Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-02
VENEZUELA DISCUSSED.
'MOke-TALk BY HON. SENECA HAS
ELTON AT ALGONQUIN CLUB.
rhc ex Minister Describes the Territory
In Dispute and Traces the PIesent
Question TO its Origin-How the
Monroe Doctrine Applies.


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The Algonquin Club observed New Years
Day yesterday by keeping open house all
Jay long and the pleasant rooms were
visited by many of the members of the
club. An inviting lunch also added to the
pleasure of the occasion. In the evening
the members assembled in the spacious
parlors and listened TO very entertaining
smoke-talk on Venezuela by Hon. Seneca
Hasclton. cx-mnister to that country.
Venezuela Is very much in the public eye
at present and the talk was not only very
interesting but also very apropos.. Mr..
lIasclton proved IL vcritable mine of in
formation on the subject in all its details
and bearings, and the talk was exceeding
~ instructive.
lie first illustrated the nature of the So
called Guiana question and the sources
and character of the evidence by which It
must he determined. The Spanish dis
coverles and settlements down to the first
permanent settlement in the limits OF
Guiana and the coming of the Dutch and
the Venezuelan claims based on them were
explained. The Dutch settlements and
assertions OF Jurisprudence prior to the
treaty of Munster in l6iS were briefly
noted and also the terms of that treaty
and tho conflicting claims based on ii. The
British and Venezuelan claims as To tho
ments from that time TO the cession of
Dutch Guiana to Great Britain were gone
over In detail, and a great number of novel
and intere ing facts were commented upon
as well as the steps taken by the Dutch
Guian TO Great Britain were gone over !
detail, and great number of novel and
interesting facts were commented upon as
well as the steps taken by the Dutch
planters on the Essequibo and the Fran
ciscan Friars in the Cuyuni basin to bring
the Indians under the jurisdiction Of their
respective governments. IL was made
obvious that the period from 1850 to lI1o
was one In which the question of jurisdic-
ton was sharply raised by the action of
the colonists, and that the records of the
Dutch West India Companies and the
religious orders must have very consider
able bearing on the question under con-
sideration. The possibility of securing the
information as to the zones of the Dutch
and Spanish Influence was indicated and
facts of linguistic nature within the
speakers knowledge were referred to.
The maps appearing in the New York
World of yesterday were referred to anu
also Dutch map of 1853.
Whether the claimed existence OF the
ruins of an old Dutch fort near Barma
Point furnishes an argument In favor OF
Great Britain or Venezuela, must depend
on historical facts II it was peaceably
lowed to fail into decay. it furnishes an
argument in favor Of Great Britain. II
on the other hand, as Venezuela claimed,
a Dutch attempt TO establish themselves
there was frustrated by successful at-
taclks of the Spaniards in the assertion of
their territorial claims. then the facts fur
nish an argument in favor or TIE Nene-
zuelan contention.
The present situation In the disputed re-
gion was carefully detailed anu the loca-
ton of n Gordon of Venezuelan posts was
indicated and the means taken to put
them into communication with each other
and the government at Caracas. Special
interest attached to the location of and
reference to the Venezuelan station OF
Eldorado and the British post at Uuruan.
The locality of the arrest OF the British
officers for which England claims indem-
nit. was also shown With reference to
the literature of the subject 1t was stated
that over 300 hooks touching upon Guiana
had been published prior to 1874, and that
the literature has since largely increased.
Tho possibility of obtaining information
as to the operations of the Dutch was il-
lustrated by figures of the number of ship
loads of produce and the exact character
of the freight carried in each of a series
of years extending as far back as 1915.
The letter which appeared in the papers
of the country yesterday morning written
ulueT tne OlTtctlOn Oh l[OTu fdlueTSton III
1910 and which has just come to the notice
of the state department appeared in the
"Argosy" of Demarara, October 80 and
without doubt tho Georgetown periodicals
of which there have been some in exist
ence during the whole period of British
occupancy contained much matter of con-
siderable significance.
In view of public references to the un-
Importance of the whole subject matter,
a n m a NO W. n
touched upon. The amount OF the sugar
product in the disputed region for 1929
was given. The enormous product of sim
gle plantations was specified, one of which
in that year and several subsequent ones
produced about 100000 pounds. The
prices at which plantations sold on execu-
ton during a series of years were stated.
The price of one in 1912 was $4,000, Uhe
owner and purchases being namely A
paper was read about two weeks ago be-
fore the colonial institute in London by
gentleman thoroughly familiar with the
subject, who, adapting n phrase of DR..
Johnson, declared that the sugar planta-
tions of British Guiana were capable OF
producing wealth beyond the dreams of
avarice. The annual product of the gold
mined by British subjects is s3,000,000 and
yet the mining is in its infancy.
The mine of Calloa has been extraordi-
narily productive and its shares have sold
at an almost incredible price. The unde-
veloped mining region of Caratal warrants
the highest expectations. The unsettled
question of title and jurisdiction is an inn
portant factor in retarding the develop
ment of the mines. as Is also the diff
flculty of access to the mining region,
which would be Aobviated by a line of
railroad. 1iO miles in length.
In answer to inquiries. numerous as
poets of the case were explained in detail.
The further question was asked: "Does
the Monroe Doctrine apply in this case?"
Mr.. Haselton's answer was in substance.
that the question Is not one of nero bound
airy dispute, but it Is controversy over
the title to tract of country of some
5000 square miles, which happens to lie
between other territories held by the two
claimants. If tho Venezuelan contention
is found to be correct, the Monroe Doc
trine does apply. and since there is no
doubt about the good faith in which the
claim is made, our traditional policy seems
to demand a thorough investigation and
inquiry.