The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-11-27

colonies of EssequibO, Demerara anu
Rerbic. without designating any nXeu
boundary lines.
After the war of independence, or III
1922. the government of VeneZuela sue
ceeded to the rights of Spaln III the
Territory west of the EssequIbo river,
and has always peTsistently claiiheu ~.
In 1886 Mr.. Robert Ker Porter, the
British Charge d. Affaires at Caracas
formally requested the Venezuelan
government to establish light mouse
on Point Barino, at the mouth OF the
OIinoco river, on territory that Is now
in dispute, although the English gov
eminent declared in 1887, fifty years
later that this request of its represent
alive was never communicated 10 or OPP
posed by it.
In 1S41 Sir Robert Shamburgh, an
engineer employed by the EngIIsh
government, made number OF sur
Veys in this territory west of the Esse-
auibo river and planted posts ana
other marks of his operations, when
so excited public opinion in Venezuela
that the English government ordered
their removal aud obiteration. Since
that time Venezuela has been constant
in her efforts to st cure treaty where
by the dispute might be arbitrated and
settled.
In 1914 preliminaries were arranged
for the negotiation of treaty, and the
Venezuelan plenipotentiary, relying
upon history, treaties and maps,
claimed the EssequibO river on the
frontier, to which the British plenipO-
tertiary responded by proposing the
Morocco river as the boundary, thus,
as we stated, leaving Venezuela in
Gal 80 Of la. nr
inoca river. For this cessOn of terri
tory the latter presented no claim
whatever.
In 1850 the public mind of Venezuela
was again eXasperated by information
to the effect that Great Britain pro-
posed to seize Venezuelan Guiana. Mr..
Wilson, British Charge d. Atfaires IN
Venezuela, FASTENED TO contradict 1t,
and affirmed that his government had
no intention ofoccupying the territory
in dispute and that 1t would not do so.
AT the same time he asked for and OBJ
tanned a declaration to the same effect
from the Venezuelan government.
The territory in dispute was not at
that time specified, but it was nat
urally supposed from the terms of the
proposition of the British plenipOten-
tiary in 1914, TO lie between the Esse-
quito and Pomaron rivers. In 1876
Venezuela again urged a settlement of
the question, to which five years later
Lord Granville replied by new prop
osition, fixing the boundary at point
on the Atlantic coast 20 miles east
of the right bank OF the Barima river
thus greatly enlarging the English
claim.
In 1888 the British government pro-
posed joint settlement of boundaries,
aud during the negotiation of the
treaty the Venezuelan plenipOtentiary
obtained the written promise of the
English government that all questions
between their respective countries
should be settled by arbitration.
A change in the British ministry oc-
Cured before the treaty was signed,
and the successor of Lord Granville
announced that Great Britain would
not arbitrate question of limits, al
though she had TesOrted to this pro-
cess in her questions with the United
States in 1927 and 1871
In 1856 Lord Roseberry presented
new boundary proposition, coupled
with proVlsO for free navigation and
commerce on the OrniocO river, which
Venezuela declared to be an inadmis
siOle proposition and refused To accept.
Pending the negotiations i'm London
the authorities of Britiah Guiana pro-
ceeded to occupy portion of VeneZue-
lao Guiana. The government of Ven
ezuela promptly protested against this
occupation and demanded of Great
Britain to Withdraw her pretentiOus,
aud the latter having failed to comply
with this demand, Venezuela dissolved
diplomatic relations with that govern
ment. Such relations nave not since
been resumed, although the United
States has several times eXerted itself
to bring about settlement.
The apparent determination of Great
Britain of holding to The extreme limit
of the boundary of the disputed terri
tory, at last caused the Venezuelan
government to appeal to the United
States to intercede for them and briue
the matter TO a peaceable settlement if
possible.
This proposal resulted in the eX-
change of a number of state dispatches
between Secretary of State Olney and
the Marquis of Salisbury. Mr.. Olney
in his papers clearly sets forth the
claims of Venezuela but space will not
permit US to give them in detail, nor is
1T necessary to do SO, as they are still
fresh III the memory of the American
people. We will merely summarize
Gu0 main pOlnUS vi argument as lneY
were given in the note addressed by
the Secretary reopening the negotia-
tiOns with Great Britain with the pur-
pose of submitting the same TO arbi-
tralion. This paper bears the date of
July goth, 1895, and was addressed to
Ambassador Bayard, our national rep
resentative at the Court of st. James.
In it the Secretary traced the va
rious efforts made by Venezuela To ar
rive at a settlement of the boundary
dispute and of the United States to Sc
cure its submission to arbitration,
bringing the history down to the latter
part OF the year, when the important
features of the situation were summar
lied by him as follows:
l. The title to territory of indefinite,
but confessedly very large extent, is in
dispute between Great Britain and
Venezuela
2. The disparity in strength of the
parties is such that Venezuela can hope
to enlist her claim only through peace
able means.
B. The controversy has existed for
half century, despite Venezuela's eff
forts to establish boundary.
4. Venezuela for quarter of a CEN
tnry has striven for arbitration.
4 (Hraat Rritoin baa