The Portland daily press., 1896-01-01
SALISDURY'S MISTAKE.
The State Department Makes Impor.
tant Discoveries.
A VALUBLE LETTER BEARING ON
VENEZUELAN BOUNDRY.

The English Statesman Has Made an
Error-Schonburgk Was Sent to + ind
| the Rich Fields-The Controversy Com
menced Over the Question-The Text.
Washington, December 31.-In the last
few days the State Department has made
n discovery Of considerable Importance
in the Venezuelan boundary dispute,
which throws new docum enta tary light
on the British contention of ownership
west of the Schomburgk line, and Lord
Salisbury's refusM to agree to arbitration
east OF that line
In the opinion of those officials who
are engaged in studying the various
phases of the controversy this official doc
ument demonstrates that England had
no idea of claiming large part of Vene-
zuela until Schromburgk's scientific ex-
ploration had disclosed the great wealth
of the region and that she then determin-
ed to make exorbitant claims trusting
that part of them at least would stick.
1t is also their opinion that the docu-
ment nullifles large part of Salisbury s
II lpy to Olney, by showing that the Eng
lish premier has not been entirely ingen-
ious. in his relations to matters Of fact.
Lord Salisbury in undertaking to cor
rect Mr.. Olney's statement that the dis
pete began at least as early as 1914, which
he says is founded on misconception, de-
clares that the dispute on the subject of
the frontier did not, in fact, commence
until after the the year 1910, and he then
proceeds to narrate the circumstances
corrected with the marking of what is
called the Schom ourgk line.
The newly discovered document con-
sistS of a letter from Viscount Leyeson,
afterwards Earl Granville. British under
secretary of state for foreign affairs, to
sir James Stephen, permanent under sec
ertRry of state for the colonies, written
under instructions from Lord Palmers-
ton, secretary of foreign fairs for the
guidance Of Lord John Russell, secretary
OF war and colonies.
This important letter shows exactly
what went on inside the British cabinet
at the time.
1t will be rememberd that Sohomburgk
had been sent out by the Royal Geo
graphical society in 1885, with funds sup
piled by the government to explore the
Orinoco country, and that On his return
to England in 1889. and apparently as IA
result of his familiarity with the resour-
ces of that country, the government
chose him as the most available person to
select the richest territory in Guiana
which would naturally constitute Eng
lands shar.' in any subsequent division
The note is as follows:
Foreign Office 18th March, 1S40
"Sir:-I am directed by Viscdunt
Palmerston to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter Of the 9th instant, enclos-
\
their enclosures from MIR. Light, govern
or of British Guiana, relative to the ex-
psdiency OF an arrangement being made
with the Brazilian, Venezuelan and
Netherland governments, by which the
boundaries of British Guiana may be ac-
curately defined. With reference to that
part of your letter in which you state
that Lord John Russell considers 1T to be
Important that the boundaries of British
Guiana should be ascertained and agreed
upon, if possible, and that Mr.. Sohonl-
burgk's researches in these parts have
q ualited him in a peculiar way to be of
use, should the service of any person &C.
quainted with the geography of British
Guiana be required fer fixing the boup-
daries of the British territory, I am to
state to you that the course of proceed
ngs which Lord Palmerston would sug-
gest for the consideration Of Lord John
Russell is that map of British Guinea
should be made out according to the
boundaries described by Mr.. Schom-
burgk, that the said map should be ac-
companied by memoir deosribing in de-
tail the natuarl features which define and
constitute the boundaries in question,
and that copies of that map and memoir
shonld be delivered to the governments
of Venezuela of Brazil and of the Meth
erlands, as statement of the British
claim; that in the meanwhile British
commissioners should be sent to erect
land marks on the ground, in order to
mark out by permanent ereotions the
line of bo tlpdary SO claimed by Great
Britain. 1t would then rest with each
of the governments, above mentioned to
make any objections which shey might
have to bring forward against Tho Sc
boundaries and to state the reasons upon
which such objections might he founded,
and Her Majesty's government would
then give such answers thereto as might
appear proper and just.
Lord Paimerston further considers that
it would BIZ expedent that the Brazilan
detachment should be required to with
draw from Pirara, and that the officer in
command should be informed that any
claim which Brazil may imagine itself
to have to that village should be stated
by the Brazilian govornment to that of
Great Britain, in order that it may be
discussed and settled bltween the two
govern ments. Leyeson,' %
To James Stepher, Esq.
In reference to the last paragraph it
may be stated that Brazil did withdraw
from Pirara and that the southern boun-
Diary of British Guiana has now advanced
over hundred miles beyond that point
fMNEMn,hnN