The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-07
THE CLAIM OF VENEZUELA
MUCH EXPECTLD BLUE BOOK HAS
Ar LAST BEEN ISSUED.

pressive One.
London, March 6-The expected Ven-
ezuelan Blue Book, which is entitled
Documents and Correspondence Relat-
and Venezuela" will be issued by the
government tonight, The volume con-
slsts of 44S folio pages, with a separate
book containing nine maps. The book
opens with forty pages comprising q
preliminary statement dealing with the
history of the territories from 1850 until
the issuance of her majesty's memo
randum to Venezuela i'll March 1890.
The statement concludes as follows:
The above shows that the main
ground upon which the claim of VeneZu-
ella is supposed to be based, 50 far as it
has been presented to Great Britain at
different times during the last fifty
years have been as follows:
First-The original discovery and the
first exploration of the South American
continent by Spain, which are clearly
irrevelant.
Second-The Bull of Opeo Alexander
vi, which cannot be considered as hay
ing any real bearing upon the question
Third-The allegation that the occu-
patton of Guiana by the Dutch was
violation of the treaty of Munster This
allegation has been shown to be un-
founded.
Fourth-Possession and occupation by
the Spaniards of the territory south OF
the Orinoco including the rivers Bari
ma, Morocco and Pomeroon. 1t has
been shown that the only Spanish settle
ments there at any time were San
Thome De Giana, which was situated on
the south bank of the Orinoco, and
which had been moved from time to
time higher up the river as it was de-
stroyed by the British and Dutch sue
cessively, and the Capuchin settle
ments, situated between the Orinoco and
the Tumerino, as has been previously
described.
Fifth-That the Dutch had never had
any possessions north of the Essequibo.
This settlement has been shown to be
equally erroneous, as perusal of the
whole diplomatic correspondence viii
show that the British government, while
insisting that the just claims of Great
Britain would entitle her to a boundary
practically embracing the whole water
shed Of the Essequibo, the Cuyuni, the
Yuruari, the Pomeroon, the Waini and
the Barima, has been willing to agree
to boundary within those limits, which
would give Venezuela far more terri
tory than that to which she can show
any title.
From the summary given Of the fore
going chapter, it will be seen that Great
Britain, while maintaining her just
rights, has consistently shown de-
sire to make a fair arrangement with
Venezeula and that the claim of Ven-
ezuela that her territory extends to the
Essequbo, has been based upon CON
tentions which are in no way supported
by facts and cannot be justified upon
any reasonable grounds.
Besides the above statement the re-
port holds that the following conclu-
sions have been clearly established:
First-That prior to 1890 the Dutch
has established themselves on the coast
of Guiana.
Second-That prior to 1896 the Span
iards had established no settlements in
Guiana.
Third-That by 164S the Dutch set
Elements in Guiana extended along the
coast the whole way from the river
Maroni to the Barima and inland to
various points in the interior upon the
rivers Essequibo, Cuyuni, Pomeroon,
Waini and Barima, and their tributa-
ries.
Fourth-That up to 1923 the only set
tlement of Spaniards in Guiana was
San Thome LIE Guiana, on the south
bank of the Orinoco, originally found
ed in 1886 at a site shown on the sketch
map.
Fifth--That between 1923 and 1896 the
only additional settlements founded by
the Spanianrds in Guiana We're those
established by the Capuchin missions
south of the Orinoco in the direction
of the river Yuruari and two villages
on the upper Orinoco several hundred
miles above San Thome De Guiana.
Sixth-That Dutch occupation to the
extent indicated was perfectly we'll
known in Spain and that the attempts
of the Spaniards to dispossess the
Dutch had wholly failed.
Seenth-That subsequently to 1896
Great Britain has continuously remain
ed in possession, and her subjects
have occupied further portions of the
territory to which the Dutch estab-
Eshed their title.
London, March 1.-THE Daily Graphic
in its comments on the Venezuelan blue
book says that the British case is SIM
ply overwhelming. Why with such a
case Great Britain ever allowed the dis
pute to reach the present pass is
mystery.
The Morning Post says: Unless Ven
ezuela possesses evidence which has
been carefully suppressed and quite un-
known to Great Britain the fact is now
placed beyond doubt that the true his
tory of the case is the opposite of that
assumed gratuitously by Secretary of
State OIney. Venezuela has been try
ing to annex British territory and trad
ed for that purpose on the sense of fair
play that is as characteristic of Ameri-
cans as of Englishmen. The paper pre-
diets that when the case is studied in
the United States the people will com
pletely reverse their judgment and ad-
nit that Great Britain's dealings with
Venezuela have been an honorable ex-
ample of moderation, forbearance and
fairness.
The Daily News says that the case is
impressiveIy if not irrefragibly strong
but the stronger it is the less reason
Lord Salisbury can urge against un-