New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-29
YENEZUELAN DECISION.
of s1,9OO,OOO Made to
British Company By Umpire.
Ia rELEGRAPH To THE raIBUNE.l

tBY TELEGRAPH To THE TaIBUNE-l
Los Angeles May 2S.-Frank Plumley, OF
Vermont prominent layman. attending the
General Conference OF the Methodist Church to-
night forwarded to the British and Venezuelan
governments. through their representative am
bassador and minister his decision umpire in
the disputes between those countries.
In December. 1902. after repeated refusals on
the part of the Venezuelan government 10 meet
certain claims due to various powers the in
terested nations combined In blockading the
ports of the South American republic. Through
the intervention of the United States, the con-
tending factions consented to arbitrate their
claims. Eleven different countries were involved
including Great Britain. Germany. Italy. Hol-
land. Spain. Mexico and the United States. The
convention was in many respects remarka-
bic one. Great Britain. Holland and Venezuela
united in asking President Roosevelt to appoint
a umpire settle the points involved upon
which they could not agree. Mr.. Plumley was
selected to perform this delicate and important
task Some OF the questions new in in
ternationai jurisprudence. and Mr.. PIumley was
permitted 10 take the evidence and briefs to
this country for further consideration.
Tonight Mr. PIumIey for the first time out
lined the results OF his deliberations. There
were four awards. one involving a large sum of
money and the others dealing with important
questions of International law. These awards
are the last TO be made. and as by mutual agree
ment his decision is 20 be final and conclusive,
the last vestige Of the Venezuelan dispute which
eminent diplomats at one time feared might be
the means OF involving the many nations inter-
ested in an international war has now passed
away.
In the celebrated case between the Puerto Ca
bello and Valencia Railway Company. a power
ful British concern. and the Venezuelan govern
ment. the government guaranteed the company
a certain net income. which was not made good
The umpire made an award in favor of the COM
pany of S1.2OOOO0. Most interesting from legal
point of view was the decision in regard to a
claim by Great Britain for interest at . per
cent on awards made by mixed commission
In 1863. the convention constituting this COM
mission having provided that the Venezuelan
government should by its Congress make pro-
vision without delay for the payment covering
some sixteen years Venezuela denied the right
to collect interest, since there was no specific
provision for 1t by the two governments Mr.
Piumley held that interest at the rate Of 3 per
cent the Venezuelan statutory rate when no
rate is named in the contract. should be al
lowed from the time when the Venezuelan Con-
gresS ratified the terms of convention, accepted
the findings OF the commission and made the
first payment on account. Regarding the dis
pute to citizenship. England set up the claim
that a man born in Venezuela of British parents
resident in Venezuela and always residing him
self in Venezuela was a British subject under
the constitution of Venezuela existing at the
time of his birth This construction of the con-
stitution Venezuela opposed. and its contention
was sustained by the umpire.