Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-27
VENEZUELAN CLAIMS
Something About the Case
Which May Lead 10
Small Sized War.

a dispatch from Caracas says tina.
the federal high court has given de-
cision against the Orinoco and Manoa
companies and annulling the social
ell Fitzgerald grant OH which the
claims of these companies were bas-
ed, says the Buffalo Express. This t.
one of the questions on which the
United states has been pressing Ven
ezuela for reference TO The Hague
court
The Fitzgerald concession was
granted in 1888. mainly for the pur-
pose of interesting the United States
In the boundary dispute between Ven
ezuola and Great Britain. 1t consist
cd of 10000 square miles in the delta
of the Orlnoco. Fitzgerald was an
American engineer and lie was bound
by terms of the grant to COLOMBO the
country and 10 develop its resources.
which were known to be very great.
Great britain was then claiming the
Orinoco river as the western boundary
OF British Guiana. so the grant includ-
ed part of the territory claimed as
british. hut alterward awarded TO
venezuela as result OF the arbitra-
ton brought about by President
Cleveland Fitzgerald transferred his
grant within year to the NIanoa
company had done any work, Guzman
Blanco. the former dictator, who was
then general ambassador from Ven
e2uela TO European courts. made 4
grant to another American, George
Turnbull. of the same territory thac
had been granted TO Fitzgerald ana
, ON the identical terms. The Presi.
dent of Venezuela promptly annulled
the Fitzgerald grant and Turnbull
was left in possession OF the property
for seven years. Then came revo.
luton and the accession of General
Crespo to power. He annulled the
T,irnbull grant and restored the con.
cession TO the Manoa Company. Soog
afterward this company sold its rights
to the Orinoco Company. Another
revolution followed. bringing Castro
into power, and in 1900 he annulled
the rights of the Orinoco Company on
the ground that the original Fitzger-
aid concession was void.
Lawsuits resulted. and It was finally
agreed that the entire question should
he referred to mixed commission
with Henry Barge. n Holander. as
umpire. This body met at Caracas IN
1903 and heard the claims of the var!
Gus concessionnaires. Turnbull de-
manded S1,300.0O0 damages; the Ma
noa Company. S5.000,000. and the ORR
noco Company, $l,300000. The COM
mission awarded the Orlnoco Company
$4,000 and gave nothing to the other
claimants. The umpire held that tho
Turnbull concession was void and that
the various cancellations of the Fitz-
gerald concession were void as was
the recession 10 Fitzgerald by Presi-
dent CTespo. This left the concession
virtually in the status it had in 1885.
before the TurnLsll grant was made.
but the question whether II had been
forfeited by failure to work it re-
manned open.
The secretary OF the mixed com.
mission was Rudolph Dodge, who hal
Tor some years been the American
consular agent at Caracas. Soon after
the decision was given he became In.
terested In the Orlnoco Company and
mas become its most prominent mem
Der MIR. Dodge began to press for ar
bitration or other settlement of the
remaining Glazing OF the company.
States Minister to Venezuela. He wos
States Minister to eneauela. He was
disposed to regard the case of the ORR.
noco Company as settled and, conse-
quently, he and Mr.. Dodge did no.
agree. After n little it appeared that
me state department was champion
ing the claimants in spite OF Mr. Bow
en-. Francis d. LOOMS n former mir.
lister to Venezuela, was then assistant