The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-03
THE VENEZUELAN AFFArR.
some More Facts About the International
 Trouble.

| Washington, Jan. 2.-The state de- partment is in position to conclusive ly prove the statement of to-day's Lon don ChroRicle, cabled by the United Press, that lit is learned on the best authority that Early Granville in 1885 virtually concluded with Blanco a trea- ty containing an arbitration clause cov- ering the Venezuelan International boun- diary dispute" and that the Marquis of Salisbury, however, on coming into power later in the same year virtually provisions of the treaty to commercial questions" The Chronicle adds that nothing could have been more unfort- unate inasmuch as the boundary dis pute was on the eve of permanent set 1 tlement."
 The records which Venezuela had al ready delivered to the United States government before the administration l took such a firm stand in the matter with England leave no doubt whatever on this point. General Blanco in 1885 negotiated with Earl Granville treaty of amity commerce and navigation to 1 supplant the existing convention of 1895 | between Great Britain and Venezuela. The new treaty included three para graphs providing for the arbiUation of any and all differences and related par l ticularly to the boundary dispute. Earl Granviles letter accepting specifically the important clause in it's entirety Is as follows:
 Foreign Office, May 15, 1885, M. Le Ministre:
 I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the 18th inst. of your note, dated the 9th inst, respecting the pro posed new treaty between Great Britain and Venezuela.
 In reply I have the honor to inform you that her majesty's government agree to the substitution of the phrase power to be chosen by the high con- tracing parties instead of "arhitrators" in the article respecting arbitration, and that they further agree that the undertaking to refer differences to ar bitration shall include all differences which may arise between the high con. tracing parties, and not those only which arise on the interpretation of the I treaty.
 Her majesty's government are also prepared to meet generally the wishes of the Venezuela government as to riv- CT navigation and coasting trade as connected with it; but beg leave to point out that this exception to most ! favored nation oc T onal treatment should not interfere with ocean-g going steamers touching consecutively at two or more ports Of the republic.
 With regard to the arrangements made by Venezuela with Columbia. | have the honor to state that her majes- ! tvs government will agree that the pro visions of the most favored nation arti- cle proposed by them shall not include special arrangements with regard to To- cal trade entered into by Venezuela with respect 10 traffic across the land frontier.
 I trust that these notifications will meet your views, and that I may short ly hear from you that formal draft treaty framed on that with Paraguay, with the addition of an article respect ing arbitration, and the alterations in the most favored nation stipulations now suggested may be prepared foH your approval
 l am, etc,
 (SigneD GRANVILLE 1.e s than two months afterward the treaty was fully concluded. but the Gladstone government was overthrown at this time on questions wholly dilscon- nected from Venezuelan matters which were conducted in secret, and Lord Sal isbury, succeeding Earl Granville as | foreign secretary. found it incumbent upon himself to complete the negotia- tions which he immediately proceeded to do by sending General Guzman note on July 2 absolutely reversing Earl Granvillese action. The portion of the rote referring 10 this clause is as follows:
 Her matesty's government are un- able to concur in the assent given by their predecessors in office to the gen. eral arbitration article proposed by ! Venezuela, and they are unable to agree to the inclusionI in it of matters other than those arising out of the in 1 depreciation or alleged violation of this particular treaty. To engage to refer to arbitration all disputes and contro- | verses whatsoever would be without precedent in the treaties made by Great l Britain. Cues tions might arise such as l those Involving the title of the British crown to territory or other sovereign rights which her majesty's government could not pledge themselves beforehand to refer to arbitration
 This letter removed all doubt as to the | broad terms of Earl Granvilles agree | ment, for Lord Salisbury distinctly put | such a construction on the treaty | (which he comedies was aasenited to) that the title to the territory of the | British crown colony of British Guina had to be arbitrated under it's perfect 1 terms. The was an entirely and un- | favorable light on a portion of Lord ! Salisburys retortt to Secretary Olney in | the latter part of the foreign office dis patch of November ? 6last, inI which he says:
 | MT Olney js mistaken in supposing | that in 1886 a treaty was practically | agl eed upon containing a general ar 1 b;tra tion clause under which the parties might have submitted the boundary dispute to the decision of a third power or of several powers fa, amity with | both It is true that General Guzman | Blanco proposed that the commercial