The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-21
STORROW'S BRIEF
Shows British Government in Bad
Light.
LEAVES LORD SALISBURY'S CASE
NOT A LEG TO STANDON.

The Much Quoted schomburgk Line Was
Forgery of British Authorities-Map
| Altered to Suit British Claims.
Washington, July 20.-The Venezuela's
brief, prepared by Counsel Storrow and
presented to the Venezuelan commission
er and British counsel today, is the
most important that has go far appeared
in the case. For the first time through
evidence Is laid down. and Lord Sails
bury's contention as to the settlements is
shown TO be mere diplomats quibble,
utterly unsupported by law or fact, and
unworthy of any consideration by the
commission.
Storrow demonstrates that there never
has been any British sovereignity in the
disputed territory. that the Dutch never
gained the slightest foothold in the
Orinooo basin, and therefore never trans
ferred what did not exist to Great Britain
and Gaps his strong arguments by demon
strating that the Sohom burgk line as
held by Lord Salisbury, was "a forgery
twenty years after Sohom burgk's death.
The brief assumes for the sake of argu-
ment that England may have the right
| By occupation, to the settlements on the
alluvial land at she mouth of the Esquibo,
1 but shows that the Spanish held posses
| sion OF oil Guiana, from its discovery in
1870, until Venezuela succeeded TO the
| territory, and Spain successfully resisted
all efforts of the Dutch as we'll as of Sir
Walter Raleigh land other free hooters"
| to effect lodgment.
Mr.. Storrow says that the British claim
has confessedly no basis except oecupa-
ton, and the rules of law applied even to
the facts alleged, not only give no sup
| port to the British attempt to extend the
boundary but are specifically and affrma-
lively fatal to it. He demolishes the So
| called temporary post in the Cuyuni
basin and at Barima point, by showing
| that they were mere trading stations,
quietly destroyed by the Spanish, who
maintained sovereignty over the region
and proves that the actual settlements of
| the Dutch and Spanish were always
separated by 150 milss of forest
| The Oregon boundary case which made
much international law, is applied to the
existing dispute and British arguments
in that celebrated case are turned square
IL against Salisbury's present contain
4
| occupation may in tire give private
| title, no occupation can. create sovereign
dominions nnless.it be directly authorized
or adopted by his government at the OUT
set and for the announced purpose of ac-
Quiring sovereignty.
| Evidence is abduced to turn all Prot.
| Pollook's arguments Of law against his
case. When the English as they have
| lad hat hn ich
trolled the OFinooo, they lost their last
argument.
Mr., Storrow quotes Lord Stowell, the
| highest English authority, in the case of
Mississippi River to show those who own
the watershed thereby possess the delta
islands and shores below, though these
have never been inhabited. Mr.. Storrow
| finds that the British Blue Book leaves
part of sentence out of Schomburgk's
memior, therein quoted, which shows
that Sohombdrgk had no idea that his
line would amount to anything, until it's
terminal at least were agreed upon by
the disputants. Venezuela never agreed
| to any of it. A fter Barimi had been
suggested as one end of the line and
| Venezuela protested in 1886, the colonial
| Office discovered that all maps were
wrong. that Schompurgk' line went
around by the great bend of Cuyuni. it
compelled Stanford 20 conceal existing
| maps anu oueiigo MS pltIe py erablug bne
boundary which went across the head
waters of Barima, and across Cuyuni and
by inserting another which went around
the great bend. The map SO changed in
| 1886, still bore the date 1875.
| This, the brief says, Is psrilously near
alteration Of ancient landmarks and
spoilation Of records. Lord Salisbury.
| February II. 1890, asserted il to be the
line surveyed by Sir r. Schomburgk
in 1S41." He did not survey this line in
1S41 or any other year. It must he
pointed out, the brief continues, that in
1850, the two nations agreed there should
be no occupation of disputed territory
by either, and in 1884, and subsequently
Great Britain invaded with armed force
and took possession up to and extended
the Schomburgk line. 1t is shown this
| line was never altered until discoveries
Of gold outside the original line gave
new value to the region.