Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-10
is A SETTLED FACT
Terms of Arbitrating the Venezuelan
Dispute Agreed On.
EFFECT OF LORD SALISBURYS SPEECH
Practical Suspension of the Labors
of the Commission.
POINTS IN THE TREATY

| The srbitration OF the Venezuelan dispute
| is a settled fact. All arrangements have
| been completed and all details OF the arbi-
| tration treaty between the United States
! and Great Britain arranged The final
| terms of the treaty OF arbitration xere
| arranged in this city last night The terms
| were cabled to London and have heen ac-
| cepted.
The treaty covers Venezuela only and
| does not include general treaty OF arbitra-
ton of all future disputes between the two
great English-speaking nations. This
| treaty is 10 he arranged later ny future
| negotiations. The Venezuelan arbitration
commission will consist of five arbitrators.
| two to be named by the United States :wo
| by Great Britain. these four TO select the
| NTH arbitrator. Venezuela will nos be di-
| fectly represented on the commission
The treaty fixes fifty years undisputed
| possession as the test of conclusive pre-
| sumption Of rightful occupancy of the set
| tied districts
| The belief expressed last night by Lord
Salisbury that the Venezuelan controversy
has come TO an end received complete con-
| hrmation on this side of the Atlantic to-
| day in an official announcement by the
1
the present at least it would abandon the
| further prosecution of its task of finding
the true divisional line between Venezuela
| and British Guiana and would make no
| report thereon.
| The announcement was worded with a
saving clause evidently inserted as a pre-
| caution against a possible hitch al the
last moment on some matter OF details.
| Work Not to BE Wasted
1t does not follow that all OF the work
| accomplished by the United States COM
| mission liz the collection OF evidence touch
| ing the boundary dispute will go for noth-
| ing, but on the contrary this matter may
| be utilized to great advantage by the agent
| or agents selected 10 represent the claims
of the governments Of Great Britain and
Venezuela before the arbitration commits
| sion. introduced in this manner the evil
| dence the United States collected will he
| OF great value. coming as 1t does. not
| an ex parte presentation, but evidence
| collected 10y the commission and its spe-
cial experts under rigorous instructions 10
| obtain all pertinent evidence without re-
4 gard to which side II affected.
The commission met this morning at its
| rooms In the Sun building. There was a
| general discussion of the boundary dis
| pute In the light of Lord Salsbury's an
| nouncemeEt, and ii was decided that the
| commission practically should suspend its
| labors aside from putting into form docu-
| TnentS already gathered, and that the
following official statement should be given
/ TO the public:
Statement by the Com INF ssion.
The commission afterward authorized the
| following statement:
THE statements of Lord Salisbury as re-
ported in the morning papers make it prob
able that the boundary dispute now pend
| ing between Great Britain and Venezuela
| will be settled by arbitration at an early
dat afr.
mission, while continuing its deliberations
in the preparation and orderly arrangement
of many valuable maps, reports and docu-
ments which have been procured and used
| in the course of its labors, does not pro-
pose to formulate any decision for the pres
sent o fthe matters subject to its examina-
ton. 1t will continue its sessions from
time to time, but with the hope and ex-
pectation that a friendly and just settle
ment Of all pending differences between the
| nations interested will make any final de-
cision on its part unnecessary
Details to BE AdJusted.
Secretary Olney refused today to make
| any statement whatever touching the
| boundary dispute, but 1t is known that GER
| tain deails yet remain to be adjusted be-
| fore the arbitration treaty can be regarded
as an accomplished fact. Moreover il must
be borne in mind that any such treaty be-
fore becoming effective must be submitted
to the United States Senate for its approx
al, and this at least involves a delay of
weeks, aside from the possibility of amend
ments.
As. by common understanding. the limi-
tations to be placed upon the arbitration in
the consideration of vested British claims
have been agreed upon, 1T is probable the
more important of the details remaining to
be adjusted relate to the personnel of the
arbitration commission, and particularly to
the means to be adopted TO give effect to
the decision. The latter always has proved
difficult phase in the negotiation of arbi-
frat ff<,var Il
quire especially delicate handling in a con-
troversy involving the fortunes of many
individuals. as well as important corpor-
ate interests and the nationality of sub
jects.
While Lord Sslisbury's statement is gen.
eral and lacking in details the negotiations
which have proceeded permit a ready ap-
plcation Of the general principles he lays
down as to settled districts.
Victory for venexueIn.
From the Venezuelan standpoint, the final
agreement for any kind OF arbitration is, in
itself, a distinct victory. Venezuela has
asked arbitration fer forty years. Great
Brftain's reply always has been uniform,
Wig: that. while arbitration was desired yet
the settled districts. which were regarded
as sovereign British SOIL" were not open
to arbitration. By Lord Salisbury's state
ment last night, the arbitration will pro-
ceed on acceptance OF the old common law
rule Of prescription"
The Understanding Here.
The understanding here is that the entire
Venezuela-Gu;ana boundary will be thrown
open to arbitration 1t remaining for Great
Britain to show that certain portions have
been occupied by her subjects so long,
peacefully, uninterruptedly and publicly
as to make a conclusive territorial presump-
tion. The country which ii is understood
this will open to arbitration embraces all
of the coast tract west of the Esiquibo
river, including the Orinoco river. on both
banks and at the mouth, and the stretch OF
land on either side; also the Barima coun-
try, In which are located the gold fields,
the most valuable resources OF the country.
East of the EsiQuibo river lies the British
colony of Demerara, with it's capital
GEORGETOWN. and lesser settlements radi-
ating westward
This portion east OF the EsiQUibo is from
the Venezuelan Standpoint, about the only
territory to which the doctrine of prescr1p-
tion or long-continued possession, applies.
There are scattered English settlements in
the Interior, and to them II is said IL will
be a question of fact, before arbitrators, to
determine whether the British occupancy
has been open and notorious for a long
torn, of