New-York tribune., 1896-01-10
ANGLO AMERICAN DISCORD.
THE GUIANA CHARTERED COMPANY
WAR WITH AMERICA NOT WANTED
WHAT AN ENGLISHMAN CAN.
NOT UNDERSTAND.
London. December 80

London, December 80
The announcement made by THE st. James's
| Gazette" that a chartered company had been
formed in British Guiana for opening and de-
| veloping the gold region between the Esse.
quibo River and the Schomburgk line is pro.
nouncec premature this morning. Certainly II
was published at an inopportune moment. when
| the excitement over the Venezuela question
was subsiding both in America and In Eng.
land. The significance Of the announcement
was apparent to any we,l-informed reader. and
its importance emphasized by the fact
| that 1t appeared in journal which has seemed
| to enjoy Mr.. Chamberlain's confidence. The
| region where the chartered company was to
| begin operations was the disputed territory
which Great Britain had declined for a long
period TO submit to arbitration There could
hardly have been more practical method Of
expressing defiance of President Cleveand's
message on the Venezuela Guiana boundary
and the Monroe Doctrine. Naturally the Press
Association is authorized to describe the an
nouncement as at least premature, and to de-
clare that 1t has received definite official as
surance that scheme whatever has yet been
formed so far as the Home Government Is
concerned, and no definite proposals are likely
to be officially considered and decided upon
pending some better understanding than at
present exists in regard to the respective
boundaries of British Guiana and Venezuela"
On the surface this official explanation tends
to prove either that The st. James's Gazette
set too rapid a pace for Mr.. Chamberlain. at
whose heels 1t Is ordinarily content to rum or
else that Mr. Chamberlain was outstripping In
his ardor the Government. Of which he Is one
of the most influential and powerful members.
II would be hardly accurate to speak Of that
ID Mr.
Chamberlain's organ. English journals are not
Officially inspired" in the Continental sense;
but their leading writer's have special facilities
for finding out what is going on IN the great
offices and what s in the mind of one Minis
ter or another respecting imperial or diplomatic
ouestons: and The St Jamess Gazette has
contained indubitable evidence during the last
six months that it possessed peculiar adVan-
tages for obtaining information from the Colo
NAL Office and "exploitng Mr. Champeriaihs
policies Premature il may have been tor' IKE
every other good newspaper, 1t pupllsheS I'M
portant information whenever the news IS 10 De
had without reference to the expedency Of the
announcement from a diplomatic point OF view;
but there is no evidence that in THIS instance
there was any serious naccuracy IN wnat II
printed.
Indeed the official denial when it is critically
examined il found to be equvccaL II Is ADMIT
ted that Mr. Chamberlain has been anxious to
open this territory and lhat the only pracucai
way of doing it Is to lease land or to make
grant Of It TO a chartered company IL Is also
conceded that the district in question will uti-
mately be the scene OF mining operations by
chartered company, and that this was one of Mr.
Chrmberlain's reasons for selecting a practical
official ike Sir Augustus Henming for the Cow
ernorship of British Guiana. What Is denied IS
that The chartered company, If one has oeen
formed will be on similar lines - the Chartered
Company Il South Africa. which has pracucaly
exclusive Jurisdiction over the territory neln' IL
i also intimated that II the colonists nave ac'ed
upon Mr. Chamberlain's suggestion they may
have put too liberal construction upon H. anu
that the Imperial Government in any event VII
not sanction the scheme until there Is better
understanding than at present exists respecting
the boundaries Of British Guiana and Venezuela.
The official explanation is inconclusiVe ana OK
little value, except II offers evidence of ex-
treme caution on the part Of the Government IN
avoiding SO far : may be practicable. all cause
- offence in the present crisis in the relations of
England and America.
Mr. Chamberlain almost as soon as he entered
the Colonial ONCE paid close attention 70 ths
administrator Of the affairs OF British Guiana.
Cameron Lees the Governor. to obtain without
DELAY a vote from the Combined Court q the
colony for two Maxim guns 10 be stationed at
I'ruan where two British inspectors had been
arrested bv the VeneZuelans He was not satis-
fled with providing for the military defence OK
the frontier He directed attention IN long
dispatch. dated September :. 1895. 10 the goa
mining industry a considerable source OK
wealth from which an increasing revenue couid
be drawn If measures were taken To open up '"o
country and to render the gold-oearng reg'o"
more accessible TO miners than II had previously
been. To this end he recommended the cutting ="
a road from the upper reaches n the bdii"~
River to the Cuyuni River since its construcuon
would lead TO the development ~ the gold he'u'
OF the northwestern district. He also urged that
the road would materially shorten the distance
to the interior Of the colony and be important
from a military point Of view In enabling 'Ne
Government to repel aggression from |ehez"ea
with economy of time ana expense lie dSAe'
whether any local capitalists were prepared "
purchase a concession Of portion OF the so'u
fields. and added that inquiries were making IN
England as to the possibility OF inducing capl'a-
is,s to consider the subject. These Instructions
and recommendations were acted upon before
President Clevelands message startled two con-
tinents The Maxims were purchased and the
frontier guard strengthened; ana ie"
weeks ago the first steps We're taken In George
town toward the organization OF chartered
company for opening the region which Nenezue'a
claims but which Lord Salisbury has reiuseu "
include in any project of arbitration
There can be no doubt however as 10 'He
anxiety Of the Salisbury Government T. minimize
at present the effect Of these disclosures ana ~
hold back the colonial authorities from any prem
ature attempt TO hand over any portion oi 'ne
disputed territory to chartered company. MI
Chamberlans zeal was commended until Great
Britain was menaced with serious complications
with the United States. and active measures were
adnnted for nressing the claims for an inlomnlty