The San Francisco call., 1899-06-22
GREAT BRITAIN
AND VENEZUELA
Argument Before BOun-
Diary Commission.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PARIS, June 21.-The Venezuelan bound
2ry commission reaSSembled at IL O'Clock
this morning, and Sir Richard Webster,
the British Attorney General, resumed his
speech in behalf of the case of Great Brit
ain. Dealing with the period from 1900 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 circumnavigarion
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 10
entitle them to the whole
In close detail Sir Richard Webster eX-
amined the work Of the various explorers
of the period upon whom Venezuela relied,
claiming that Uhey were not relevant 10
the territory of Guiana, adding that the
statements made before the United Sta -eS
commission must not be argued against
Great Britain, as frequent deductions Were
made which were totally unsupported, as
Justice Brewer, former member of hat
commission, would doubtless remember.
According to counsel for Great Britain the
first explorer who really reached Guiana
was Dc Berrio. and his expedition was in
tended Sir Richard added, to apply to a
different part OF the country and Tor d
different object than that alleged by Ven
ezCela, who sought to apply it TO a small
dis trict
-puiiStl pIOlSSteu 1SdiIsl itS pSiil :
pieced on so as to establish this so called
Spanish title" He further asserted that
1t had failed miserably, as both tne
Dutch and the Spanish historians agreed
that there WAS one Spanish settlement on
the Orinoco before 1920
As to the Spanish coaSting voyages, Sir
Richard Webster said the Spanards occa-
sion2lly traded. but the Dutch traded and
settled. BY the truce Of 1909 the Dutch
position was known and acknowledged by
Spain; and, as Motley, the HISTORIAN, had
stated. the orange flag of the republic
was to flOa. over all America, from Man
haitian Island to the shores of Brazil and
the Straits of Magellan, provided Philip
had not had ships and soldiers TO vinui-
cate with the sword that sovereignty
which Spanish swords and genius had
once acquired"
Continuing the British counsel claimed
that discovery, when not followed by oc-
cupation, was of no value as the basis Of
title, inasmuch as nations had never con-
sented TO the contrary doctrine. DiScov-
cry, if accompanied by a certified or uoto-
rouS intention to acquire, gave prior Op-
portunity of acquiring, which opportunity
1t 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 case of transfer of
possession, for there We're no parties bo-
tween whom such a convention could
pass. Guiana was vacant. The Dutcn set
tied and controlled it, while the Spaniards
held one miserable spot on the Orinoco,
which could not control the huge district
lying between the Orinoco and the Essi-
Quibo. Sir Richard Webster then detailed
the exploits of the Dutch In conjunction
with Sir Walter Raleigh bringing his ar
guments up to the events of 1897.