The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-02
AMBASSADOR PAUNCEFOTE AND
MINISTER ANDRADE CONFER
WITH OLNEY.
BOUNDARY INCIDENT DISCUSSED.
Uncle Sam Asked to Look Into the
Matter in Behalf of England-A
Financial Crash Has Struck
British Guina.

Washington, June 25.-Secretary Olney
received calls today from Sir Julian
Pauncefote, the British Ambassador
and Minister Andrade of Venezuela,
with both of whom he conferred sepa-
rately concerning the arrest by Nenezue-
Ian troops of the British crown surveyor,
Harrison, on the British Venezuelan
boundary. 1t is understood that Sir
Julian acting under instructions from
the British foreign Office, requested the
friendly intervention of the United States
towards securing the release of Harri-
son, as was done by the British authori-
ties in behalf of the American, John
Hays Hammond, during the Transvaal
uprising.
Minister Andrade was first at the de-
partment, so that at the time of his call
the British request had not been sub
mitted. Minister Andrade called very
early. before the usual hour when diplo-
matte calls begin. He was with Mr.. Oh
ney some time, going over quite fully the
circumstances of the Harrison incident.
The view of the minister was that the
affair had been modified and that it was
lacking in circumstance of serious in
dignity or wrong to the Briton. Both he
and Secretary Olney discussed the mat
ter informally, however, as no official
dispatches were at hand either from the
United States minister at Caracas or
from the government to Minister An
drade. This circumstance was regarded
as showing that the Caracas authorities
did not attach the importance to the sub
iect that it had assumed in London.
Sir Julian's call was made an hour af-
ter Minister Andradc had left. The cX-
act nature of the British request was not
made public, but its essential feature
was Il request for friendly intervention
by the United States. Owing to the
British-Venezuelan trouble the British
have no minister or consul in Venezuela,
so that it is necessary for an outside pow
er to act for them in any transactions
with Venezuela.
Germany heretofore has acted in this
capacity for the British, but the inter
est and the influence which the United
States has with Venezuela evidently in
clined the British to seek the good offices
of this country, rather than those of
Germany.
1t is believed that Secretary Olney al
ready has taken steps to communicate
with the Venezuelan government through
the medium of the United States minis
ter ut Caracas. Ordinarily the first step
of our secretary of state would be to
seek to ascertain for himself through our
minister the exact facts in the case. but
in view of the peculiar relations of the
two parties, he might depart so far from
the ordinary methods as to precede this
in the present instance with Il request
that Mr.. Harrison be released and that
the statu quo he thus restored to what
it was before the arrest. it being under
stood meantime there shall be no adj
vance ON either side until the case can be
settled soberly on its merits. The inter-
view between Secretary Olney and Sir
Julian lasted half an hour and on neither
side was there any disposition to make
public anything as to its nature. There
is reason to believe, however, that a so
luton of the present difficulty is expected
within two or three days.