The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-11

Real arbitration having thus been
r,ade possible, Secretary Olney then took
up Lord Salisbury's proviso by which the
boundary line, as drawn by an arbitrary
tribunal. was not to include territory
bona fide occupied by British subjects or
Venezuelan citizens on Jan. /, 1887. He
Insisted that this should be stricken out
altogether, thereby making the arbitra-
ton unconditional, or that there might
be substituted the following:
Provided, however. that in fixing such
line, IL territory of one party be found In
the occupation Of the subjects or citizens
of the other party, such weight and ef-
feet shall be given to such occupation as
reason, justice, the rules of international
law and the equities of the particular
case may appear to require"
This was at the time declared to be
the radical solution Of the dispute. and
after first ascertaining, through publica-
ton, the temper OF those directly con-
cerned regarding the suggestion, sub
seQuent negotiations, II Is now known,
have been confined to celebrating the
point until no doubt could possibly arise
before the joint tribunal as to its inten-
ton and limitations. 1t Is learned that
Venezuela has fully consented to this
arrangement, and that her officials are
confident Of their ability to refute every
British claim to settled districts previous
10 1877 in any territory west Of the Poma-
room river, in watch event the line of d.
vision would lie almost identical with
that claimed before the Venezuelan
commission in the Storrow brief.
Frederick r.. Coudert, member or the
commission, said yesterday that Ii would
be much better for the boundary TO be
determined by arbitration than by de-
cision OF the commission. The report or
the commission, however, II 1t should be
made, would be OF much value In deter
mining the matter in dispute. Mr..
Coudert, when asked concerning the sub
feet of the statutes OF limitation referred
70 in Lord salisbury's address, said that
the statement was not sufficiently def
mite to enable one to say what length Of
time would be fixed as giving a good
title. He was Of the opinion that the cir
cumstances of individual cases will be
taken into consideration. Mr.. Coudert
expressed the opinion that moral, as
well as legal claims, would be recognized
I'm any arbitration. When asked II the
commission had been apprised before
hand concerning the announcement that
would be made IN the Guildhall speech,
MFR. Coudert said that he had no prior in
formation that Lord Salisbury was to
make the announcement OF the nearest
approach to settlement Of the question.
The King OF Sweden and Norway.
Oscar III, has been chosen, by the treaty
between the United States and Great
Britain, as the final arbitrator OF the Ven-
ezuelan boundary question. The other
arbitrators, four In number. are to be
designated, two by the lord chief justice
of England. and two by the chief justice
of the United States.
This is the final and the most i'm
portant feature of the treaty for the
complete adjustment OF the long-pend-
ing Venezuelan controversy. The treaty
was concluded in Washington Monday
night. at the British embassy. Sir Julian
Pauncefote representing her Britannia