The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-22
ANCIENT HISTORY
Being Recited by Counsel In Vene-
zuelan Boundary Case.

Paris, June 22-The Venezuelan
boundary commission reassembled yes
terday and Sir Richard Webster, the
British attorney general, resumed his
speech in behalf of the case of Great
Britain. Dealing with the period from
1000 to 1887, he said Great Britain was
unable to rely on the Spanish records Of
Venezuelan control and was compelled
to fall back upon the discovery and
circumnavigation, so-called, of the Unit
of Guiana, Venezuela, arguing that
Guiana was a defined area, that Spain
had discovered that defined area and
had taken part in the name Of the
whole, taking such possession as to en-
title them to the whole.
In close detail Sir Richard Webster
examined the work of the various ex-
pIOrers of the period upon whom Vene-
zuela relied, claiming they were not
relevant to the territory of Guiana,
adding that the statements made before
the United States commission must not
be argued against Great Britain, as fire.
Quent deductions were made which
were totally unsupported, as Justice
Brewer, a former member of that COM
mission, would doubtless remember. Ac-
cording to counsel for Great Britain. the
first explorer who really reached Guiana
was De BerriO, and his expedition was
intended, Sir Richard added to apply
to a different part of the country and
for a different object than that alleged
by Venezuela, who sought to apply it
TIC a small district.
Counsel protested against its being
pieced on so as to establish this so
called Spanish title,' further. asserting
that ''it had failed miserably as both
the Dutch and Spanish historians greed
that there was one Spanish settlement
on the OrinOco before 1720.''
As to the Spanish coasting voyages,
Sir Richard Webster said the Spaniards
occasionally traded, but the Dutch
traded and settled. BY the truce of
1909 the Dutch position was known and
acknowledged by Spain; and, as Mot
ley, the historian, had stated "the
orange flag of the republic was to float
over all America from Manhattan is
land to the shores of Brazil, and the
Straits of Magellan, provided Philip had
not had ships and soldiers to vfndfcate
with the sword that sovereignty which
Spaniards' words and genius had once
acquired
ed that discovery, when not followed by
occupation, was of no value as the basis
OF title, inasmuch as nations had never
consented to the contrary doctrine. Dis
cOvery, if accompanied by a certified or
notorious intention to acquire gave a
prior opportunity of acquiring which
opportunity it would be a violation of
, the comfy of nations to interfere with
prematurely
The occupation of vacant parts of the
world, treated as not in the possession
OF distant owner, was not a case of
transfer of possession for there were no
parties between whom such a conven-
ton could pass. Guiana was vacant
The Dutch settled and controlled if.
while the Spaniards held one naisera bje
spot on the OrinOco which could not con-
troll the huge district lying between the
OrinOcO and the Essiquibo.
Sir Richard Webster then detailed the
exploits of the Dutch in conjunction
with Sir Walter Raleigh, bringing his
arguments up to the events of 1897
Lord Chief Justice Russell caused an
amusing diversion when Sir Richard
Webster was describing the cannibalis-
tic attacks at San Thome. He asked
Sir Richard if the latter did not know
that this was a libelous statement He
replied that he could not vOuch person.
ally for its accuracy, but it was good
history.
The commission adjourned at O'Clock
until tomorrow.