Evening star., 1896-06-23
WARLIKE ALARM
The British Surveyor Arrested in
Venezuela.
he WAS BUILDING 4 ROAD
Venezue'ans AIleqs It Was for Pur-
poses Of Conquest.
NAY PROV KE W AR

LONDON. June 23.-The secretary Of state
for the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain,
was questioned today regarding the action
which the government would take in re-
gard to the arrest Of Mr.. Harrison. the
crown surveyor Of British Guiana, by Ven
ezuelan troops. Mr.. Chamberlain declined
to say anything upon the subject. and would
in no way give any hint as to what the gov
ernment intends to do under the circum-
stances.
1t Was the Crown Surveyor.
Copyright, 1895, by the Associated Press.)
GEORGETOWN, British Guiana, June 23
Harrison, the British official whose ar
rest by an armed force Of Venezuelans on
June 10 became known here yesterday, is
the crown surveyor. The affair has caused
much indignation and excitement. Harri-
son was working, with force of about 100
laborers and engineers, we'll within the
Schomburgk line, opening up road from
the Barima to the Cuyuni river. When
notified by the commander of force of
Venezuelan troops to stop work, Harrison
did so. under protest and communicated
with Sir Augustus Hemming, the new gov
ernor Of British Guiana.
NOn-Resistance.
Governor Hemming notified Harrison to
claimed the right to arrest foreigners on
the left bank of the Cuyuni river. Harrison
carried out his instructions, but his arrest
seems to have followed on the receipt of
additional instructions from Caracas to the
commander of the Venezuelan force.
1t was this movement of the Venezuelan
troops and the arrest of Harrison which
led, it is said, to the alarming reports Of
the advance of Venezuelan troops into
British territory, which reports were fol-
lowed by the circulation Of stories Of san
culinary encounters. The reports of blood
shed are not believed. But it does not
seem probable that serious fighting has
occurred, as the colonial officials maintain
that the British force in the district where
the fighting is said to have taken place Is
limited to few policemen, who are sta
toned at the Uruan outpost. The police
are well trained soldiers, uniformed. armed
and drilled as regular troops The NeneZ-
uelan forces were scattered from Ell Do
RADIO downward, and outnumber the Brit
ish by thirty to ore.
The colonial officials say no British have
crossed the Schomburgk line, except to
visit the Venezuelans, or to send them
help as in the case of the recent fire at
FL Dorado.
The latest mail advices from the frontier
said that the best of feeling prevailed there
between the Venezuelans and the British.
Provoking Conflict.
The feeling here is that Great Britain
cannot delay action much longer. as the
Venezuelans, according to the British,
seem determined to provoke conflict with
out waiting for the report of the United
States commission.
On the other hand, unbiased judges of
the situation hold that the crown surveyor
and his laborers might very well have been
kept here until all danger of a conflict was
past, and the work of surveying of a road
building even near the disputed territory
was calculated to excite the Nenezueians
and cause further trouble. No military
man is foolish enough to really pretend
that the crown surveyor was engaged in
the work other than that Of preparing for
eventualities by improving the lines OF COM
munication between the seaboard and the
territory in dispute, and, therefore 1t seems
difficult to blame the Venezuelans for hav-
ing put stop to his operations. In fact,
1T Is rumored that the crown surveyors
arrest was not ordered until it became
plain his outward stopping of work and
retreat under protest were merely moves
intended to deceive the Fenezuelans, and
that he was pushing the surveying and
road making secretly, while apparently
having stopped work in obedience to the
remonstrances of the Venezuelans.
Facts Kept Secret.
The actual facts in the case naturally,
are kept secret by the British officials, who,
1t is understood, have cabled a full report
on the subject to the colonial office. The
people here are rapidly getting tired of the
whole dispute, especially Of the bungling
treatment. which the really serious bound
ary dispute is receiving in London, and 1t
is feared that the hands of all concerned
may be forced, sooner or later, by con-
fict on the border, which might have been
avoided had the dispute between British
Guiana and England been handled more
promptly and effectively by the home gov
ernment.
The jngoes here are loud in their de-
nunciation Of the so-called Outrage" upon
the crown surveyor, and are demanding
that his release must be Immediately
brought about by Great Britain, even If
resort to arms must follow in order to
bring about this result.
The more cool-headed of the population
are in favor Of peaceful negotiations and
of awaiting full details Of the arrest of the
crown surveyor before pronouncing any
judgment or taking action which might
tend to further complications.