The herald., 1896-02-22
Trots Right Along Toward an
AmiCabIe Settlement
BOTH COUNTRIES ANXIOUS
To Settle the Quarrel Without Loss of
Dignity
1t Is Believed That the Two Governments
Have Already Arrived at q SatIsfac.
tory Understanding
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 21.-Inasmuch as the
Venezuelan commission at it's last meeting
adjourned to meet next Friday, there was
no regular meeting today. although three
of the members, President Brewer and
Messrs. Alvey and White, held confer
ence with the secretary of the commission,
Mr.. Mallett Provost, to compare notes OF
the progress of the work. The two absent
members, Messrs. Coudert and Gilman,
were also communicated with. At present
the commission is awaiting the receipt OF
evidence which Great Britain and Venezu-
ella have promised to submit, and when
that is at hand it is said that rapid progress
can be made. Meanwhile, however, the
time is being employed TO the best advant-
age in the prosecution of individual re-
searches by the members of the commits
sion, and much valuable data has been col
lected.
The persstency with which the rumoT
comes across the water that our government
has arrived at an understanding with Great
Britain upon modified form of arbitra-
ton of the Venezuelan controversy at last
begins to cause this idea to be seriously en-
tertained here. As far as the public cor
respondence shows, there has been no eX-
change of notes between the two govern
ments since the receipt OF Lord Salisbury's
response, in the shape of two separate
notes, date of November %. last year, to
Secretary Olney: note of last July /. In
curry falls to show that there has been any
formal exchange Of notes since that date,
out there is reason to believe that, either
through Mr.. Bayard in London or Sir
Julian Pauncefote in Washington. the two
governments have been adroitly sounding
each other to ascertain how an arrange
neent of the difficulty, which appeared
from the two last notes exchanged to be
very serious, can be effected witi.e;is
conveying the impression that either party
has surrendered the principles upon which
it then took its stand.
So far it is learned that there is good rea-
SON to hope for a most satisfactory OH come
of the negotiations, probably in the line of
mixed arbitration and negotiations sug-
gested by Lord Salisbury in one of his
speeches in London and afterward en-
larged upon by member of the staff of
one OF the leading British newspapers.
GREAT BRIT ms CASE
LONDON, Feb. 22.-The Standard under.
stands that the attorney-general, Sir Rich
ard Webster, has revised the statement of
the British case OH the Venezuela dispute
prepared by Sir Frederick Pollock of Ok.
ford university, and that it will be issued
early next week with maps and documents.
I'VE believe" says the Standard. 'that
the government regards the British case az
historically unassailable, although the
diplomatic aspect is by no means free from
confusion"
The Standard also has an editorial on
this subject which. recognizing the rap
prochement between England and Ameri-
ca, protests against undue haste in settling
the Venezuela question. 1t commends the
government for going slowly and believes
tho American government equally circum-
spact.
The Standard also claims authority to
assert that President levelaDd has refused
to assist President Crespo in resisting Eng
lands claim for indemnity, and it thinks
the fact that the Washington government
has brought Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
British ambassador in Washington, into
direct communication with Senior Andrade,
the Venezuelan minister, hopeful for the
resumption of relations between England
and Venezuela.
Sir Baden Powell, Conservative member
of parliament from Liverpool, who acted
as Canadian commissioner on the joint
commission on the condition of seal life
in Bering sea in 1891, writes to the Times
suggesting that before England agrees to
joint commission she should ascertain how
venezuela would be bound by Its decision
and what degree of responsibility the
United States assumes in the control OF
Venezuela.
SMALLEY's SUGGESTIONS
LONDON, Feb. 22.-The Chronicle says
with reference to &. W. Smalley's sugges-
tions for the settlement of the Venezuela
question:
1--WE do not need to assume that Lord
Salisbury has rejected the American pro-
posal in it's entirety. 1t is doubtful il our
government will take any decisive action
until after the American commission has
reported. If the report should favor the
British claim the court might be inclined
to say the case was ended and the only re-
naming step for America to take was to
bring pressure to bear on Venezuela. We
fear, however, that the report will be de-
layed and will bring us perilously near the
great rock ahead, namely, the American
election