New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-05
CASE PRESENTED
A SUNNARY OF THE REPORT
OUTCOME OF SIR FREDERICK Poll
LOCKS INVESTIGATIONS.
LORD SALISBURYS LETTER CONFIRMED.

AND FRENCH ARCHIVES TO PROVE THAT
SPAIN NEVER HELD OR SERIOUSLY
CLAIMED THE TERRITORY NOW IN
pIsPUTE-TO BE SUBMIT
TED TO PARLIAMENT.
London March 4.-"The St. James's Gazette. un-
dor the caption, 1.-THE British case Against Nenez-
uela publishes two columns OF matter. when IL
sa,s Is summary Of the report made by Sir Fred
ericl Pollock for submission 10 Parliament. The
cavo,to" savs that besides having at his disposal
documents in possession of the British Colonial ana
Foreign Offices, Sir Frederick Pollock has drawn
freely upon Information made accessible 10 the BRIT
ish Government by the keepers OF the archives oil
Spain and Holland
The material supplied by Holland covers the period
, ,ho ,a,tar mart of the sixteenth century 10 the
cacond decade OF the nineteenth century, and the
Snanish documents cover the period since the hrSt
ascent of the Amazon by Orellana, In loZ ana from
the first ascent of the Orinoco by Juan Martinez
until Venezuela in 1890 assumed independent ex-
istence The evidence includes the particulars ana
circumstances in which the British took possession
~ the whole of the Dutch West India colonies III
,7S 1896 and 1903 and the treaties under which
these transferences were ratified the first one being
concluded in 1914. TO which Spain~was party. me
evidence also includes the story OF the correspond
rco and negotiation with the various interested
Governments by Venezuela. from $40 Gown to the
present time.
The information supplied by the Colonial Office
comprises that collected by the successive Governors
Of the territory since the administration OF Coiohe'
Nicholson In 1903 regards the extent ana char-
actor of the Dutch occupation and exploration OF
the INTERIOR and also the details OF the Venezuelan
incursions into British territory between the o'i-
noco and the Cuyun the attempts OF American CON
cessionaires to establish themselves in British Gu-
ana the steps taken to maintain Eritish ownership
and the work done by Great Britain to ascertain
tho natural and geographic boundary without pref
udce 10 strict territorial rights beyond such bounn-
ary These documents. accompanied By important
mans bearing thereon. show BRUSH case OF over
wheiming strength against Venezuelan pretens'ons
Of ownership the west bank or the Essepui"o-
DUTCH CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE
,ho re,ort shows that the Dutch had from the
earliest times possession OF the coast OF Guiana as
far north as the mouth OF the Ornoco. such pos
session implying the right OF ownership OF 'he
hinterland a right exercised by the Dutch, VINO III
the sixteenth century had coffee, cotton ana sugar
plantations far up the rivers and prospected Tor
gold and silver in the basin OF the CuyunL The
carly Dutch maps give the northwest boundary,
starting from Barima Point and taking a north
westerly course inland roughly parable. with me
Or,noco 10 the confluence Of the Caroni ana the
Orinoco
ono ., these mans prepared for Louis Ky Of
France by the Kings geographer. De Lise. and
printed in Amsterdam in l7H. shows the line OF
partition according TO the bull issued by rope
Alexander VI. aliottng the whole OF South America
west OF the Amazons TO Spain and the "hoie Oh the
territory on the east OF the Amazons TO portugal
To the west OF this is large section extending from
mo amazon 10 the mouth OF the Orlnoco marked
GUYANA" This is divided In two the Dutch part
extending from Barlma TO the River Marl"'h, anu
the French part from the Mariwini to cape N'r''
OH tho delta Of the Amazon. The spanish se'''-
mont of ST Thome. the Ornoco. appears on TINS
mad but the Dutch line from Barma IL Identical
win the line representing the eNtrcm" BRUSH
claim The Essequibo is expressly taken oui OF inc
limits 4 the Spanish settlements not only 10y "'
linc mentioned. but 10y the words E~s'I"l"' aux
Holland" Sir Frederick pollock proves that the
Spaniards at 70 time established themselves III
Guiana proper until they overran part Of the hrush
territory to the Cuyunl in and since lSA Ihey GOT
40 further than the Orncco.
The fact that 50. Thome = marked on the Ere On
map as the extreme limit OF their stations j. po'"'
out by a Dutch map which in lsN Was prepared
for the Committee OF Colonies OF the Haia ian Il
public by Major Won BlOuchenroeder ms map
shows tina, the Dutch frontier begins A. Harima'
from which a straight line Is drawn inland WIN
the words above IT, Anci'n pos,' h"i', .rh, a,
was prepared TO assist the statesmen VINO "'ir
negotiating the cession OF IN" putch c9.oh'5 u,
I,oIork gives details showing that II was upon The
basis Of this and similar maps mat the 'esS''" ""S
SPANISH ~NCROACIIMENTS RESISTED
CORRESPONDENCE taken from the archives shows
| that when the Spanish showed themselves In the
cryuni Valley the Dutch Government vigorously
nrotcstcd to Spain against the cncroachments OF
| her subjects upon Dutch territory. The archives
show that Spain did not answer the protest oil the
Dutch Government Certainly Spain did not asser,
her ownership of the region in question TIL" States
General Of Holland 1853 and in lIc' set forth the
| Dutch territorial rights and demanded PREPARATION
for Spanish violation thereof. The correspondence
shows that the Dutch asserted ownership OF the
entire watershed OF the Essequibo. and laid great
stress upon their rights TO the cuyunl. upon the
| upper reaches Of which stream they had cstab-
shed gold dggings and had been on terms Of inter
course with the Indian tribes there for 10 years in
! making researches.
| The evidence which Spain placed at the disposal
of the Foreign Office shows that Spain did not rebu'
the claim made ny IN" Dutch 10 The territory
! throughout the basin OF the Cuyuni me spanish
| Government, however. condemned proposals made
! by the Governor of Cumana, who sought to push
re Dutch out OF the Cuyuni basin on the ground
that they were too audacious H. having attempted
| 10 show that the province OF Dutch Guiana was
more extensive than actually thc This
decision ratified by the Spanish council OF
State though no rcparation was made TO the Dutch
for the interference OF t' SpahlSh III th'lf ttIll-
tory. ~ $3.50 a.,
| Frederick Pollock says he has been able 10 make
an rrefragabe for British ownership OF the
| cuviIui la sin as having been inherited from the
| Dutch though no absolute evidence IL adduclble 10
show how far the Dutch held the country between
tho natural geographical delmltation known as
Tho Schomburgk line and the bank of the Ornoco.
The reDort after cxhausting the evidence prior to
English ACQUISITION OF the country, deals with the
more recent diplomatic aspects OF the case. which
! are summarized.
THE COMMISSIONERS INTERESTED.
ANXIOUS TO SEE THE FULL. BRIEF-THE SUN