Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-29
GETTING READY To MAKE REPORT.
Lnbors of the Venezuelan boundary
Commission Nearly Completed.


WASHINGTON. Oct. 2s.-The Venezuelan
commission resumed It's session today and
probably will meet very frequently from
now until 1t completes its work. Andrew
D. White was the only absentee.
There was disappointment over the fact
that DIT Burr and Prof. De Haan. who have
been at work at The Hague securing orig
inal TRANSACTIONS OF manuscripts and docu-
ments bearing on the controversy. had not
arrived, but the commission proceeded 10
consider other details pending their arrival.
Or. Burr and Prof De Ham sailed from
Liverpool on the Teutonlc. which arrived al
New York this morning. and they PROBABLY
will reach here not later than tomorrow.
In accordance With the policy heretofore
pursued BY members Of the commission they
declined today to indicate whether they
were confronted with any difficulties which
might prevent a harmonious agreement IN
their report. Some time ago, however. Jus
tice Brewer lntimated that the report would
be ready for submission by December al
the latest and this would seem 20 indicate
that the members Of the commission, who
have kept advised during the summer and
fall Of all developments. will reach a speedy
conclusion once all the documents are Off
cially laid before them.
NEW YORK Oct. 2S.-G. L Burr, profess
sor OF history at Cornell university, re-
after spending some months abroad examin-
ing the archives OF The Hague for official
documents relating 20 the Venezuelan
boundary. These documents 90 back to the
sixteenth century Prof Burr found that
some OF the records had found their way
into England which necessitated his going
TO London TO examine them. Prof. Burr was
assisted in his investigation by Dr.. HAN
Of Johns Hopkins university.
My mission" said Prof Burr. was
simply to find out the geographical and
geological conditions. and l explored a
great body Of documents which previously
had not been examined. In doing this I
very naturally came across much good
material. but the evidence was so vague that
II will have to be interpreted by legal
authority. Beth In The Hague and London
l was given every possible facility in making
my examination. So far as possible / tried.
in my own mind. TO arrive at no conclusion.
I was not sent there 20 draw conclusions,
I but 10 explore documents. and I have no
right 10 anticipate the conclusions Of the
commission. l have every reason, how
ever. to believe that the question will be
amicably settled.
Il know nothing whatever OF the diplo-
matte negotiations. / saw by the news
papers that Sir Julian Pauncefote, the Brit
ssh ambassador. was in England during my
absence on the continent and I assume
from what I read that his visit there had
direct bearing upon international negotia-
tions. | cannot say whether my discoveries
are OF value to either one side or the other.
II would not be proper for me TO do so.
have from time TO time sent on reports 70
the United States commission and am going
10 Washington this afternoon. where / shall
make a full report. Until this report Is
submitted | do not feel that IL would be
proper for me to discuss the result Of my
mission"