Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-11-20
Mr.. oIney to Sir Julian Pauncefote.

Department of s ale, Wa hington, July ID,
1896. .-Excellency: 1 have the honor to ac
knowledge the receipt from you of copy OF
Lord Salisburys dispatch to you Of the Sd
inst It's object is to explain that his lord
ship, in his previous dispatch Of May %, did
not intend that the boundary line fixed by
the proposed arbitral tribunal should include
In British Guinea any territory bona flde
occupied by a British subject January l, 1887.
But, as such territory must fall upon one
side or the other of any complete boundary
line. and was certainly not In any event to
be assigned to Venezuela, all the present ex-
planation would seem to show is that Lord
Salisbury's proposals OF May % contemplated
not complete boundary line, but part or
parts OF such line namely, such part or
parts as might divide uninhabited or unset
tied territory. Such a conclusion requires
a somewhat heroic construction OF paper
which In terms proposes "the following basis
OF settlement OF the Venezuelan boundary
dispute" by which the two governments are
to endeavor to agree ITO boundary line'
upon the basis Of a certain report and by
which. in absence OF such an agreement, an
arbitral tribunal is to ak the boundary line
upon the basis Of such report" Nothing iD
this language inlimates that anything less
than a complete boundary line is to be the
outcome of the plan suggested.
The discussion Is, however, hardly worth
pursuing. If Lord Salisbury did not make
his meaning clear in the dispatch of May %,
he certainly is entitled to make it clear now.
There is another part Of the dispatch which
seems to me of more importance and upon
which 1 wish to base an inquiry "The claim
OF Venezuela, 1t is said, "ls so far-reaching
that it brings into question interests and
rights which cannot properly be disposed of
by an unrestricted arbitration. 1t extends
as far as the Essequibo; it covers two-thirds
OF the colony Of British Guiana; 1t impeaches
titles which have been unquestioned for
many generations" That Venezuela claims
territory extending to the Essequibo, or
covering two-thirds of the colony of British
Guiana, cannot be regarded as being OF itself
an insu perable obstacle to unrestricted arbi-
tration But the objection that the Vene-
zuelan claim "lmpeaches titles which have
been unquestloned for many generations is
undoubtedly of the most weighty character
The inquiry 1 desire to put therefore, ia
this: Can 1t be assumed that her Majestys
government would submit to unrestricted
arbitration the whole of the territory in dis.
pute provided 1t be q rule OF the arbitration,
embodied in the arbitral agreement, that
territory which has been In the exclusive,
notorious and actual use and occupation OF
either party for even two generations, or
say for sixty years, shall be held by the arbi-
traitors to be the territory Of such party? In
other words, will her Majesty's government
assent to unrestricted arbitration Of all the
territory in controversy with the period for
the acquisition Of title by prescription fixed
by agreement Of tie parties in advance at
sixty years2
1 inclose copy Of the dispatch for Lord
Saisbury's use. I should be glad to have its
substance transmitted by cable, that 1t may
be published with the other correspondence
on the 18th instant
l have, ETC.,
(Slgned) RICHARD OLNEY