The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-04
BRIT0NS ARE WELL PLEASED
GOT NEARLY $4,000 SQUARE MILES
OF liz FOREST LANDS.
Joint Statement by Genera Harrison
and NJ. Mallet-PrevOst-The
Award Not wholly Just.

$1,000 square miles claimed by Venezuela
that country obtains only 100, formed
partly of the marsh land near the River
Barima and a portion in the interior, while
Great Britain retains all the forest country.
Some Of Great Britain's claims as to the
interior and on the coast are diSallowed.
Her frontier will stay at the Wainie river.
The award was unanimous. 1t is considered
in the nature of a compromise. The decision,
which was read by Nj. F. De Martens. the
umpire who has presided over the delibera-
tions of the tribunal. follows:
1.-The undersigned, by these presents. give
and publish our decision, determining and
judging. touching and concerning the ques,
lions that have been submitted to us by said
arbitration; and, in conformity with said ar
bitraton. we decide, declare and pronounce
colony Of British Guiana and the United
States of Venezuela is as follows:
Starting on the coast of Point Playa, the
frontier shall follow a straight line TO the
confluence Of the Barima, and the Maruima,
thence following the thalweg of the latter
to the source of the Corentin, otherwise
called the Cuari river. Thence II shall pro-
coed to the confluence of the Haiowa and
the Amakuru; thence following the thalweg
of the Amakuru to its source in the plain
OF Imatika; thence in a southwesterly di-
rection along the highest ridge of the
Imatika mountains to the highest point OF
the Imatika chain, opposite the source of
the Barima and the principal chain of the
Imatika mountains; thence in a southeast
direction to the source of the Acarabisi,
Following the thalweg of the Acarabisi TO
the Cuyuni, the northern bank of which it
confluence of the Cuyuni and the Vanamu;
thence along the thalweg of the Vanamu
to its westernmost sources: thence in a
Rorarima; thence to the source of the
Cotinga.. From this point the frontier shall
follow the thalweg of the Colinga to as
n0Ehr1nnaa with tho rroEtt1i. thannn olnn0 Tho
thalweg of the Takuli to its source: thence
In a straight line to the most western point
OF the Aketrary mountains. the highest
of the Corentin, whence II will follow the
course of the river.
OTHER QUESTIONS NOT PREJUDICED.
1T is stipulated that the frontier hereby
delimitated reserves and in no way preju-
dices questions actually existing or that
may hereafter arise between Great Britain
and the republic of Brazil, or between the
republic of Brazil and Venezuela. In fix
ing the above delimitation the arbitrators
consider and decide that, in time of peace,
the rivers Amakuru and Barima shall be
open to navigation by the merchant ship
ping of all nations, due reserve being made
with regard to equitable regulations and the
payment OF light dues and other like i'm
posts, on condition that the dues levied by
Venezuela and British Guiana on ships
tTdNtTSluS TIE parts Oh LnOSt TlNeTS OWneU
by them respectively shall be imposed in
accordance with the same tariff on Venezu-
elan and British vessels. These tariffs are
not to- exceed those of all other countries.
The award proceeds also upon the condition
that neither Venezuela nor British Guiana
shall impose any customs duty on goods
carried in vessels, ships or boats passing
through these rivers, such customs being
levied only on goods landed upon VeneZue-
Ian territory or on the territory of Great
Britain, respectively.
Mt r. NF~- -.
other four members of the tribunal. After
they had taken their seats In the presence
of the counsel of the two parties and of
Sir Edmund j. Monson, British ambassador
to France, the entire staff of the British
embassy and a large concourse of people,
NJ. De Martens rose and in his opening
sentences announced that the court would
read the award which had been unanimous
~ arried at in English and in French.
D'Otiley Carte, private secretary to Baron
Russell of Halloween. one of the British
members of the tribunal. read the English
text, and NJ. De Martens read the French.
After this the president of the tribunal rose
and, speaking in English, said he was glad
to announce that after three months Of
hard work the court had unanimously de-
cided upon the award which had just been
read. 1t was a pleasant duty now to re-
store the former good understanding be-
tween the contending parties. He then
eloquently thanked his colleagues and the
respective counsel. rendering on behalf of
the tribunal special thanks for the hos
pitality extended to all by France. These
sentiments he repeated in French.
GEN. HARRISON'S STATEMENT.
Ex-President Benz. Harrison, the princi-
pal counsel for Venezuela, then made a few
remarks, and was followed by Sir Richard
Webster, principal counsel for Great
Britain, who thanked the French govern
ment for its hospitality and said that Eng
land and Venezuela would work side by side
In harmony. The sitting was then adjourned.
Subsequently Mr.. Harrison and NJ. NAL
let-Prevost, who were interviewed jointly,
pointed out that Great Britain up to the
time of the Intervention of the United
States distinctly refused to arbitrate any
portion of the territory east of the Schom-
burgk line, alleging that its title was unas-
sailable. This territory included the Atacuri
river and Point Barima, which is of the
greatest value strategically and CONNER
cially. The award, continued the counsel
for Venezuela, gives Point Barima, with a
strip Of LAM fifty miles long, to Venezuela,
which thereby obtains entire control of the
River Orinoco. Three thousand square miles
In the interior are also awarded to Ven
ezuela. Thus, by a decision in which the
British arbitraters concurred, the position
taken by Great Britain In 1895 is shown to
be unfounded. This, however. as the Ven
ezuelan counsel pointed out, in no wise ex-
presses the full extent of Venezuela 8 VIC
tory. Great Britain had claimed $1,000 square
miles of territory west of the Schomburgk
line and this she was disposed to arbitrate
in 1880. Every foot of that section is now
awarded to Venezuela.
The president of the tribunal. in his clos
ing address to-day, the Venezuelan counsel
remarked, had commented upon the unan-
unity of the present Judgment and had re-
ferred TO IL as a proof OF the success of ar
bitration, but i'm the opinion of the council
il did not require much intelligence to pene-
trate behind this superficial statement and
see that the line drawn is a line of COM
promise and not a line of right. IL the
British contention were right the line should
nave been drawn further west; II IL were
wrong. the lines should have been drawn
much farther east. There was nothing in
legal principles involved which could ade-
quately explain why the line should be
drawn where il had been.
Counsel for Venezuela went on to say
that, so long as arbitration was conducted
on such principles, IL could not be regarded
as a success. at least by those who believe
that arbitration should result in the admis-
really diplomatic in character. Venezuela
had gained much, but was entitled 10 more,
and In the judgment Of the joint counsel for
Venezuela, If the arbitrators were unani-
nous, IL must be because their failure to
agree would have confirmed Great Britain
In the possession of even more territory.
One OF the counsel for Great Britain made
the following statement to the Associated
Press: The syard practically Endorses the