It is stated that the American Venezuela Commission is
about to report, and to report in a sense hostile to the British case. The statement is to some extent supported by the very serious view of the situation evidently entertained by Sir Edward Clarke. Speaking at York on Thursday, he pointed out that we had been told in explicit terms that if the Com- mission decided against our claim the American people would insist upon this country accepting that decision. "That decision," he went on, "would be against this country, not because it was a hostile Commission, but because he believed Imo honest and impartial arbitrator or Commission could decide in favour of the claims of this country upon the -evidence." If there was any foundation for the statements in the Blue-book, and if the contention there set forth was "the real and moderate contention of Venezuela," then between us and Venezuela there should be im- mediate negotiation. There should be consent to arbitra- tion at once, and this country should be prepared to accept the consequences of such an arbitration in the delimita- tion a a line which, after all, mattered very little. "If the decision of the Commission was against us—as he said it must be and ought to be—and if it was attempted to be forced upon us by a Presidential Message there would be a passionate feeling of resentment aroused among our people, the consequences of which would be serious to both countries, and that was why, at this moment, we were in what he conceived to be a serious risk." Against this very alarmist view of the matter must be placed Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's declaration that the negotiations with America are going on satisfactorily. If that is so, our Government must have determined to anticipate the decision of the Commission by some general agreement with America.
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