The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-25
Grasping Tactics Of a British
Guiana Company in Quest
of Gold Fields.
FAVORED BY ERR. CHAMBERLAIN
But if the Colonial Secretary Is Not
Careful He Will Further Com.
plicate Matters.
Especial Correspondence of The United Press.l

GEORGETOWN, BRITISH GUIANA, Feb.
10.-On the eve of the departure of the
United States mail from this colony, re-
port has gained currency that further and
serious complications are likely to arise in
connection with the question of boundaries
between the colony of British Guiana and
Venezuela. 1t is reported that the Ven
ezuelan Government has within the past
day or two lodged with the Government Of
British Guiana, to be forwarded to the I'M
perial Government, protest against any
concession of land within the contested
territory being granted by the British
Government. The report is said to be
couched in courteous but firm language.
and when a halt is called by the Colonial
Government in granting and the Imperial
Government in approving of further con-
cessons within the contested regions,
there may be trouble that has hitherto
been avoided.
1t is not difficult to find the cause for
Venezuela taking this fresh move in the
question of territory limits of the coun-
tries. The British Secretary of State for
the Colonies, Joseph Cham berlain, has
made no secret Of the fact that he has been
handed an application of large number
of capitalists for large tract OF land in
the disputed territory; that these capital
lists offer to purchase for a large sum a
specific tract of land in the northwestern
district, with absolute right to the mine
rails and precious stones therein, timber
rights and township rights, as well as
leave to sell the concession or portions OF
it to public companies. This application
is under consideration by the local Gov
eminent at the present time.
When this offer became known in the
more influential circles in this colony the
British Guiana chartered company was in
stituted and they have now transmitted to
the Secretary of State, through the
Colonial Government, a petition for con-
cession of crown lands ON the right bank
of the Cuyuni River to the western
boundary of the colony. OF course the
chartered company in their zeal seem to
have overlooked the fact that the "western
boundary of the colony" is still underlined.
But again there is no secrecy about the
fact that the concession applied for by the
chartered company is the same as was in
dicated in a dispatch from the Secretary of
State to the Governor of this colony when
he referred to the necessity for immediate
opening up the interior of the colony and
went on to add how it was possible leap
italists might be found in the colony who
would be prepared to purchase for a capital
sum concession of fair portion of the
gold field in the northwest district.
The granting of the concession is con-
sidered an absolute certainty, and this
view is considered to be greatly strength
o,ad from, tho fact that the oh a rtered com
pany has given an undertaking to hand
over to the Government of the colony
within two years after the granting of the
concession the sum of 100000 to be ex-
pended in the construction of roads and
bridges to connect the concession with the
coast, and to have further working CAPT.
tai of $4,000, and in case of failure to
comply with those terms to forfeit the con-
cession.
The situation in British Guiana remains
unchanged. The colonists have accepted
and absolutely rely upon the statement of
the administration that the home Govern
ment will assert their territorial rights up
to the Schomburgk line, at least. And as
no move has been made to disturb the ex-
listing arrangement of affairs the colonists
treat with cool indifference the pre- tensions
of the Venezuelans.
Colonel McInnis, the inspector-general
of police, who proceeded to Yuruan on a
visst of inspection few weeks ago, has re-
turned to GEORGETOWN. Beyond the Or
Yuruan, some eight men, not single
movement has been made in that direc-
ton up to the present time.