The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-10
BRI4lINS BACK DOW n.
Salisbury's Course Approved by
the English Press The
Joint Tribunal.

WASHINGTON, No. 10, 1896.-Lord Sails
bury's declaration last night al the Lord
Mayors banquet that the solution of the
Venezuelan boundary question had been
practically accomplished by the sugges-
ton enanating from the United States to
treat the colonial empire as individuals
are treated, corroborates the announce
ment made last summer in Washington
dispatches of the United Associated
Presses, both on the occasion of publish
ing the full correspondence between the
two countries and at the time when Sir
Vernon Harcourt, in the House of Com
mons, just before the adjournment of
Parliament, expressed confidence that
Secretary Olney's counter proposition re-
garding the settled districts offered the
basis Of an agreement.
Upon the authority of the highest Off
cial Sources, 1t was then announced that
the publication of the correspondence
was made at the instance of Lord Sails
bury, who took that means of finding out
how his supporters at home would re-
ceive the proposition which was at that
time the sole point of apparent difference
between the negotiators. The hearty en-
dorsement it received throughout the
English press left no doubt of it's popular
appreciation and there was no further
delay from that moment in the British
Colonial Offices task of securing the
necessary data as to the occupation of
the settled districts which Sir Julian
Pauncefote recently brought from Eng
land. The solution of the problem which
Lord Salisbury now compliments in such
glowing terms was sent by Secretary
Oiney to Sir Julian Pauncefote June u
last.
Up to that time Great Britain had stipu-
lated for a tribunal of an even number of
judges whose disagreement would lead to
endless diplomatic controversy, which
States contention, and was promptly
swept away, and an uneven number of
jurors substituted who might be relied
upon to make a definite decision one way
or another
Real arbitration having thus been made
possible Secretary Olney then took up
Lord Salisbury's proviso by which the
boundary line as drawn by an arbitral
tribunal was net to include territory bona
fide occupied by British subjects or Vene-
zuelan citizens on January l, 1887. He in
sisted that this should be stricken out al
together, thereby making the arbitration
unconditional or that there might be sub
stituted the following
Provided, however, that, In fixing such
line, If territory Of one party be found in
the occupation Of the subjects or citizens
OIL the Olnef party, Sucn weight and enect
shall be given to such occupation as
reason justice, the rules of international
law and the equities of the particular
case may appear to require.
This was at the time declared to be
the radical solution of the dispute and
after first ascertaining through publica-
ton the temper of those directly con-
cerned regarding the suggestion subse-
quent negotiations, 1t is understood have
been confined to celebrating the point
until no doubt could possibly arise before
the joint tribunal as to IT'S intention and
limitations. 1t is learned that Venezuela
has fully consented to this arrangement,
and that her officials are confident Of their
settled districts previous to 1887 IN any
territory west of the Pomaroen River In
which event the line of division would
lie almost Identical with that claimed be-
fore the Venezuelan Commission in the
Storrow Brief.