Evening star., 1896-01-21
THE VENEZUELAN COMMISSION.
A Division OF Duties Mnde-Request
for Information.

A Division OF Duties Mnde-Request
for Information.
The Venezuelan boundary commission has
named Mr.. s. Mallet-Prevost Of New York
as It's secretary. Mr.. Whitnore of ithaca,
N. T., was selected as one of the stenogra-
pners to be employed, and Walter Moul-
throp OF the District of Columbia was ap-
pointed messenger. 1t was ordered that
the rooms of the commission be kept open
every day from 8 to 8 o'clock.
70 each commissioner has been allotted a
particular line of inquiry, which he is ex-
pectsd to report upon to his fellow-commis-
sioners at intervals. For instance, Mr..
White has been charged with the prepara-
ton of what may be likened to an abstract
OF title; Mr.. Gilman has undertaken the
preparation of all the maps and charts re-
CURED, and other members have been call
ed upon to collect from the library of the
department Of State and the library of
Congress all Of the documents and histor-
ical maps and papers bearing upon the
venezuelan boundary question. The effort
Will be to have these inquiries proceed
simultaneously and apace, and 1t is felt
that by adopting this order much time
will be saved.
The commission has invited the govern
ments OF Great Britain and Venezuela to
submit to 1t all of the evidence in their
possession to further the work of the COM
mission, and to be represented before it
by their attorneys. The invitation goes in
the shape OF a letter from Judge Brewer
to Secretary Olney. The letter in part is
as follows:
Il have the honor to state that the COM
mission appointed by the President of the
United States has, after careful considera-
ton, concluded to address you on the ques-
ton OF securing, SO far as possible, the
friendly cooperation and aid of the two
nations which are directly interested in the
now pending boundary differences.
1t must have suggested itself to you, as
1t no doubt has to the President, that this
commission bears only a remote resem-
blance to those tribunals Of an interna-
tional character Of which we have had sew
eral examples in the past. They were con-
stituted by or with the consent of the dis
putants themselves, and were authorized
by the parties Immediately concerned to
pronounce final judgment. The questions
at issue were presented by the advocates
OF the various interests, upon whose dill
gence and skill the tribunal might safely
rely for all the data and the like. 1t is
scarcely necessary to say that if either
should deem it appropriate to designate an
agent or attorney whose duty 1t would be
overlooked, the commission would be CRATE
full for such evidence of good will and for
the valuable results which would be likely
to follow therefrom.
Any act of either government In the
direction here suggested might be accom-
panied by an express reservation as to her
claims and should not be deemed to be an
Abandonment or impairment of any posi-
ton heretofore expressed In other words
and In lawyers phrase, each might be will
Ing to act the part of an amicus curioe, and
to throw light upon difficult and complex
questions of fact. which should be exam
ined as carefully as the magnitude of the
subject demands. The purposes of the
pending investigation are certainly hostile
to none, nor can it be of advantage to any
that the machinery devised by the govern
mi n n Tod Gtnf to- b. Tl1
sired information should fail Of it's pur-
pose. 1 have the honor to remain, your
most obedient servant"
The Secretary's reply was short and for
NAL, merely an acknowledgment Of the re-
ceipt of the letter and statement that he
had caused copies Of it to be sent to the
British and Venezuelan governments 1t
cannot be said that the commission is con-
ident Of q favorable response from both
parties to the boundary controversy al
though the courteous terms in which the
suggestion is couched lead to the hope
that it will be accepted.