, 1896-11-13
7uS VENEZUELA AFFAIR.
BUT ONE POINT NOW REMAINS
OPEN BETWEEN THE
NATIONS.
And That is a Matter of Detall and MOI
of Merit-A Solemn Agreement Be-
tween the United States n Great
Britain on the Terms Upon Which
the Settlement Will be Made.

Washington, Nov. 12.-But one point
"A matter of detail and not of merits
remains open between the United
States and Great Britain in the settle
ment OF the Venezuela question, ana
the cablegrams passing between Lon
don and Washington give every reason
to believe that this point, which has
delayed the formal afiiXing of sigma
tut es to the arrangement Of settlement,
will be determined within a day or two.
Ii relates to the choice of the four
judicial members Of the court of arbl-
tration. the two by this country n
two by Great Britain. 1t has been
found that it was no easy task to take
the lord chief justice, the solicitor gen.
eral or other eminent British judicial
functionary from his present import
ant duties and charge him with other
duties which may a k months or years
in their execution. For that reason it
has been considered wise to settle the
matter at the outset. AS stated, the
point remaining to be settled relates
wholly to the personnel of the arbitra-
ton tribunal. and in any event will not
affect the merits Of the agreement al
ready reached on the lines given in full
in the Associated Press dispatches.
The arrangement as to King Oscar ii.
of Sweden is not open, but is final so
far as Mr.. Olney and Sir Julian Paunce-
fote are concerned. The agreement. on
the king as the chief arbitrator was
made under the same circumstances
and conditions that always attach to
the selection of a ruler of a nation.
At times 1t has been the president of
the Swiss republic. at other times King
HumbeI.t who has been named. but al
ways with the understanding, which
diplomatic usage implies, that the king
could name another nominal represent
tative to relieve himself Of the more
laborious duties of the position. In the
present case. King Oscar was the n
upon whom the two countries agreed
and with the usual limitations suggest
Sh Altts ! oSh " Ii vi o"'i oAhN tS
he may designate as his representative.
There is much amused comment among
these intimately familiar with the facts
at the efforts in some quarters to make
nice distinctions as to the terms Of
King Oscars service and to question
the service itself, when in fact this
branch OF the subject Vas removed
from the field Of discussion some days
ago.
Now that the facts of the agreement
are known. fuller information is OBJ
tainable as to the form the compact has
taken. There are two distinct papers
in the transaction. The first and by
far the most important one, is in the
nature of a solemn agreement between
the United States and Great Britain on
the terms which the boundary question
will be settled and the form of the
court of arbitration. 1t is lacking in
the technical characteristics of a treaty.
and in form is a final agreement duly
signed by the representatives of the
Two governments on the terms by
which they will settle the differences
arising out of their different views on
the boundary question. Then. because
the subject matter of the boundary it.
self lies between Great Britain and
Venezuela, a second paper is made