The Forrest City times., 1896-03-13
ONLY FOUR COPIES

ana Ihree for the State Department.
ABOUT whose Distribution the Hence,
secrecy Is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 60
Not Made Up. ~"se
WASHINGTON, March 10.-Four comics
Oh the Venezuelan blue book reached
washington Sunday, having been sent
advance of their publication in En-
gland. One came to Sir Julian Paunce-
tote, exclusively for his information
anu NOT as was expected, to be pre-
sented by him to the Venezuelan com
mission as the British case. The other
copies came to the state department
from Ambassador Bavard, to whom
ohey were given by Lord Salisbury.
over a week ago. it is supposed. sim
ply as an act of personal courtesy tn
.he American ambassador, as the state
department officials are most mvste-
rlous about the matter and denv all
knowledge of the book
In the meantime the Venezuelan
commission has to depend for infor-
nation on the subject upon the full
abstract cabled by the United Press
last Friday. The copy of the docu-
ment received at the British embassy
u.s. In appearance, very imposing af-
fair, with its accompanying folio Of
maps, and is evidently prepared with
the direct end in view of the consid-
Grafton by such judicial body as is
constituted in President Cleveland's
commission. Each chapter dealing
with the various phases of the cues
ton closes with a concise statement
OF what is demonstrated, and the entire
work seems to have been accomplished
In a most painstaking, careful man.
ner.
10 those who have seen it, no doubt
exists that it is an exhaustive state
ment of Great Britains claim. and that
1T could not be extended in any par
ticular if England had consented to
arbitration, and had expressed will
llngness to let her case stand or fall
on the evidence therein presented.
The fact but one copy of the blue
book was sent to the British ambassa-
dor here, who alone would be the
vehicle of communication for such a
document to the United States gov
eminent. and the extreme reticence of
the state department regarding the
three copies which were transmitted
unotiicially by Ambassador Bayard,
confirms the impression that En-
gland, while declining to recog-
nize in any direct manner the
creation by President Cleveland of
commission to designate the true
divisional line, would, in Justice Brew
ers words in his letter to Secretary
Olney inviting information from the
two governments, ''act the part of an
umyus curiae," and be willing to
throw light upon difficult and complex
matters of fact. To that request,
which the commission made January
10, Venezuela responded by formally
appointing counsel and promising all
the evidence obtainable.
Lord Salisburys acquiescence, ac-
cording to best reports, was confined
to personal assurances to Mr.. Bayard
that Great Britain's case would be
fully made up for the information Of
parliament, and that the entire world
would then be in possession of every
argument upon which England's claim
to the territory was based.
As appears from the United Press
cablegrams, the preliminary edition of
the blue book on Friday, when it was
delivered to parliament, was totally
inadequate to supply the demand not
more than one hundred copies being
available for distribution. This may
account for only one copy being for
nd cd 70 T,,1.a = 30,
Secretary Olney.
Some speculation has been set ahoat
as to what Secretary Olney intends to
do with his copies. Naturally he
would wish to keep one for his own in
formation, as it replies more fully to
his famous dispatch of July 20 last
than did Lord Salisbury in his two re-
joinders of November &c. Another
copy might go to the president in
formally, merely as matter of inter
esting literature, but the destination
of the remaining copy is not yet per-
mitted to be guessed at.
The Venezuelan commission, which
would, under ordinary circumstances,
be thought to be the most appre-
ciative repository for the third copy,
claims to be utterly dependent upon
the United Press cablegrams for in
formation regarding the contents OF
the blue book.
Although intended more for the con-
sideration of the commission whose
appointment brought it forth. than
perhaps for any other body, all the
comics Int one now In this country are
apparently shrouded in the most inn
penetrable mystery. The hope is,
however, held out by those in author
ity that the next official mail from
London. arriving in Washington next