The morning times., 1896-02-01

The Venezuelan commission held its first
regular meeting yesterday in its permanent
quarters, ana took up the enormous mass of
official documents bearing on the boundary
controversy, which had accumulated on
the files of the State Department in years
past and which had been transmitted by
| Secretary Olney, in accordance with the
commissions formal request adopted at its
| last meeting.
These papers, together with the volun-
| tary contributions of Old books, maps and
| other data which have been received from
| various sources, have enabled the commits
| sion TO make a general estimate of the
| state of the case and take up consideration
| of the specific researches which must he
pursued to secure corIoborative or contra
| dctory evidence.
GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE CASE.
| Commissioner Andrew ID. White and Sec
retary Malet-Prevost have been working
| constantly on these general aspects OF the
case during the past week, aud as a result
| of their labors the commissioners Will in-
| dividually pursue separate lines of inquiry,
| as they have been doing since the organ
iZatioD of the body, but with the differ
ence that hereafter their aims viii be more
specific, instead of a mere cropping about
for evidence.
-1thas been already practically determined
that Secretary Malet-Prevost will shortly
proceed to Madrid TO ransack the Spanish
archives for records that his experience
leads him to believe are in existence. but
have not up to this time been connected
with the case.
These ancient records are accessible to
examination, Notwithstanding the ground
lass
out OF friendship for Great Britain. would
be indsposed to let the United States au-
thorities try to bolster up the Venezuelan
claim to the discontinue OF the English.
Mr. Provost has had the advantage Of
familiarity with the Madrid archives and
their keepers through his long connection
with the Peraltd-Reavis claim. and his re-
peated employment by the Spanish govern
ment as It's counsel in various causes and
he knows exactly where and how desira-
BILE evidence can be brought forth.
He speaks and writes pure Castilian quite
as rluently as he commands English and
he Is an expert decipherer of Old Spanish
manuscripts, this fact having led to his
selection as executive officer of the com
mission.
SENT TO THE HAGUE.
Satisfactory assurances have been given
thatevery facility will he afforded for his re-
anu uo ont Ids any lut.l ttlal the
British government willattcmpt to place any
obstacles in the way of the commission, the
sincere impartiality OF that body ami its
determination to eNhaustively study the
merits of the case in all its hearings be-
ing fully recognized in England and else
where.
One of the commissioners or an cXpert
selected by them will in all probability be
sent to The Hague to study the Dutch ar
chives at the same time that the Spanish
investigation is undertaken, and as hi>toI-
ical data of the highest importance is
known to be i'll tie possession OF French
national libraries it is not beyond the nos
sibilities that sufficient number OF the
commissioners or their agents will 20 TO
Europe in the next iv-U or three months 10
hold meeting in some convenient coDti-
mental rendezvous.
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT.
All the members were in attendance at
the session, which lasted practically all
day, with Il brief intern!ission for luncheon.
Secretary Maict.p revOst announced that
the chief morning business had been the dis
cussion of the State Department papers
mentioned, as well as the tenders of
| assistance which had poured in from every
| direction, showing a commendable desire
on the partof the people everywhere to offer
evidence.
Nothing had vet been presented by either
the governments or Venezuela. nor had
any comm ncation been received frcm
those countries notifying the commits
sion whether or not they would accede 10
the request to have representation through
counsel.
Regarding the speculation concerning
the visit of the commissioners 10 Europe,
Secretary Malel Provost stated Official
ly' that IL was yet premature to discuss
that matter, as much study would be requ-
site here to thoroughly digest the case be-
fore any one would he in position to make
an effective investigation. After il was de-
veloped what further evidence was desir-
able it would be determined in what man
ner TO make the effort toward securing it,
LIKE \ SECOND CABINET.
The commission at O'Clock adjourned
meantime to pursue their individual study
of the evidence at hand as well as the search
foruseful information.
1t is understood that a few of the specific
phases of the controversy have been as.
signed to certain members who will report
upon them at future sessions, but il is
considered ineXpcdient TO announce what
particular members are TO do.
The commissioners believe il 10 he to the
best interests of all concerned that the
meetings should be as private as Cabinet
meetings or Supreme Court conferences,
i'm orde that they may be free from current
criticism and may he able 10 pursue their
studies without bias and to reach a decision
on the merits of the case.