Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-01-11
A GREAT SURPRISE.
London Chronicle Shows the Schomi
burgk Line II Worthless.

london. Jan. s. The special CORES
pondent OF the Chronicle ~telegraphs &c
his paper the correspondence hilbert
unpublished, between the governments
OF Great Britain and Venezuela during
the period of November, 1910, when Sh
Robert Schomburgk was appointed com
missioner by the British government Ia
survey the western territory of British
Guiana; and OF April, 1912, wheL
England finally removed the boundary
posts, which he had set at various points
in that territory to form the socalled
Scomburgk line. 1t appears from the
correspondence that on October s, lS41
Senior Fortuque. Venezuelan minister
in London, wrote TO Lord Aberdeen, sec.
rotary of state for foreign affairs.
pressing surprise at the erection of a
British sentry box upon Venezuelan
territory, and urging the necessity Of
enterting upon a treaty of boundary as O
previous step TO the fixation of limits.
Lord Aberdeen replied to this on Oc.
tober 81, saying he had received Mr.
Robert Schomburgk's report. 1T ap.
pears" Lord Aberdeen continues, that
Robert Schomburgk planted the boun.
dairy posts at certain points i'm the
country he surveyed, and that he was
fully aware that the demarkation so made
was a mere preliminary measure. open
to further discussion between the gov
ernments Of Great Britain and Vene-
Zuela. But il does not appear that Mr.
Schomburgk left behind any guard.
house or sentry box or building bearing
the British flag"
Senior Fortuque, on January 10, 1912,
regrets that he Ia obliged again to insist
upon the removal OF the posts, and he
predicts that their nonremoval will give
rise TO disorders. He points TO the ex.
ample OF Venezuela and me United
States OF Colombia. whic< first made a
boundary treaty and then delimited
the territory.
Tine Chronicle correspondent then
quotes Lord Salisbury's dispatch to
Secretary Olney that these posts were
removed on the distinct understanding
that Great Britain did not thereby
abandon her claim to that position, and
in this connection he gives two docu-
ments from the governor of British
Guiana, dated Demarara. March 10,
1872, and one from Mr.. O'Leary, British
consul at Caracas, dated April s, 1872.
both expressing the hope hat all
ground OF remonstrance will be re-
moved by Great Britain's concession OF
the removal OF the Schomburgk's land
marks from Barima and elsewhere.
The correspondent says: Observe that
there is no word indicating the condi-
ton asserted by Lord Salisbury. If the
foregoing documents are genuine, and
their source excludes n suspicion to
the contrary, then the Schomburgk line
is proved worthless as a basis of any
territorial claims
Senior Fortuque replied to this on No
vember Is, asserting that mir. Schom-
burgk doubtless overstepped his in
structions by planting at a point on the
mouth of the Orinoco several posts
bearing the queens initials and he had
raised the British flag at the same place
with a show of armed force. He has
also performed several other acts of do
minion and government"
Senior Fortuque reminds Lord Aber.
deem that Venezuela had not received
an answer to her proposal to arbitrate
the boundaries made before Mr.. Schom-
burgk started and that by an act OF
extreme courtesy to the British govern.
ilent, SS1OIiipuISh Hdu HOt DttIl lcICi-
bly, expelled. No reply being received,
Senior Fortuque again, on December S,
addressed Lord Aberdeen, insisting up
on the conclusion of a treaty for the re-
nova OF Mr.. Schomburgk's posts, pro-
testing against the delay and quoting a
promise by the government Of British
Guiana to the Venezuelan commission
ers for the removal Of troops sent into
the disputed territory.
x-o-a Aeerdeeu erose tho alliance on
December IL, confirming the Schom-
burgk line as a mere preliminary mea-
sure, and Directing TO the removal of
the posts which afforded the only tam
gible means by which Great Britain is
prepared to discuss the boundaries"
He continued: These posts were erect
ed for hat purpose. and not, as the Ven
eZuelan government appears to appre-
bend, as indications OF dominion and
empire on the pabrt Of Great Britain"