Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-16


Venezuela, has furnished the Free Press ,
with the following new and important in |
formation regarding the Venezuelan |
boundary dispute MIR. Haselton has had /
unusual opportunities for acquiring in .
formation on this subject and the Free
Press takes pleasure In being the first pa
per to publish this able and conclusive
statement which is of special Importance /
at this time.
The question OF the true limits of British
Guiana is too broad and involves too many
considerations to admit of brief discussion,
but occasion is here taken to group certain
facts, some of them not altogether famil-
lar, bearing upon the single point of legi-
innate jurisdiction over the territory at
the mouth of the Orinoco river. now occu-
pied by the British.
In 1S34-5. Robert Montgomery Martin,
esq, after about 10 years of travel and re-
search, published in five volumes the His
tory of the British Colonies" In its pre-
paration he had the assistance of the Sec
rotary and under secretary of State
for the colonial department, the IL
brarian of the colonial Office, the Of
ficials of the custom house, plantation Of
flee, and board of trade the librarian and
assistant librarian Of the House of Com
mons, the colonial governors and other
officials of the colonies, colonial agents and
officials of colonial companies, officers of
the Royal Geographical society, and num-
resident in England and the colonies, pos
sessed of statistical, historical and geo.
graphical information bearing upon the
subject of the work. King William ~,
who had personally visited many of the
colonies, took an active interest in the
book and by royal command 1t was dedi-
Gated to His Majesty.
In volume 2 the colony of British Guiana
is very carefully treated. Its western
boundary is located somewhere on the
coast between the Pomeroon river and tho
Barima river. The colony is further des
crbed as extending about two hundre
miles along the coast westward from tn
Coventyn river and so by inference as sto
ping considerably east of the mouth of tn,
Barima. The Parish of Trinity, the mos
westerly of British Guiana is describe
as extending te the Pomeroon river an,
''as far asfhe British settlements extend
The elaboration with which the authol
placed the western boundary between the
Pomeroon river and the Barima river, ana
his knowledge of what he was wr!tns
about are apparent from a foot note In
which he says that some consider the
River Barima as the western boundary,
others, the Pomeroon. He had apparently
never heard that anyone claimed that
British Guiana extended to the Amacuro.
He describes the colony. 1t may be added,
as lying to the eastward of the Goth parallel
OF west longitude, description which very
text shows that he was aware that Point
Barma is west of the SiXtieth parellel.
map accompanying the work shows more
British territory than the text claims and
serves to illustrate the uncertain character
of evidence of that kind. The work at
tracted wide attention and was commented
on and commended by scores of British
periodicals. monthly, weekly and daily. 1t
was declared to be indispensable to every
member OF Parliament and to every one
directly on indirectly interested in colonial
affairs
Among the subscribers for copies Of the
work were the King, the Queen, the Prin-
cess Victoria, her mother, the Duchess of
Kent, the Dukes of Sussex. Cambridge,
Portland. Northumberland, Sutherland.
Devonshire. Cleveland, and Wellesley, the
Prime Minister, the Secretary OF state
for the Colonial Department, Sir Robert
Peel who was Prime Minister when at a
later time the boundary dispute with
Venezuela began, Lord Aberdeen who was
at the same time Secretary of State for the
Colonies, and who suggested the Morocco
River as the boundary.
Mr. Gladstone. who was Prime Minister
when the Granville and Rosebery lines
were offered and long list of other men,
bers Of Parliament Of both Houses whose
names, with those of the statesmen and
members Of the Royal Family above
mentioned, were, not of course without
their permission published to give charac-
ter and credit to the book. A large number
Of copies were taken by the booksellers,
and the work found Its way to all parts OF
the Empire. The British Government and
the British public, home and Colonial, had
every opportunity to discover its mistakes
and as we shall now see an excellent OPP
portunity to secure their correction.
In 1869 a committee of the House of
Commons took under consideration the
ACCESSIBILITY of preparing for publication
a series of manuscript Blue Books" con-
tanning full statistical information with
regard to the various colonies, and when
in consequence of the labor and expense
involved the Government decided to take
no action in that regard. Mr.. Martin was
at his solicitation given access to these
"Blue Books" and TO other official sources
of information with view to theprepara-
ton of work comprising the end de-
sired by the Hose of Commons.
The following letter from the under
secretary of State for the colonies indi'
Gates the attitude of the British govern
ment towards Mr.. Martins new under
taking.
Colonial ONCE, Downing Street,
7th February, 1898.
SIr:--I am directed by Lord Glenelg Il
acknowledge the receipt Of your letter oil
the I'd instant and to acquaint you In re-
ply that his Lordship has much pleasure
in complying with your request for access
to the information in this office, comprised
in the blue Books" annually transmitted
from the respective colonies. Mr.. Myer
the librarian, has received his Lordship'.
directions to submit them to your inspec
ton on your application to him for thai
purpose. Lord Glenelg will also be happ.
to afford you access to any other stats
tical information in this office respecting
the colonies.
l am, sir, your obedient servant,
GEORGE GREY.
In the preparation of this work Mr.
Martin had even more assistance from
government officials than before and will
his former work before them their as
sistance was more intellgently directed
"rhe work." Mr.. Martin In his prefac'
was permitted to say, may be deemed al
official record" Certainly every mpor
tant fact stated In his earlier work on thu
colonies had undergone the thorough
scrutiny of the British government Tn
authors right to designate his work as Of
ficial was unquestioned and unqueetion
able. The declaration In the preface wa
In effect an affirmation that every impor
tant statement In the book was made will
the approval and sanction OF the govern
ment.
But in this History of the Colonies o
tho British Empire" published Il
1850, oficisi in its character, an
written after ample o2portunit
- had been Afforded for the detec
, tion and correction OF any error found II
:, TX. LIZ. ( X, s. N Il " :