The full text of the Venezuelan case to be presented
to the American Commission was published in Tuesday's Times. It is a moderately worded document and contains no reference to the Bull of Alexander VI. It begins by stating that "the object of this paper is to assert for Venezuela a right which will not involve the interruption of any peaceable possession by any British subject nor require a single one of Lord Salisbury's forty thousand to change his allegiance in order to preserve his home." If this is really the attitude of the Caracas Government, why should they object to the proposal that if, in an arbitration, any settled district is found to belong of right to Venezuela, that district shall be retained in the possession of England on England paying reasonable compen- sation P We have not space to deal with the case as set forth in detail, but we must note the declaration at the end that the gold- diggings contain no settlements. They are worked exclusively by negroes, who only go up for three months at a time. There are no permanent huts, no families, and no permanent residents, "unless that term can be applied to a few negroes who have kitchen-gardens, and perhaps a few foremen and officials whose duties keep them there." Bnt might not the same be said of the hotels in the high parts of the Zermatt Valley. People only go there for three months in the year, "except a few foremen." Yet Switzerland would not think that made it easier to yield the Riffel Alp and the Schwarzsee to Italy.
Previous page
