Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-11

There are scattered English settlements In
the interior and to them II Is said II WIFI be
n question OF fact before arbitrators to deter
mine whether the British occupancy has
been open and notorious for a long term OF
years.
The term Of occupancy necessary to ex-
empt British settlements IN the disputed ter
ritory from arbitration Is fixed at nifty
years according to additional correspond
once on the subject which has been discov-
cred In other words, the British govern
mcnt has agreed TO unrestricted arbitration
OF all the territory in dispute with the period
for the acquisition OF title by prescription
fixed by agreement OF the parties IN advance
at fifty years.
Among diplomats II is felt that the efforts
Of the Venezuelan commission have not been
in vain. IL is regarded as the moral force
which has helped toward the present re-
suit. Moreover. the commission has accu-
muia'ed a mass Of evidence bearing directly
on the facts Of British occupancy, which Is
now the test OF settlement The fullneSs
OF this information gained by the commits
sion leads to come general Comcmnt as to
the probable choice OF Justice Brewers
brother commissioners as arbltrators, but
this is purely speculative. Mr.. Frederic
r. Coudert a member OF the commission
said today that It would be much better for
the boundary to be determined by arbitra'
tion than by decision Of the commission
The report OF the commission. however, II IL
should be made would be OF much value in
determining the matter in dispute.
When asked II his commission had been
apprised beforehand concerning the an
nouncement that would he made In the
Guildhall speech, Mr. Coudert said that he
had no prior information that Lord Sails
bury was to make the announcement OF the
near approach to settlement OF the dispute.
The two notes passing between Secretary
Olney and Lord Salisbury, which narrowed
down to an agreement, the only important
issue remaining to be decided, namely, that
of the disposition OF British vested rights
through settlement. bear date OF July 3
last, and are as follows
SALISBURY's DIFFICULTY.
Lord Salisbury to Sir Julian Pauncefote,
No III:
FOREIGN OFFICE, July g. 1896 Sir:
have TO acknowledge your eNcellency's dis
patch No. POO OF June l5 enclosing "A note
from MIR Olncy. in which he explains the
reasons that induce the government of the
United States to withhold their consent
from the proposals with respect to me
Venezuelan frontier, contained in my dis
patch No. 100 OF the 22d OF May. The
arguments 10y which Mr. Olney supports
this view, will receive the careful consider
alton of her majestys government. am
not now writing TO you for the purpose OF
discussing them. My object in addressing
your eXCcllcncy Is to point out that in
matter or some Importance, MIR Olney. ow-
ing doubtless. to the nndcquacy of my
own explanation, has misapprehended the
purport of the proposal which / had the
honor to make TO him. He states that
"It appears to be a fundamental condition
that the boundary line decided to be the
true one by the arhitrators shall not oper-
ate upon territory bona tidc occupied by a
British subject but shall hc DETECTED IN
every such case as to make such terri,
tory part OF British Guiana"
This was not tho intention Of my pro
posal. and the language Of my dispatch Of
the 22d OF May does not. ] think. fairly
hear this construction. | proposed that
"the tribunal should not have power
Venezuela" But I did not propose that
they should necessarily be assumed with
out further proof TO be part of the British
Guiana. J only stipulated that the own
ershp Of them was not to bc decided by
the tribunal, which, in our Judgment, was
INADEQUATE for this purpose, though 1t was
adequate for the assignment of the unset
tied districts The settled districts shown
TO be in dispute by the Inquiries were to be
disposed Of by subsequent negotiation.
The claim of Venezuela Is so far-reach-
Ing that II brings into question in this mat
ter rights which cannot properly be adju-
dicatcd by unrestricted arbitration. IT eX-
tends MS far as the Essequibo: II covers
two-thirds OF the colony OF British Guiana:
It impeaches titles which have been un-
questioned for many generations These
districts must be treated separately, and
until further inquiry has thrown more
light upon the matter II IS only by resery-
Ing tho settled districts generally that this
can be done. The view OF her maiesty's
government Is Tint whore the matter in
Issue is Of great Importance and involves
rights which belong to a considerable pop
uation and are deeply cherished by them.
special precautions against any miscarriage
OF Justice are required, of which I have
indicated the general character in this
correspondence, but which are not required
where title to unoccupied territory is
alone In issue. II Is for this reason that
her matestys government proposed to ex-
cept these districts from the Jurisdiction of
the arbitration tribunal though II could
deal adequately with the disputed claims
TO territory that is unoccupIed But they
did not Intend by that stipulation to ask
the government OF the United States to
prejudice any questions which had been
raised or might be raised with respect to
the ownership of settled districts, This
part of the subject confcsscdly the most
difficult part. would have been reserved for
separate examination.
should wish you to offer this explana-
tion to Mr. Olncy when you have an op-
portunity, and II he desires IT, give him a
copy OF this dispatch. | will reserve for
after consideration. I may have to make in
reply to the general argument Of his note.
SALISBURY.
oLNEY'S OFFER.
Mr.. olney to Sir Julian Pauncefote. No.
TON, July 49, lS96,-Your Exceilency: /
have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
dispatch to YOU of the 81 Instant Its Oh
3ect Is TO explain that his lordship in his
that the boundary line fxed by the pro-
posed arbltral tribunal should include in
I'IltlSn GUIANA any territory bona fde oc-
cupied by British subject January l.
leSn lSut as such territory must fall upon
one side on the other of any complete boun-
uary line and was certainly not i'm any
event 10 be assigned to Venezuela all the
present cNnlanation would seem to show
that Lord SalisburyS proposals of May %
contemplated not a completes boundary
line but part or parts of such a line
namely, such part or parts as might be
decided 10 be uninhabited or unsettled ter
SomcRat h heroic So"GaaGP aoasiructioS iFS9nirSf Sf
q paper which proposes the fol-
lowing basis of settlement of the Ven
ezuelnn boundary dispute" by which the
Two governments are to endeaVor to agree
ito boundary line" upon the basis of
certain report and by watch, In the alb
sence of such an agreement, an arbitral
tribunal Is TO FIN the boundary line" upon
the basis of such report. Nothing IN any
such language intimntes that anything less
than a complete boundary fnc Is TO be the
outcome of the plan suggested
The discussion Is however hardly worth
his meaning clear IN the dispatch of Nav
22 he certainly Is entitled to make II clear
now. There Is another part Of the dispatch
which seems TO me of more Importance and
upon which | wish 20 base an inquiry The
claim of Venezuela" II - said. 'is SO far
reaching that It brings into question in
terests and rights which cannot he prop
erly disposed OF by an unrestricted ar
bltration. 1t extends as far as the Esse-
quibo; II covers two-thrds of the colony Of
British GUIANA II impcaChcs titles which
lave been unqucstionel for many genera
tons" That Venezuela claims territory eX-