Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-23
INVASION DUE
TO JEALOUS
OFFICER
DIPLOMACY WILL SETTLE
VENEZUELAN AFFAIR
British Government Attaches
Little Importance to Raid on
Neighbofing Republic From
British Guiana.

London, Aug. 22.-The foreign Of
flee today received confirmation of the
report of the raid made by Captain
Calder at the head of a small frontier
force from British Guiana into VeneZ-
uelan territory. and the seizure of a
small quantity of "balata" alleged to
have been collected in British terri
itory. The action is attributed to the
overZealousness of the frontier officer,
and the government will take proper
steps to settle the matter diplomati-
cally.
Much excitement has been caused
at Georgetown British Guiana, by re-
port of an invasion of Venezuelan ter
ritory by Captain Calder, in command
of small frontier force from British
Guiana and the seizure of a small
quantity of balata (the gum of the
balata tree, used for insulating wres)
which, it is alleged had been collected
on British territory.
Captain Calder's force, 1t is re-
ported, went down the Barima river
and crossed the boundary into VeneZ-
uelan territory, where Captain Calder,
at the point of revolver demanded
that the Venezuelan commissioner
surrender to him 1000 pounds of ba-
lata. The commissioner gave up the
gum. He has made protest, how
ever, to President Castro, and the
British consul at Georgetown, British
Guiana, against the seizure of the ba-
lata and the invasion of Venezuelan
territory.
Alleged trespasses on the boundary
of the other were frequent causes of
complaint by Venezuela and Great
Britain before the year 1899, when
the delneation of the boundary line
between the two countries resulting
from the decision of the Paris tribu-
nal of arbitration became effective.
Since that time cases of that charac-
ter have rarely. If ever, occurred; cer-
tainly there have been none that have
given rise to any complications.
For years engineers, representing
the British and the Venezuelan gov
governments have been at work max
ing the boundary line, and that work
has just about been completed.
In the present instance the alleged
offense occurred in that section of
country which was for a long time In
dispute between Venezuela and Great
Britain, and In that portion of which
the Barima river forms the dividing
or boundary line. The collection of
balata Is a common industry in the
Barima river region and If there has
been a violation of the boundary line
and the balata was collected on Brit
ish territory. as charged. the sugges-
tiOn is made that this may have been
done by persons ignorant of the re-
cent marking of the boundary, who
had no real intention of violating the
law.
At the Venezuela legation the Incl
dent Is not regarded as likely to lead
to any serious complications, but the
opinion is expressed that It will be
readily adjusted through the usual
diplomatic channels. The British gov
ernment and that of Venezuela are
said to be on excellent terms, which
leads to the conclusion that an af-
fair of this character will be settled
amicably. Senior Paulido, the charge
danaires of the legation, said today
that he had not received any advice
about the incident.