New-York tribune., 1903-03-27
pEL1M1T1NG THE FRONTIERS OF ACRE

Acre the now famous South American region, SO
rich in rubber forests, and claimed by Brazil 30
livia and Peru, is longer likely to be the cause
Of a war between the Bolivian and Brazilian troops.
The question dispute has passed into the peacefu
ground Of mere delimtation of frontiers, but the
cable dispatches relative to that question are contra
dictory some saying that Brazil will occupy, dur
ing the negotiations. the Acre territory as far
north as latitude 10 degrees and 10 minutes others
king of 10 degrees and 20 minutes south. This
is mere clerical contradiction. for the Brazhah-
Bolivian dispute has always been, since the treaty
of 1851 not as to the northern southern limit,
hut as to the eastern western line of boundary.
Brazil claimed that its frontier should be south OF
the parallel OF latitude at 10 degrees and % min
utes whilo Bolivia claimed that il should not go
beyond latitude of 10 degrees according TO the
"uti possidetis'' principle Of 1910, which was the
basis for all territorial demitatons in South
America.
This theory seems to be supported by Senior Car
valho. Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of Brazil during
the Presidency of DR.. Prudente de Moraes a ne
gotator and signatory Of the protocol of 1875 which
granted the sovereignty of Bolivia in the Acre ter
rtory Senior CarvaIho in part, in his article
| published in the "Revsta de Derecho. Historic y
Letras":
The protocol Of February 19, 1885. did not create
any new right it simply records the agreement for
the marking Of the east;west line Of the Brazilian
erai map of the frontier made in 1877 by tn Brazia
by both the Brazilian and Bolivian governments
The operation to which the protocol refers
tUai ground: the line marked oHt on the oficial
| line. the position whereof has been soennly and
definitely determined since lsa'-3e;, having been
| made by Brazil and accepted by Bolivia
Brazil pretended that the protocol of 1895 had de-
termined the frontier limits. and changed it
from the line of 1920 south. adopted by preceding
treaties Senior Carvalhos article shows that this
| protocol was a document. ordering the fixing by
posts stakes of limits already adopted by both
| countries. He says
|
marks, properly fixing the axis of a straight line
by the national conscience and probity. sufces for
al purposes. excepting forced Interpretation Of
against integrity of the country. To carry into
mission of is77 wa the Object Of the Protocol Of
1885 This is the real jurdic diagnosis of the case
nor could it make any claim. to eyade the question
which produced so much unrest in Bolivia Peru
and Colombia. And Bolivia required no interna;
Of the general map Of the frontier to exercise abb
whole OF the land or water territory. south of the
egast.West stra-En mt line from the BeIi to the
thority from his neighbor to fence in his marked
II was to avoid conflicts and trouble that the line
| was ordered TO be made; No line whatever was
map Of the couafry The first opePstion fell to the
pegotiaIors Of the treaty Of 1897 the second to the
within the province of the technical experts. whom
tocol o February s was the 20 Simple T
Of the delimtatiop @ Of S77 soleIanly approved and
land and water frontier OF Brazil II is previous
may arise as to the navieable rivers of the basin
Of the Amazon. that a thinking and conscientious
government calmly embark on an afte,npt in
! which neither right nor power is It's side The
only International policy is that justice 1t will
! guarantee peace and awaken sympathies which the
great and powerful do not spontaneously enjoy and
much less those who suppose themselves to possess
| such advantages Fortunately In this question with
Bolivia history and geography do not subvert the
national coed sense and II they are consulted they
will promote peace by the recognition OF eight.
1t appears that in regard to the dispute about
Acre. which threatened war. between Bolivia ana
Brasil, and which is to be the subject of future
/ NEGOTIATIONS, q paper at Rio Janero edited by one
of the Brazilian statesmen. Senior Quintin Bocay~
] IVA, present Governor OF the Province of Rio de
i of ownership claimed by Brazil over the territory
I Of ASr&