The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-11-11
GREAT DISPUTE
FINALLY SETTLED
Good Offices Of United States Prevail
in Venezuelan Matter.
KING OSCAR OF THE swEDEs
In this Rulers Hands Rests the Bal
anee Of Power in the Arbitra-
ton Commission.

Washington. November l0.-The king
of Sweden and Norway, oscar II. has
been chosen. by treaty between the
United States and Great Britain. as
the nth official arbitrator Of the Ven
ezuelan boundary question. The other
arbitrators. four in number, are 70 be
designated, two by the lord chief jus
tice Of England. and two by the chief
justice OF the United States. This Is
final and the most important feature
Of the treaty for the complete adjust
ment Of the long-pendlng Venezuelan
controversy. The treaty was conclud-
ed in WASHINGTON last night at the
British embassy. Sir Julian Pauncefote
representing her Britannia majesty. and
Secretary olney the United States.
Since the return Of Sir Julian Paunce-
fote from London three weeks ago, ne
gotlations toward the final settlement
have been proceeding Most OF the
meetings were OF such an important
character that they were held either at
Mr.. olney's residence or at the British
embassy, the two houses being but two
blocks separated.
1t happened the concluding meeting
was at the embassy yesterday and spe-
cial interest was given TO 1t from the
fact that Lord Salisbury. the British
premier. was to make a speech at Guild.
hall. London. in the evening II is thC
annual event at which the premier usu,
ally takes occasion TO review the statu,
Of the most important internatlona
questions For this reason II was de
sired, II possible. TO acquaint Lord Sails
bury OF the final and satisfactory ad
Justment Of the Venezuelan question In
order that he might make such an
nouncement as he thought fit concern.
ing It. When Secretary olney and Sir
Julian reached their final conclusions,
a cablegram was at once dispatched to
Lord Salisbury. notifying him OF the
result. 1t reached him within one hour
Of the time when he went on the plat
form at Gulldhall and II was the basis
OF his announcement to England and
the entire world that the Venezuelan
controversy was settled.
The treaty, the final terms Of which
have been cabled to London and ac-
cepted. covers Venezuela only and does
not include the general treaty Of arbl-
tration OF all future disputes between
the two great English-spealxing ma
tions. This treaty is to be arranged
later by future negotiations. venezue-
Ia will not be directly represented in
the commission. ua
The term of occupancy to exempt
British settlements in the disputed ter
ritory from arbitration is fixed at so
years, according 10 additional corre-
spondence on the subject. which has
just been discovered. In other words.
the British government has agreed to
unrestricted arbitration of all the terri
tory in dispute with the period for ac-
QUESTION of title by prescription fixed
by an agreement of the parties in ad-
vance of so years.
1t does not follow that all the work
accomplished by the United States com
mission in the collection of evidence
touching the boundary will go for moth
ing. but on the contrary this matter
may be used to great advantage by the
agent or agents selected to represent
the claims of the governments of Great
Britain and Venezuela by the arbitra-
tion commission.
Introduced in this manner the evil
dence the United States has collected
win be Of great value, coming as it
does from eX parte presentation, and as
an evidence collected by the commits
sion and its special experts under rig
orous instructions to obtain all peril
nent evidence without regard to which
side it affected.
The commission met this morning at
its rooms in the Sun building. There
was general discussion of the boun-
dairy dispute in the light Of Lord Sails
bury's announcement and it was de-
cided that the commission should sus-
pend Its labors.