Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-16


in various parts of the disputed terri
tory. 1t thoroughly canvassed the sue
cessive efforts Of Spain and Of Holland
to exercise dominion over the Indians
inhabiting those districts, and the re-
peated attempts of each TO neutralize
the efforts of the other toward acquir-
ing foothold there. 1t called to its
aid the services of experts in historical
and geographical studies, and ransack-
ed the historical repositories of Europe
and America, especially the archives
of Holland and Spain, and those at
Rome. Caracas, Georgetown and Lon
don, in search of data shedding light
upon the questions involved. The re-
suit was the unsarthing Of vast
amount of original information Of the
highest importance, completely upset
ting IN many instances the old conten-
tions and pointing to other conclusions
than those hitherto reached. Before
the close of 1896 the British govern
ment agreed to arbitrate the question.
and treaty was negotiated through
the friendly offices of the United States,
whereby the whole subject was refer
red to the tribunal now sitting in Paris.
By this happy arrangement a formal
report by the American commission OF
the kind contemplated was rendered
unnecessary. Nevertheless, the COM
mission, having by shat time accom-
plished a valuable work in the eollec-
ton of materials upon which a decision
could be based. proceeded to systemat-
ize its results and print the materials
gathered, for the benefit of the arbitra-
tors at Paris The materials SO pub
liahed are embraced in four volumes,
which were printed in time for their
presentation to the Paris arbitrators at
their opening session last month. and
it is believed that these volumes will
go far toward tightening and simplify
ing their labors.
Aside from the invaluable atlas be-
fore referred to. these volumes include
a report by J. Franklin Jameson, pro-
lessor of history at Brown University,
on Spanish and Dutch settlements in
Guiana prior to 164S-the date of the
Treaty of Munster, between Spain and
Holland; a report by professor Burr,
professor of history at Cornell Univer-
sity, as to the meaning of certain arti-
cles of that treaty; a report by Pro-
fessor Burr on the territorial rights OF
the Dutch West India Company, and
another on the evidence afforded by the
Dutch archives as to European occupa-
ton and claims in Western Guiana
and voluminous extracts from Dutch
archives, with accompanying English
translation. All this information, how
ever, is reduced to a comparatively few
maps, expressing the facts in concrete
form; and these, with others, are con
tanned in the atlas.
Of the 76 maps embraced in this
atlas, Is are entirely new, and were
made expressly for it, These Is are
formed on the same basic outline, and
exhibit the most important historical
and geographical data gathered by the
Commission, covering the growth OF
Spanish and Dutch settlementos in the
Guiana region, and the several success
i've boundary lines proposed in recent
years The 81 other maps are fac
simite reproductions of old ones; and
of these later, Al have previously been
printed elsewhere, and are collected and
used to illustrate Professor MaIlet-Pre-
vost's report on the pathological testi-
mony of geographers. while the re-
naming 20 are fac-similes OF original
manuscript maps hitherto unpublished
illustrating Professor Burr's report on
maps from official sources.
QUEER OLD MAPS.
Most of the ancient engraved maps in
this unique collection were published
originally at Venice, Verona, Paris
Madrid, Frankfort-on the Maine, MI
remberg, Leyden, Antwerp. Amster-
dam, and London. The earliest is dated
1884, and is map of America by Peter
Martyr, published at Venice, showing
besides whimsical and partial define
alton Of the continental coast lines
the location of fabulous sea monsters
disporting in the Spanish Main.
The next earliest Is a Mercator map
of 1888. Another quaint map Of Amer
lea. of 1887. published by Abraham
Ortellus at Antwerp. is embellished
with drawings Of prosperous looking
Dutch ships, with ful bellying sa-s
and high-pooped decks, plying across
the Atlantic and Pacific without a rival.
Here also is the famous chart Of Guiana
by Sir Walter Raleigh made in 1896
in which appears for the first time the
word Guiana Upon it he has palced
the mythical lake OF Parma in the
interior, and upon its shores be has
located the fabulous city OF "Manoa. =
while the elusive kingdom or ri Dor
ado, that will o the wisp Of all the
old discoveries. he has relegated to the
basin Of the lake itself The exfSfeuca