Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-11

Adopted.

now pending between Great Britain and
| Venezuela will be settled by arbitration
at an early day. Under these circum-
stances. the commission. while continu-
ing its deliberations in the preparation
and orderly arrangement Of many valua-
BILE maps reports, and documents, which
have been procured and used in the
course of its labors. does not propose to
formulate any decision for the present
Of the matters subject TO it's examna-
ton 1t will continue its sessions from
time TO time. but with the hope and ex-
poctation that a friendly and just settle
ment of all pending differences between
the nations interested will make any
final decision on its part unnecessary"
SALISBURY AND OLNEY.
Two letters. which had been exchanged
| between the United States and Great
Britain regarding Venezuela since the
presentation Of Mr.. Olney's counter-pro-
position Of June 18th. were given 10 the
press at the State Department this after
noon. and help materially to clear up the
situation. In a dispatch Of May p, 1896
Lord Salisbury had proposed an evenly
divided commission. 10 report upon terri
| tory i'm dispute outside the so-called set
suggested provision for a commission OF
UNEQUAL numbers. The next dispatch was
from Lord Salisbury TO Sir Julian Paunce-
fote and was as follows:
Foreign Ohice July 3. 1896.
girl have TO acknowledge your fA-
cellency's dispatch OF the lotn OF Jun.
enclosing a note from Mr.. Oiney. in which
he explains the reasons that lhuuce the
Government Of the United States TO with
hold their assent from the proposals Win
respect TO the Venezuelan frontier con
tained in my dispatch of the 22d OF May.
"The arguments by which Mr.. Oihey
supports this view will receive the careful
consideration OF her MaJestys Govern
ment. / am not now writing TO you loI
the purpose Of discussing them. My OO-
iect In addressing your kXcenehcy - 10
point out that in matter OF some I'M
portance. MIR. Olney. owing dountess 10
the inadeQuacy OF my own eHpldnduOl'
has misapprehended the purport or the
proposal which / had the honor to make
10 him. He states that II appears 10 De
a Fundamental condition that the DOuu
Diary line decided 10 be the true one by
the arbltrators shall not operate upon
territory bona ide occupied by a Brltlsn
subject, but shall be detected IN eIeIS
case 20 as 10 make such territory part OF
British Guiana
BRITISH PROPOSALS.
This was not the intention of my pro
posals. and the language Of my dlspdlCn
OF the a.l OF May utf7 llNAf tAAtAi''f
bear this construction. / proposed thal
the tribunal should not haze po"er 70
include such districts as the territory ol
Venezuela; but / did not propose tn'
without further proof, 20 be p5rt OF
British Guiana. J only stipulated l%ha' % u
the ownership of them was not 70 pe ~
cidcd by the tribunal. which, IN our JNuS-
ment was Inadequate Tor this purpose.
though IL was adequate Tor the a5siSlI
ment Of the unsettled districts. Ihe set
tied districts shown 10 be in dispute Dy
the inquiries OF the commission were lu
he disposed of bv subsequent negotiation
The claim of Venezuela is so Iar-reach
ing that IL brings into question lhleIest
and rights which cannot properly be ula
posed of by an unrestricted aIDllIdliOl.
IL extends as far as the EsseQulDO. III
covers tWO-thirds of the Colony OF bIlllSh
Guiana: II impeaches titles which nav
been unquesuOned for many generations.
These districts must be treated separate
lv and until further inquiry has thrown
more light upon the matter IL Is oHl4 10Y
reserVing the settled districts seheIdllS
| that this can be done.
''The view Of her Maiestys Government
| is that where the matter in issue is OF
great importance. and involves HehlS
| which belong 10 a considerable PopulatIoh'
and are deeply cherished ON tneH. spe
| cial precautions against any nl1cdIl ihEt
OF Justice are required. OF Whlcn ! nave
| indicated the general character IN this cor
reepOndence but which are NOT require
where & title 10 unoccupied territory IS
| alone IN issue. IL Is for this reason thdt
| her Majesty s Government proposed 10 tA-
| cept these districts from the JURISDICTION
/ Of the arbitral tribunal. though II couid
/ deal adequately with the diSp9ted ciaLiii.s mn,
! 10 territory that Is not occupied. But tney
did not intend by that stipulation 70 ask
the Government of the United states 10
prejudge any questions which had been
/ raised. or might he raised with respect 10
/ the ownership OF settled districts
This part Of the subiect-coniessed
| the most difficult part-wOuld have been
reserved for separate examination.
81 should wish you 10 oiter thls eApld-
I nation 10 Mr. Olney when you have am
/ opportunity and II be desires IT, give him
a copy Of this dispatch. / viii reserve lot
| another occasion the observations Whicn'
after consideration ] may have 10 make
I'm reply TO the general argument or ms
1sIaned SALISBURY"
OLNEY's REPLY.
Secretary Olney's reply TO this letter fol-
Department OF state,
washington. July Is. 1895.
Your Excellency: / have the honor 10
acknowledge the receipt from you OF "a
/ copy of Lord Salisbury's dispatch TO you
Of the Sd instant Its object Is 70 eAplalh
| .hat his LOrdship. in his previous dls
| patch OF May 22d, did not intend that
the boundary line fixed by the proposed
| arbitral tribunal should include IN British
Guiana any territory bona fide occupied
/ bv a British subject January ]. lSsL but.
| as such territory must fall upon one SIDE
/ or the other Of any complete boundary
| line. and was certainly not in any event
| to be assigned 10 Venezuela, an the pres
| ent explanation would seem 10 snow -
| that Lord Salishurys proposals Of May I'd
contemplated not a complete BOUNDARY
| line. but a part or parts or such nNc
| namely. such part or parts as might az lu,
uninhabited or unsettled territory. Such
/ saNnr 81 n
construction Of paper winch IN terms
I proposes the following basis or settle
mcnt OF the Venezuelan boundary us
| pute.' by which the two governments are
| 10 endeavor TO agree TO boundary line
upOn the basis OF certain report, ana
by which in the absence OF such an agree
ment. an arbitfal tribunal Is 10 ny the
houndary line upOn the basis OF such re-
| port' Nothing in this language lntimates
| that anything less than complete Douh-
dairy line is 10 be the outcome or the pan
%The discussion is. however. hardly
worth pursuing. If Lord Salisbury did
not make his meaning clear I'm the dis
patch Of May 22d. he certainly is en-
| titled TO make II clear now. There y
another part Of the dispatch which seems
TO me Of more importance and upon
which | wish to base an inquiry. The
| claim of Venezuela. it Is said, is so far-
reaching that IL brings into question IN
terests and rights which cannot properly
| be disposed OF Dy an uhIeHlllcttd diplti q
! lion. III extends as far as the EssequibO
! IL covers two-thirds OF the Colony OF
British Guiana; It impeaches titles which
have been unquestioned for many genera
VENEZUELA'S CLAIM
.''rhat Venezuela claims territory ex-
tending into the Essequibo. or covering
two-thirds OF the Colony OF British Gul-
ana cannot be regarded as being OF itseli
an Insuperable obstacle 10 unrestricted ar
bitration: but the objection that the Vene-
z,ielan claim 'impeaches titles which have
been unquestioned for many generations
is undoubtedly OF the most weiehty