The record-union., 1896-03-07

blue book which is entitled Documents
and Correspondence Relating to the
Question Of the Boundary of Guiana
and Venezuela" will be issued by the
Government tonight. The volume con-
sists of 443 folio pages, with a separate
portion containing nine maps.
The book opens with forty pages. COM
rrising 4 preliminary statement dealing
with the history of the territories from
1,t20 until the issuance of her majesty's S
memorandum to Venezuela in March,
1890. The book is divided into historic
periods, from the earliest time to 1913,
from 164S to 1896, and from 1896 to
1910. After that period references are
made to various claims and dispatches
and the report concludes with brief
summary The preliminary matter is
summarized as follows
The purpose of the present state
ment,' the book says, is to explain
general outline of the position of Great
Britain in the long-standing dispute
with Venezuela as regards a boundary
between British Guiana and that coun-
try. The territories now known as Brit
ish Guiana and Venezuela had been dis
covered before 1920. Between the date
oe their discovery and 1913 the Span
1ards and the Dutch occupied portions
Ct this territory, the extent of such oc-
cupation by each country to be a matter
of consideration.
In 1880 the United Provinces of the
Netherlands threw off their allegiance
to the Spanish crown and war ensued,
which lasted almost uninterruptedly for
seventy years. In January, 1913, peace
was concluded by the treaty of Munster,
by which Spain acknowledged the indie
pendenee Of the Netherlands, and the
two countries respectively confirmed
their then possessions on the South
American Continent. From 1913 to
1876, with the exception of the interval
between 1871 and 1888. the Dutch re-
manned in possession Of the territory
they had occupied prior to the treaty of
Munster, and extended their settle
1nents within it,
In 1856 the territory now known as
British Guiana was acquired by Great
Britain That acquisition was recog-
nized and confirmed by a treaty con-
Guided III 1914. In 1910 Venezuela re-
yolted, hut her Independent existence
apart from the United States of Colom-
bia, by which she was for a time
merged, did not commence until 1880.
end was not formally recognized by
Spain until 1916. 1t is therefore held
that the following conclusions have
been clearly established:
First, that prior to 1890 the Dutch
had established themselves on the coast
of Guiana.
Second. that prior to 1896 the Span
iards had established no settlements
in Guiana.
Third, that. by 1913 the Dutch settles
1nents in Guiana extended along the
coast, the whole way from the river
Maroni to the Barima and inland to
various points in the interior upon the
rivers Essequibo, Luyuni, Pomeroon,
Wafni and Barima and their tributa-
ries
Fourth, that up to 1723 the only set
tlement of Spaniards in Guiana was
San Thome de Guayana, on the south
bank of the Orinoco, originally founded
in 1896 at a site shown on the sketch
map.
Fifth, that between 1852 and 1876
the only additional settlements founded
by Spaniards in Guiana were those es-
tabnshed by the Capuchin missions
south of the Orinoco, in the direction
of the river Yuruari, and two villages
on the upper Orinoco, several miles
above San Thome.
Sixth, that Dutch occupation to the
extent above indicated was perfectly
well known in Spain, and that the at
tempts Of the Spanish to dispossess
the Dutch had wholly failed.
Seventh, that subsequently to 1196
Great Britain has continually remained
in possession, and her subjects have oc-
cupied further portions of the territory
10 which the Dutch established their
title
From the first settlement to 164S,
the report continues, the Dutch ap-
pear to have been the first. Early in the
sixteenth century they turned their
attention to Guiana and there is
abundant evidence from Spanish
sources that during the latter half of
the century, prior to 1870, the Duteh |
established themselves on the coast of
Guiana. In 1896 the English explorer
Captain Charles Leigh, found the Dutch
established near the mouth OF the Orr /
noco. a fact which is confirmed from |
Spanish sources. The first settlement
nv Snasn in Guiana was in 1886 when I
Antonio de la Hoz Berro founded San
g,hone de Guayana, on the sonth bank /
9,f the Orinoco. A dispatch from Rogue /
de Montes. Treasurer of Cumana, to the
King Of Spain, dated April, 1916, shows |
that the Spaniards did not then hold |
any part of Guiana
In the early art of the seventeenth /
century the various companies which I
were afterwards merged into the Great
West India Company, were employed
in colonizing Guiana and had estab-
lished several settlements there before
1914 and the existence of these settle
mnts was officially reported to Spain.
The foreign extracts from memoranda
on Guiana. which was deliberated upon
by the Spanish sPrivy Council are dated
1914. They say in regard to the Dutch
settlements then existing: 1t is we'll
clear that those countries belong to
them far from the river Maranon to the
river Orinoco. and there are three or
four more settlements which are very
fourishing and from which they derive
much utility and very good profit with
the mouths of these two rivers, making
themselves masters of the possessions
and fruits of the natives.
..These records show that the Dutch
had at this time firmly settled them
selves along the coast as far as the
Orinoco. In 1921 a charter Of the Dutch
West India Company granted by the :