The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-07
BLUE BOOK ON THE BOUNDARY
THE BASIS or BRITAIN's VENEzU-
ELAN CLAIMS SET FORTH.

Possession n
1G4s 10 I796-Then Great Britain
stepped In.
London, March 6.-The expected Vene-
z,,ela blue book which is entitled ''Docu-
rnents and Correspondence Relating 10
rhe Question of the Boundary of Venezu-
Ella" will be issued by the government to-
NIGHT The volume consists of 443 folio
nsges. with a separate book containing
nine maps. The book opens with forty
psges comprising preliminary statement
dealing with the history OF the terrific
rfes from 1870 until the issuance of her
maiestys memorandum to Venezuela in
March, 1880. The book is divided into his
torfc periods from the earliest time to 1854,
from 1854 and 1876 and from 1896 to 1910.
After that period references are made to
various claims and dispatches and the re-
mort concludes with a brief summary.
The preliminary matter is summarized
as follows: The purpose of the present
statement" the book says, lis to explain
a general outline of the position of Great
Britain in the long pending dispute with
Venezuela as regards the boundary be-
tween British Guiana and that country.
The territories now known as British
Guiana and Venezuela had been discovered
covery and 1GiS the Spaniards and the
Dutch occupied portions of this territory,
me extent OF such occupation by each
country to be a matter of consideration
In 1850 the united provinces OF the
Netherlands threw oil their allegiance 10
the spanish crown ana q war ensued
which lasted almost uninterruptedlys Tor
seventy years. In January, 1918, peace was
concluded by the treaty of Munster, by
which Spain acknowledged the lndepend-
ence of the Netherlands and the Two
countries respectively confirmed their then
possessions OF the south American contl-
nent From 1913 to 1895, with the exception
OF the interval between 1lSl and 1888, the
Dutch remained in possession of the ter
ritory they had occupied prior to the
treaty of Munster ana extended their set
Elements within 1t.
In 1895 the territory now known as
British Guiana was acquired by Great
Britain. That acquisition was recognized
and confirmed by treaty concluded IN
1874 In lSle Venezuela revolted, but her
independent existence apart from the
United States of Colombia, by which she
was for a time merged, did not commence
until 1882 ana was not formally recognized
by Spain until 1915.
TT is therefore held that the following
conclusions have been clearly established:
"First-That prior to 1880 the Dutch mad
established themselves on the coast OF
.Second-That prior to 1896 the Spaniards
had established no settlements in Guiana.
"Third-That by 1913 the Dutch settle
ments in Guiana extended along the coast
the whole way from the river Maronl to
the Barima and inland to various points
in the Interior upon the rivers Essequlbo,
Cuyuni Pomeroon, Waini and Barima,
and their tributaries.
"Fourth-That up to 1923 the only settle
ment of Spaniards in Guiana was San
Thome de Guayana, on the south bank of
the OrinocO, originally founded in 1886, at
a site shown on the sketch map.
"Fifth-That between 1923 and 1896 the
only additional settlement founded by
Spaniards in Guiana were those establish
ions Of no
Orinoco, in the direction or the river Yu-
ruri and two villages on the Upper ORR
noco, several hundred miles above San
Thome de Guyana.
'SiXth-That Dutch occupation to the
extent above indicated was perfectly well
known in SPAIN and that the attempts
OF the Spanish to dispossess the Dutch
had wholly failed.
'Seventh-That subsequently to 1896,
Great Britain has continually remained in
possession and her subjects have occupied
further portions of the territory to which
the Dutch established their title
From the first settlements to $685.
the report continues, 'the Dutch appear
TO have been the first" and this state
ment is supported by an exhaustive his
tory of the different attempts at occupa-
ton of the disputed territory by the
Dutch, Spanish and British
Coming to the more recent history of the
dispute, the report says: AS regards the
negotiations instituted by Venezuela in
1880 and 1898 for a renewal of diplomatic
relations and a settlement of the boun-
dary dispute it is only necessary here to
say that they failed of successful results
IN consequence of the persistence of the
Venezuelan negotiatOrS in asserting claim
10 all the territories as far the Es-
sequibO or its immediate neghborhood.
The above examination shows that
the main grounds upon which the claim
Of Venezuela is supposed to be based, so
lar as it has been presented to Great
Britain at different times during the last
fifteen years, have been as folloWs
"First-The original discovery and the
first exploration of the South American
continent by Spain, which are clearly IT.
"second-The bull of Alexander VI.
which cannot be considered as having a
real bearing upon the question.
'Third-The allegation that occupation
OF Guiana by the Dutch was in violation
Of the treaty of Munster. This allegation
mas been shown to be unfounded.
F'Ourth-Possession and Occupation by
the Spaniards of the territory south of the
nVer Orinoco, including the rivers Moro
1t has been shown that the only Span
lSh settlements at any time were San
home de Guyana, which was situated on
me south bank of the OrinocO, and which
nad been moved fpom time to time higher
- lle river as 1t was destroyed by the
6Ilush and Dutch successfully, and the
aPucnln settlements situated between the
Oflhoco and the Tumerimo, as has been
previously described.
Flfth-That the Dutch had never had
my possessions north of the Essequibo.
ms statement has been shown to be
Studlly erroneous, as perusal of'the whole
Xxx Bi9.uc correspondents VIII snow that
H. pIlllsn government, while insisting
rnal the just claims of Great Britain
would entitle her to a boundary embrac-
tIls practically the whole watershed of
ne Essequibo, the Cuyuni, the Yuruari
me Pomeroon, the WainT and the Barima,
I9s been willing to agree to a boundary
nInln those limits which would give Ven
1uela Tar more territory than that to
"4ch she can now show any title
- rom the summary given of the fore
95oiHg. chapter it viii be seen that Great
liam while maintaining her just rights,
aas consistently shown a desire to make
a alr arrangement with Venezuela as to
eIt boundary, and that the claim of Ven
Elela that her territory extends to the
Essequbo has been based upon conten-
IONS which are in no way supported
Si1S reasonable ground.''.-.'
Inc statement concludes with a repe-