The San Francisco call., 1896-01-03
H4FE Il WAY OUE.
Some Information Giren the. United
States and EnqLaiad.

80.
States aud EngIGfd. =.
LONDON, ENG, Jan. "a special repre-.
sentative of the Daily Chronicle, who is
now in. Washington, cables to that. paper
that be has obtained from: a source which
he is. compelled; not TO reveal the official
unpublished correspondence exchanged by
Great Britain and nd;Yenezuels between No
yember, 1910, when Sir Robert Sehomburg
was appointed to delimItate the frontier of
British Guiana, and April, 1912, when Eng
land removed the boundary posts set UP
by Robert Schomburg.
= In October, 1S41, Senior Fortique, Vene-
Euelan Minister to Great Britain, wrote to
Lord Aberdeen, Colonial Secretary of
State IN the Cabinet of Sir Robert Peel, re-
ferring TO YeneZuela's proposal to conclude
treaty on the boundaries and protesting
that bofore the proposal was answered q
sentry-box carrying British flag had
been built on the republics territory.
Senior Fortique again urged that bound
ary treaty be entered upon.
Lord Aberdeen replied that he had re-
cei7ed Sir Robert Schomb urg's report
that he had planted boundary posts at
certain points in the country he had sur
syeyed, being fully aware that the demarca-
ton so made was merely preliminary
measure open to future discussion between
Great Britain and Venezuela. 1t did not
appear, however, that Sir Robert Schom-
burg had left any buildings.
- Senor Fortique replied that Sir Robert
Schom burg. had planted at the mouth of
the 0rinoco River several posts. He had
also raised the British flag with much
show OF force and performed other acts of
dominion in Venezuela. Extreme cour
tesy alone prevented Venezuela from forci-
bly, expelling him from the country.
After some delay Lord Aberdeen replied
TO Senior Fortique; confirming his pre-
vious statement and adding that much
unnecessary Inconvenience would result
from the removal of the posts, as they
would afford the: only tangible means by
which her Majesty's Government could be
prepared to discuss the question of boun-
daries with: Venezuela. The posts were
erected for that express purpose, and not,
as the Venezuelan Government appeared
TO Comprehend, asan indication of dominion
In the same dispatch Lord Aberdeen ex-
pressed pleasure at learning that the
Governor OF Guiana had assured the
Venezuelan emissaries that Great Britain
had not occupied Point Darima.
In January, 1912, Senor Fortique again
wrote to reinsist:upon the removal. of the
posts.
The Chronicle then quotes from the
second: note of Lord Salisbury to Secretary
of State Olney the words: CAT the urgent
entreaty of the Venezuelan Government
these two posts were afterward. removed,
as stated by Mr.. O1ney, but this conces-
sion was made on the distinct understand
ing that Great Britain did not thereby in
any way abandon her claim to that
position"
The Chronicle also quotes from the two
documents IN which this discussion was
mace. The first: document consists OF a
dispatch sent in: March, 1912, by henry
Light, Governor of Guiana, to Daniel
O'Leary, British Consul at Caracas, stating
that the Colonial Secretary had ordered
the Governor to remove: the landmarks.
The other document is a dispatch from
Mr.. O'Leary to the Venezuelan Govern
ment containing the substance of Governor
Eight dispatch.
The Chronicle remarks that nothing in
dicates the condition asserted by Lord
Salisbury and adds: If the above docu-
ments are genuine. and their source ex.
cludes suspicion, the Schomburg line is
proved worthless as: a basis of any terri
torial claim whatever.
Commenting editorially on the subject
the Chronicle says:
1--WE are bound to say, assuming. as we
are bound TO assume the accuracy of our
representatives citations, that they vitiate
Lord Salisbury's. second dispatch to Secre-
tary Olney and render it necessary for
US to revise our whole view of the situa-
ton. Clearly there can now be no question
regarding the Sehomburg line as ramrod
thrust between Great Britain and Vene-
zuela. In word, England and the United
States have a way out. We look to the
statesmen on both sides to enlarge upon
this information and escape from the ut
most peril"