Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-07
VENEZUELAN CASE.
BRItain'S Blue Book on the Subject Is
sued Last Night.
A VOLUME OF 44a FOLIO PAGES.
Documents and Correspondencc-
Outline of the Position of England
I'm the LOng-Pending Dis
pute.

Venezuela book, which is entitled )ocu-
ments and correspondence relating TO the
question of the boundary Of Venezuela,
will be issued by the government tonight.
The volume consists of 4i3 folio pages
with n separate book containing nine
maps. The book opens with forty pages
comprising a preliminary statement deal
ing with the history of the territory
from 1870 until the issuance of her
Majesty's memorandum to Venezuela in
March. 1880. The book is divided into
historic periods from the earliest time to
1913. from 1913 to 1885, and 1886 to 1870
After that period references are made to
various claims and dispatches, and the
report concludes with a brief summary.
The preliminary matter is summarized as
follows:
"'The purpose OF the present state
ment." the book says rs to explain
general outline of the position of Great
Britain in the long-pending dispute with
Venezuela as regards the boundary be-
tween British Guiana and that country.
The territories now known as British Gui-
ana and Venezuela had been discovered
discovery and 1913 the Spaniards and the
Dutch occupied portions of this territory,
the extent of such occupation by each
country to be a matter Of consideration.
I'm 1880. the United PROVINCES OF the
Netherlands threw off their allegiance to
the Spanish crown, and war ensued,
which lasted almost uninterruptedly for
seventy years. In January. l6iS. peace
was concluded by the treaty or Munster,
by which Spain acknowledge the inde-
pendence OF the Netherlands and the
two countries respectively confirmed their
then possessions on the South American
Continent From 1918 to 1896. with the
exception Of the interval between l7Sl and
17S3. the Dutch remained in possession
Of the territory they had occupied prior
to the treaty OF Munster, and extended
their 1.at me- ferHtdry wthn now known as
British Guiana was acquired by Great
Britain. That acquisition was recognized
and confirmed by a treaty concluded IN
1901. In 1910 Venezuela revolted, but her
existence apart from the
United States of Colombia. into which she
was for a time merged, did not commence
until 1890 and was not formally recog-
nized by Spain until 1915.
CONCLUSIONS.
at is therefore held that the following
have been clearly established:
81 That prior to 1880 the Dutch had es-
tabNshed themselves on the coast of
Guiana.
-
established no settlements in Guiana.
20. That by 1913 the Dutch settlements
in Guiana extended along the coast the
whole way from the river MarOni 10 the
Barima, and inland TO various points in
the interior. upon the Rivers EsSedulDO,
Cuyuni. Pomeroom. Waini, and Barima,
and their tributaries.
of SpaniaTds in Guiana was San Thome
de Guayana. on the south bank of the
Orinoco. originally founded in 1886 at a
point shown on the sketch map.
"5 That between 1923 and 1870 the only
additional settlements founded by span
lards in Guiana were those established
by the Capuchin missions south OF the
Orinoco. In the direction OF the river 1u-
ruri and two villages on the upper ORR
ncco several hundred miles above San
Thome de Guayana.
sc That Dutch occupation to the extent
above indicated was perfectly well known
i'm Spain, and that the attempts or the
Spanish TO dispossess the Dutch had
wholly failed; 800. CO. -,
tain has continuously remained IN posses
sion. and her subjects have occupied fur
ther portions Of the territory TO which the
Dutch established the title"
From the rsI settibmenrs I'M n,cb 10 ab1esr 51S
to have been the first. and this statement
is supported by an exhaustive history or
the different attempts at occupation OF the
disputed territory by the Dutch, Spanish,
and British
NEGOTIATIONS SINCE 1890.
Coming to the more recent history Of
the DISPUTE, the report says: "As regards
the negotiations instituted by Venezuela
in 1880 and 1898. for renewal OF diplo-
matte relations and settlement OF the
here TO say that they failed Of successful
owing to the persistence of the
Venezuelan negotiators in asserting claim
to all the territories as far as the Esse-
duibo or its immediate neighborhood.
"The above examination shows that the
main grounds upon which the claim of
Venezuela is supposed to be based. so
far as IL has been presented to Great
Britain at different times during the last
fifty years, have been as follows:
Il The original discovery and the first
exploration OF the South American Con-
tnent by Spain, which are clearly irrele-
want.
which cannot be considered as having any
real bearing upon the question.
''3 The allegation that the occupation
Of Guiana by the Dutch was a violation
Of the treaty of Munster. This allegation
has been shown TO be unfOunded.
"a. Possession and occupation by the
spaniards of the territory south Of the
Orinoco. including the rivers Barima. Mo
rocco, and Pomeroon. Ii has been shown
that the only Spanish settlements there
AT any time were San Thome de Guyana,
which was situated on the south bank OF
rhe Orinoco and which had been moved
from time TO time higher up the river,
and was destroyed by the British and
Dutch successfully; and the Capuchin set
situated between the Orinoco
and the Tumerimo as has been previously
Is That the Dutch had never had any
north of the Essequibo. This
statement has been shown 10 be equally
erroneous as the other
rz-,S AcNANTNfITX
"a perusal Of the whole diplomatic cor
will show that the British
while insisting that the just
claims of Great Britain would entitle her
10 a boundary embracing practically the
whole watershed OF the Essequibo, the
Cuyunlf. he Yuruari. the Pomeroon, the
Waini, and the Barima, has been willing
10 agree to a boundary within those
limits which would give Venezuela far
more territory than that 10 which she
can show any title.
going chapter, 1t will be seen that Great
Britain. while maintaining her just rights,
has consistently shown desire 10 make
A fair arrangement with venezuela as TO
boundary, and that the claim OF Vene-
zuela that her territory extends TO the
has been based upon conten-
lions which are in no way supported by
the facts. and cannot be Justified upon
any reasonable ground"
The statement concludes with repeti-
ion OF the propositions maintained
throughout the case
The foregoing statement and the au-
thoritles contained In the documents an
nexed, establish. IL the matter Is treated
as one of strict right. the fact that Great
Britain, as the successor OF the Dutch,
IS entitled TO the territory extending TO
3arima, including the watersheds OF all
rivers south of the Orinoco which flow
nto the Atlantic.
The appendix of correspondence con-
tains 325 documents. largely relating 10
The early administration OF British
Guiana. The diplomatic part includes
exchanged by Senor
Micheiena and Lord Rosebery In the
ibortive negotiations OF 1888 to arrange
Tor arbitration.