The San Francisco call., 1896-01-22
WHO OWNS TRINIDAD /?
Deep Significance Attached to the
Concerted Action of the
Two Republics.
INVASION NOW OBJECTED TO.
Enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine
May Reopen the Dispute Over
the FalklandS.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Jan. 21.-The
cable announcement that Lord Salisbury's
note presented to the Government at Rio
de Janeiro demanded that Brazil should
accept arbitration to decide the ownership
Of the island of Trinidad before February
II, in default of which the island should
be considered as belonging to Great Britain
without further appeal has caused serious
comment here, which has not been dimin-
ished by the further statement that Brazil,
had definitely refused the proposal and
had demanded that Great Britain should /
Immediately restore the island to Brazilian I
control; nor has the situation been rem
dered less acute by the intelligence con-
yeyed in United Press cablegram from
Buenos Ayres announcing that the Argen-
tine Government had Cancelled the English
cable company's concession and had
made common cause with Brazil In Off
ciaJ circles deep significance is attached to
the concerted action of the two largest
South American republics in directly an
tagonizing British claims to American
possessions.
Minister Mendonca of Brazil spent half
an hour by special appointment with Sec
retary Olney at the State Department this
afternoon, and il is suspected that the in
terview related to the decisive stand Brazil
had taken in regard to Lord Salisbury's
note. The Brazilian view of the matter is
that to expect them to arbitrate the owner
ship of Trinidad would be unreasonable
as to ask the United States to arbitrate
the possession of Block Island if England
should suddenly occupy it on the ground
made good use of it; or, as another ex-
| ample, that the United States would
| tamely submit to England's establishing
colony on an uninhabited Florida key un-
| der the British flag because it was a desira-
bic cable station and fit for nothing else.
A naval officer who is intrusted with the
duty of keeping account of the submarine
cables of the world explained the Buenos
Ayres dispatches to-day as follows:
can English company holds an exclusive
| concession for coastwise cables in Brazil,
the concession having about twenty more
years to run. Sir John Pender the cable
king, several years ago determined to Sc
! cure telegraphic communication between
| his great system and the Pacific coast OF
| South America, which is a lucrative field
for teiegrapkic enterprises. To that end
he entered into negotiations with all the
| South American countries for concessions.
| being successful in almost every country
except Brazil, where he was antagonized
| by the English company, which, under its
exclusive right, operates all the lines from
the Amazon to the Rio Plata. He asked
! Brazil for the use of the island of Trini-
dad as an intermediate station, but the
English company in Brazil opposed this
and defeated it through the very fact that
Trinidad was Brazilian territory and there
fore part of its own absolute concession. Sir
| John Pender went ahead, however, with
| his negotiations with other countries until
sufficient time had elapsed for an Eng
lish warship to go secretly to Trinidad and
| land there number of Sir John Pender's
employees. The English flag was raised,
| the cable company's operatives were left
| in possession and the warship steamed
away again. The only inhabitants of
| Trinidad to-day are Sir John Pender's
men taken there by the British Govern
ment.
1.-The concession secured from the Ar
| gentine Government, which was especially
| favorable to that country, provided for the
construction of a cable connecting with
| the mpany's main line on the African
| coast and proceeding thence to Trinidad,
the new port of La Plata, the Falkland
| Islands, and so on around to Chile, the
Argentine Government giving the right
for the landing at La Plata.
cit is learned from a member of the
diplomatic corps, who has the confidence of
| South American representatives, that Ar
| gentina's action In canceling the conces-
sion is due to President Cleyelands special
Monroe doctrine message, and is inspired
| by the hope that the United States will
recognize the right of Argentina to the
| Falkland Islands, which were forciblv
taken by Great Britain with the acouies-
ence of the United States subsequent to
the Monroe doctrines enunciation. The
| islands were owned and settled by Spain.
and thus became part of the Buenos Ayres
| Republic.
Argentina vigorously protested when
they were seized by England. and in a
proclamation declared that, though Ar.
gentina was unable to resist the powerful
force of England, it continued to firmly ad-
here to its claim to the rightful ownership
of the territory. Under these circum-
stances Argentina, on the 10Th inst, in
formed the cable company that it consid-
cred the proposed landing place at Trim
idad as illegal. and that it could not
recognize any alleged permit to use the
Falkland Islands. Consequently, by its own
terms, the concession fell to the ground.
"It is intimated that specially accred-
| tied Minister from Buenos Ayres will soon
come to the United States to endeavor to
reopen the dispute as to the ownership of
/ the Falkland Islands in view of the stand
taken by President Cleyeland on the Vene-
zuelan boundary dispute. President Cleye-
| land in his first annual message 70 Cop.