Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-12


the permanence OF the ottoman empire
England's Responsibility.
James Bryce reminded the house that it
was government OF which Lord Salisbury
was member which deprived the Armen-
ians of Russian protection under the treaty
of San Stefano and substituted the treaty
Of Berlin. by which England undertook the
moral responsibility for the protection Of
the Armenians. The government, he add
ed, would have to explain which power 1t
was that upset the European concert
Mr.. Goschen, first lord of the admiralty,
rising at this point. retorted:
1T was Mr.. Gladstone who invented the
European concert Turkish failure to exc
cute promised reforms relieved us from the
obligation to defend the Turkish integrity"
The house Of commons thereupon sd-
Journed.
AMBASSADOR BAYARD's REQUEST.
He Asks for the British Side I'm the
VeneEuela Dispute.
The London Times this morning publish
ed Ambassador Bayard's request OF the
British government for information on
Venezuelan affairs, which was referred to
by Mr.. Balfour in his speech In the house
Of commons yesterday. The Times says
editorially of 1t:
1T is very different from the tone Of
President Cleveland's message. The speech
es in both houses of parliament are a SUBJ
stantial proof of the earnest desire of the
fnRllsh people to maintain cordial rela-
tons with America
The Times says that q parliamentary
paper was issued last night containing the
diplomatic correspondence between Eng
land and America since 1887 respecting the
boundary question between Venezuela and
British Guiana, which shows that the sue
cessive British governments have taken
up the same position described a year ago
by the Earl of Kimberly, then the secre-
tary of state for foreign affairs in the
Rosebery cabin ct, in the following words:
Her majesty's government has consist
emily declined and still declines to submit
TO arbitration the question of the right to
territory long settled and governed as q
part of British COLONY, nor are they now
prepared to accept any material modif-
cation Of the provisional boundary pro-
claimed In 1886. On the other hand, they
have offered to concede Venezuela without
arbitration large portion of the territory
comprised In their extreme claim, and they
are ready to go to arbitration respecting
an intermediate zone, as to the exact limit
of which they would be prepared to accept
mcdihcation, having proper regard to ma
uCnal boundaries
The Times then continues: AFTER the
Well-known dispatches of Secretary Olney
and Lord Salisbury (Which were submitted
with President Cleveland's Venezuela mes
sage TO CongreSS) the correspondence ends
with the following letters interchanged In
February:
Mr.. Bayard's Request.
Bayard to Salisbury, dated February 3.
My lord: 1 have the honor to inform
you that 1 am instructed by the Secretary
Of State to make known to your lordship
that the commission to inves tigate and re-
port upon the true divisional line between
the republic of Venezuela and British
Guiana has, under the authority of Con-
gress. been appointed by the President,
which commission is ROW in session at
Washington and has chosen Justice Brewer
as its president. Through its president
this commission hps suggested to the Sec
Rotary of State, being distinctly and in no
view an arbitral tribunal, bst having its
duty limited to a dil.sent and careful as
certainment of the facts touching the ter
ritory referred to and in the dispute for the
information of the President, il would be
grateful for such assistance to that end as
could be obtained by the friendly eo-opera-
ton and aid of the governments of Great
Britain and Venezuela. Wherefore i beg
leave to make application to your lordship
that, If entirely consistent with your sense
Of international propriety, the commission
may be furnished with such documentary
proof, historical narrative, unpublished ar
chives or other evidence as may be within
the power of her majesty's government as
well as for any facilities which may be
conveniently extended to assist the COM
mission in the purposes of its institution.
In communicating these wishes of the COM
| mission to the Secretary its president
If either Great Britain or Venezuela should
deem it proper to designate agent or at
torney, whose duty it would be to see that
no such proofs were omitted or overlooked,
the commission would be grateful for such
evidence of good will and for the valuable
results which would be likely to follow
therefrom.
EITHER party making a favorable re-
Spouse to the wish so expressed by the pres
ident of the commission will, of course, only
be considered as amicus curiae, and to throw
light upon difficult and complex questions
of fact
1.-The purposes of the Investigation pro-
posed by the commission are certainly hos
tile to none, nor can it be Of advantage to
any that the effort to secure the desired
information should fail of its purpose, the
sole ooncel n of the United States being the
peaceful solution of the controversy be-
tween tire friendly powers. 1 am etc,
GSigned) 1T. F. BAGARD."
Lord Snlisbury's Reply.
Salisbury to Bayard, February Z.
your Excellency- have the honor to
acknowledge your excellency's letter Of the
| Sd Instant, and the information which is at
the comma nd Of her majesty's government
upon any subject of inquiry that is occupy
ing the government of the United States
will readily be placed at the disposal Of the
President. Her majesry's government is at
present collecting the documents which re-
fer to the boundary questions that for some
years have been discussed bets cen Great
Britain and Venezuela in order that they
may be presented to parliament as soon as
the collectio n is complete and ready for the
press. Her majssty's government viii! have
great pleasure in forwarding advance cop
les to your excellency."
Mr.. Bayard's Acknowledgement
Bayard to Salisbury, February 10.
MY Lord-I have the honor to acknowl-
edge your lordships note, dated the 9TH in
slant. and to thank you for the prompt and
courteous response to the desire expressed
by me under instructions and on behalf OF
my government to receive documentary
and other historical information in relation
to the boundary questions so long under
discussion between Great Britain and Fen-
ezuela. / shall await with great interest
the promised trar smission of advanced
copies of the &C mpleted collection of docu-
ments relating to the subject referred to,
| and with assurances of the appreciation OF
my government of the courtesy thus be
slowed. / have, ETC.,
(Signe6 IT. T. BAYARD.
DISPUTE VIRTUALLY ENDED.