immediate and energetic measures to OBJ
.a,n the release Of Mr. Harrison, the British sur
...ror who was recently arrested in British
Guiana and is now detained at the Venezuelan
.,.,,on opposite Yuruan. The British Govern
r,snts action. the Foreign Office authorities
added would probably be taken through the Of
eces Of the United States Government.
washington. June 24.--It is reported here that
.. soon as Secretary Olney returns TO the State
nsnartment. and he is confidently expected to-
r,orrow. he will receive from Sir Julian Paunce-
,o,e the British Ambassador. a request from
.,a British Government to use his good offices
.;th Venezuela 20 secure the release from i'm
cr,sonment Of Mr. Harrison. Crown Surveyor,
rho "a reported to have been arrested by Venez-
uelan police while he was engaged In construct
,nc a road connecting the Barma and Cuyuni
rivers in the disputed territory
This action of Great Britain IS considered in
Automatic circles a radical departure from the
ntmatum methods hitherto practised on Ameri-
ran REPUBLICS and much significance is attached
N this fact as probably indicating the consd-
.rable progress made toward arbitration
agreement and the practical acknowledgment
that the United States are party In interest IN
the Venezuelan dispute. we'll as in future con-
troverses regarding territory on the American
continent.
While it is admitted that the new incident is
exceedingly unfortunate Just at this tuncture.
there Is great diversity OF opinion In fixing the
blame Even the British Government has the
most indefinite knowledge of the exact locahty
where the arrest took place. although 1t IS as
serted that the surveying party had no authority
10 90 outside Of territory occupied exclusively
By Englshmen for the last ten years
No official knowledge Of the arrest has yet
been received at the Venezuelan Legation. where
confidence Is expressed that the Venezuelan Gov
eminent would have sent notice Of the affair
perhaps for the information of the United States
Government the moment the facts became
known at Caracas. The Venezuelars, however,
find considerable satisfaction in the information
that Greet Britain will appeal to Secretary O4ney
IN the matter as indicating that ii is not con-
t!dered Of SO serious nature as at first appre-
he.ded They place the whole blame for what
ever has occurred on Joseph Chamberlains ag-
gressive colonial policy They point 70 the fact
that under date Of December 10, 1S94 they
complained 70 Secretary Gresham Of the pro-
posed road upon which Harrison was employed
and called attention TO the fact that as the
rute lay in Venezuelan territory n conflict
would be unavoidable. one paragraph Of that
letter reads:
The persistency Of the British Government IN
excluding from arbitration all mat pofN0n OF ln1
sson W9e" M ast IL ieS g o. venzueia 70
England null and vod rendered ineihcac:ous tne
snu ssEa stimuae5 the E ambijion Of certain arens Of
the Colony who have IN view nothing but the pleas
r.ca in natu al resources' some Of them on he
2;h Of October last. procured the Introduction IN
si;on looking 10 the construction % a road which
IS TO unite the Upper Barima with the Cuyuni,
which involves a fresh project for the unaWful -i-
propration OF Venezuelan territory and the mani
Fest tendency OF which f. to increase the difficulty
o. rea hing A peaceful settlement Of the coniro-
versy The Secretary Of the Government requested
was s,l important. obtain its approval o. an
application for power to raise large loan from
oper the proposed road The Government ~ Venez-
uea through is consul at Deinerara advised the
Governor Of the Colony that the execution of the
projec would undoubtedly bring about collision
With the Nenezuean authorities In tina; region and
would be the cause OF further embitteriug Il con-
toyersy which Il is important to both parties to
put on more friendly footing.
This appeal was effective for the time being
The road was abandoned until in August la9;
year the Secretary OF State for the Colonies
Joseph Chamberlain. sent 70 British Guiana his
call for the Colony to raise funds for machine
guns, an increased police force and the construc-
ton Of the Barima road. This was resisted by
the Colonial Legislature. with the exception Of
defence armament. until the arrival of the new
Governor from England few months ago when
they were induced to appropriate for a survey
o. the road
Nenezuelans now insist that the responsibility
rests wholly with Great Britain. after the warn
Ing that went TO the Foreign Ofice through
Colonial as we'll as through United States chan
nels. II is contended at the Legation here that
the Venezuelan authorities who made the arrest
must of necessity have been in their own terri
tory. az they not permitted to cross the
frontier under any circumstances. The two
English ports are the right bank Of the
Cuyuni and the left bank Of the Amacura Those
OF Venezuela are directly opposite them. and
ms statu quo has been rigidly observed by the
venezuelans. In their opinion, Harrison must
lave Deen arrested within the Venezuelan line,
Sno only after a warning 10 keep out The
tenezuelans 10 a man. also, are aware that they
ea,e everything 10 gain by peaceful methods,
sno u IS Incredible 10 their friends here that they
eouid nave 80 disObeyed orders az to break the
s.stu quo. 1t Is said, however that e Secretary
SSIney calls on Venezuela in response 10 Great
ontsins request. full report OF the affair
I'm Cin undoubtedly be forthcoming as soon az the
~aacas authorities can Investigate.
QUIET REIGNs IN GUIANA.
Pr