The record-union., 1896-01-22

WASHINGTON Ian. 21.-The cable
announcement that Lord Salisbury $
note presented to the Government at
Rio de Janeiro demanded that Brazil
should accept arbitration to decide the
ownership of the Island of Trinidad be-
for February 18th, in default of which
the island should be considered as be-
longing to Great Britain without fur
ther appeal, has caused serious COM
ment here, which has not been dimin-
isked by the further statement that
Brazil had definitely refused the propo-
sition, and had demanded that Great
Britain should Immediately restore the
island to Brazilian control; nor has the
situation been rendered less acute by
the intelligence conveyed in a cable
gram from Buenos Ayres announcing
that the Argentine Government had
cancelled the English cable company's s
concession, and had made common
cause with Brazil. In official circles
deep significance is attached to the con-
certed action Of the largest two South
American Republics in directly antago-
nizing British claims to American pos
sessions.
Minister Mendonca of Brazil spent
half an hour by special appointment
with Secretary Olney at the State De-
partment this afternoon, and it is sus-
pected that the interview related to the
decisive stand Brazil had taken in re-
gard to Lord Salisbury's note. The
brazilian view of the matter is that to
expect them to arbitrate the ownership
of Trinidad would be as unreasonable
as to ask the United States to arbitrate
the possession of Block Island, if Eng
land should suddenly occupy 1t on the
ground that the United States had not
hitherto made a good use of it. Or, as
another example, that the United States
would tamely submit to England's es-
tablishing a colony on an uninhabited
Florida key under the British flag be-
cause it was a. desirable cable station
and fit for nothing else.
A naval officer who is intrusted with
the duty Of keeping account of the sub
marine cables of the world explained
the Buenos Ayres dispatches to-day as
follows:
IAN English company holds an exclu-
sive concession for coastwise cables in
Brazil, the concession having about
y
Ponder, the cable king, several years
ago determined to secure telegraphic
connection between his great system
and the Pacific Coast of South America
as a lucrative field for telegraphic en-
terprises. To that end he entered into
negotiations with all the South Ameri-
can countries for concessions, being sue
cessful in almost every country except
in Brazil, where he was antagonized by
nhe English company, which, under its
exclusive right, operates all the lines
from the Amazon to the Rio Plata. He
asked Brazil for the use of the island of
Trinidad as an intermediate station, but
the English company in Brazil opposed
this. and defeated it through the very
fact that Trinidad was Brazilian terri
tory, and therefore included in its own
absolute concession.
"Sir John Pender went ahead, how
ever, with his negotiations with other
countries. until a sufficient time had
elapsed for an English warship to go
secretly to Trinidad and land there a
number of Sir John Pender's employees.
The English flag was raised, the cable
company's operatives were left in pos
session, and the warship steamed away
again. The only inhabitants of Trini-
dad to-day are Sir John Pender's men,
taken there by the British Government.
'eThe concession secured from the Ar
gentine Government, which was es
neciallv favorable to that country, pro-
vided for the construction of a cable
connecting with the company's main
line on the African Coast. and proceed
ing thence to Trinidad, the new port OF
La Plata. the Falkland Islands and 50
on around to Chile, the Argentine Gov
ernment giving the right for the landing
at La Plata.
.4t is learned from a member of the
diplomatic corps who has confidence in
South American representatives that
Argentine's action in canceliing the con-
cession is due to President Cleveland's $
snecial Monroe doctrine message, and
IS inspired by the hope that the United
states will recognize the right OF Ar
oentine to the Falkland Islands, which
were forcibly taken by Great Britain,
with the acquiescence of the United
States. subsequent to the Monroe doc
frine's enunciation. The islands We're
owned and settled by Spain, and thus
became part of the Argentine Re-
public.
Argentine vigorously protested when
they were seized by England. and in a
proclamation declared that though Ar
gentine was unable to resist the power
full force of England. it continued to
firmly adhere to its claim to the right
ful ownership of the territory. Under
these circumstances Argentine on the
18th instant informed the cable COM
pany that it considered the proposed
landing place at Trinidad as Illegal
and that it could not recognize any al
legged permit to use the Falkland Is
lands, consequently by its own terms
the concession fell to the ground.
ct is intimated that g. specially ac-
credited Minister from Buenos Ayres
will soon come to the United States to
endeavor to reopen the dispute as to
the ownership of the Falkland Islands.
in view Of the stand taken by President
Cleveland on the Venezuelan boundary
dispute. President Cleveland. in his
first annual message to Congress in
1885. referring to this question, said:
.The Argentine Government has re-
viyed the long dormant question Of the
Falkland Islands by claiming from the
Tinted States indemnity for their loss.
attributed to the action of the COM
rnander of the sloop of war Lexington
in breaking up piratical colony on