The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-14
THE vEsEzuElAx conM,ssIos.,a
The Main Points at Issue. Hinge on
Documents Lying 7n Spain.

To-Day with all the members present
virtually reached the conclusion that the
main points a, issue hinged on docu-
ments lying in the Royal Archives of
Spain and Holland. and perhaps SOME
Other countries. and that while such doc
uments would probably be quoted by
each of the disputants In support of the
contradictory claims presented. the duty
would devolye on thu commission not
only to verify by actual examination all
such citations, but If practicable to de-
Telop contemporary documents which
might throw strong side lights upon
the evidence submitted. While definite
action was postponed until the full Brit
Ism and Venezuelan cases shall have been
formally brought under consideration,
there remains no doubt that some of the
commissioners, or at all events the sec
rotary of the Commission. Mr. Malet-
Provost and agents under his direction
VIII soon be sent to Madrid and The
i1aGGe. IL Is explained that this deter
minatton is not due TO the alleged dis
coNery of misqUotatiDns in DEGREES and
treaties already i'll the commissions nos
session, but from the conviction that
the llnal decision OF the commission
ought not 10 be open To any attack as 10
me ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF the pivotal evil
ueHce upon winch the decision WILL in all
probability he found 10 depend
In the preliminary Investigations of
me commission they have been CON
lrohtcd with numerous diametrcalIy
cohiilctinE maps and TRANSACTIONS
While geographical DISCREPANCIES are
within the power of the commission 20
harnoniZc through the enormous mass
OF Commemorative charts IL Commands
I he comparative indeciph"rnbility and
partial illegibilitS of royal DEGREES are
thought Ia bc matters which ucccss:tatc
personal and expert examinations Tho
commission expects I" be in possession
OF the British lubbock as well as tho
greater part OF Nenezuea's case "arly
next week. and in view of this anticipa-
! ton Mr.. Coudcrt and President Gilman
who have hitherto spent little time I'm
Washington. will remain here for The
present for daily meetings. at which the
weighing and comparison of evidence.
will be prosecuted continuously No one
OF The commissioners has yet had an
opportunity Ia carefully examine the
British case. MS the only available copy
Thai has reached them was cnr vi the
advance editions SCI; hy .AmhnH:;;l,!nT
iiaNnrd IL the state Department. :rhich
may contain Typographical or other or.
rors incidental to iasty preparation
The regular copies for the Comuiss ION
will arrive here in all probability. Ia.
morrow evening OF AinE,iaN next While
access to n State Department copy has
been allowed, there has been no op-
portunity to cXnmin it fully.
The Venezuelan Minister has been no.
titled by cable from his government that
the first installment of official evidence
for the consideration of the High Com
mission left La Guayra on the steamer
! Philadelphia, the 10th instant. and is
| due 10 arrive IN New York next Tuesday
me documents relate exclusively to the
| period near the close Of the eighteenth
century taken from the Royal Spanish
arch.ves; and have not heretofore been
accessible to Great Britain, or at least
| are not quoted in the British Blue Rool,
| They are put forward TO demonstrate the
inadmiss!bility of Dutch claims TO any
/ territory west of tho Esscquibo. A large
number OF authenticated official mans
covering the same period are included
none OF which have heretofore been pro-
uuceu, as no occasion for their prcsenta-
lion has ever occurred.
Minister Andrade has also hean tn
formed mat the records OF the VcncZuc
IAN Legations at Rome Madrid London
ana PaIS contain many documents
bearing on the controversy. ana these
VIII all he placed al he Commissions
ulsInsai IN short time, those from Pa
IFS. Nome, and NaurId in few weeks
The agents Of Venezuela have me-
sehted TO the Venezuelan Commission
among other documents, the official r.,
port OF the Ministry of the interior n,
Caracas 10 the Ministry of Foreign re.
ldtiohS, dated May % 1890 CONSISTING of
lnriy printed pages, covering the Radical
advances oil the British Colonial cfficars
INTO The disputed territory following tho
ricA discoveries of gold from 1855 to ism
as investigated by national cnmmis
SION appointed by Venezuela tn mall
scientific exploring expedition in chi.
anaian territory. The elaborate rnnnr,
OF that commission Is now for Tho rrs,
Iihe disclosed, and shows, ACCORDING n
the testimony of British magistrates ana
ot"Iis III me territory that as late as lSS3
~ ~ ID tt!Sh settlements existed even as
lar west as the PumarOn river
tAs iaIe as 1888 the settlements are re-
tIu 10 oy me English as the 10
Gently acquired district" ana ,hn CO.
,'Ai ttoNc! nihent Is shown TO be exert
ing It's authority in every way 70 n.y.,
tmigran:s into the interior is snccI.
IN some degree being shown by ID, co
figures OF gold exports:
1885, 939 ounces; 1886. 512 ou,,,.
1887. ll,906 ounces, ISIS. lI.5iO ounca.
ana Tor the first six months or 1y0.
1883 ounces. These documents and
especially those relating 10 Vel.zi,a.
Ia formal protest agains. the usnIn-
ION seem 10 place NiScount Rorm,n-
son, Governor OF British Guiana. in ihs
iisht OF suppressing the facts. aI,hourh
II Is SHOWN that he was in cons,out
communication with Lord Salisbury
Testimony Is adducsd 10 demonstrate
mat iho British authorities were most
generous TO the Indians. thereby secur
ing access TO the gold districts i'm tho
interior deserted by NencZu,laus who
were attracted by Establishments 10
the coast settlements