he appealed to his countrymen to fulfil the obligations of international law.

"The plain duty of their Government is to observe in good faith the recognized obligations of international relationship. The performance of this duty should not be made more difficult by a disregard on the part of our citizens of the obligations growing out of their allegiance to their country, which should restrain them from violating, as individuals, the neutrality which the nation, of which they are members, is bound to observe in its relations to friendly sovereign States."*

His good faith in this respect has been recognized by the Spanish authorities. As the struggle went on, the Cuban sympathizers became more noisy in the Atlantic cities; and since the fifty-fourth Congress opened, and the Presidential season began, there has been fierce competition among the leaders of both parties as to which should carry off the palm for violence towards Spain. Sometimes the honours were with Senator Lodge; again the star of Senator Morgan was in the ascendant; and finally Senator Sherman distanced all competitors.

In April a resolution was passed by both Houses in favour of recognizing the insurgents as belligerents. The only attention which the President has bestowed upon the labours of the Senate was to repeat in July, in still more explicit terms, the proclamation of neutrality which he had issued in 1895.

* President's Message, 1895, p. 13.

CHAPTER XIV.

AMERICA AND GREAT BRITAIN.

Important relations between the two countries-South American trade-British Guiana-Old dispute with Venezuela-The Olney Despatch-Lord Salisbury's replies — The Venezuela MessageEnthusiasm in Congress-Panic in Stocks-Finance MessageFeeling towards England-Republican impatience of European influence on the American Continent-The Maine and Oregon boundaries.

O the general principle that foreign affairs are only

Ta pastime of the American politician, there are

two exceptions. One Power there is with whom the United States has continuous relations, whose policy engages close attention throughout the Union : and that is Great Britain. Her commercial system dominates that trading world in which the Union plays a large part. Her flag flies along the whole of the northern frontier. Closely connected with this special position of Great Britain is the group of questions affecting the relative position of the United States and the Spanish Republics. In spite of distance, England is the successful competitor of the American trader among those nations whom political orators claim as the pupils of Republican statesmen. The commercial preponderance

which Great Britain enjoys in South America keeps alive among the adventurous classes that dislike of the European State which, on the northern frontier, is aroused by the spectacle of a prosperous, orderly, industrious community of English-speaking people who are not worshippers of Republican ideals. The history of the Fisheries question, told in a previous chapter, shows how persistent this feeling of antagonism is in relation to the Dominion of Canada. The keenness of this jealousy, where other parts of the American continent are concerned, was suddenly exhibited last year by the new complexion given to a long-standing controversy about a remote British possession.

British Guiana is a part of South America lying between the rivers Orinoco and Corentin. The principal river within the territory is the Essequibo, which flows into the Atlantic, nearly due north, from the mountains of Brazil. In its course it is fed by several tributaries, which have their sources in the ranges of the north-west lying between it, the Essequibo, and the watershed of the Orinoco. The principal of these is the Cuyuni. It rises in the south-east, and flows westward until its junction with the Uruan, when it sweeps round in a sharp curve to the east, and flows into the Essequibo. How far the watersheds of these tributaries, and of one or two smaller rivers like the Barima and the Waini, running directly into the Atlantic, are included within British territory, is the question which has been in dispute for many years.

The settlements along the coast came into English

hands in 1796, as a cession from Holland. Although the Spaniards, for many generations, maintained a sort of Monroe doctrine in relation to the whole continent, the commercial establishments of the Dutch in this region were formally acknowledged by the Treaty of Munster, 1648, which put an end to the long war between Spain and the United Provinces. The Dutch settlements undoubtedly extended along the coast as far as Point Barima, where a river of that name falls into the estuary of the Orinoco; but the Treaty of Munster not only recognized the right of the Netherlands to all territory of which they were in occupation at the time of the treaty, but also to other land which they might acquire afterwards, without encroaching upon Spain. The Dutch gradually moved up the watersheds to the south and west, and acquired control of the basin of the Cuyuni; whilst, down to 1723, the only Spanish settlement to the south of the Orinoco was that of St. Thome de la Guayana. During the following ninety years, Capuchin missions, coming from the Orinoco, penetrated this region, and gradually extended their operations southwards and eastwards, in the direction of the Dutch possessions.

In 1810, Venezuela declared her independence of the Crown of Spain.

In 1840, Sir Robert Schomburgk, who had previously visited the country at the request of the Royal Geographical Society, was authorized by the British Government to make a survey of the colony. Venezuelan Government complained of certain posts erected by him, near the Orinoco. These had

The

been put up as landmarks to aid in the work of surveying, and Lord Aberdeen consented to remove them, declaring, at the same time, that the British Government did not thereby abandon any portion of their rights. In 1842, discussions commenced between Great Britain and Venezuela concerning the boundary. The latter State claimed that the territory of their Republic extended to the Essequibo, on the grounds that the Spaniards had, at an early date, explored the Orinoco, and the adjoining valleys of the Barima and other rivers; and that, at the time of the Munster Treaty, the Dutch had no possessions in the country to the north-west of the Essequibo.

of

Lord Aberdeen, in reply, appealed to the history of numerous Dutch settlements along the coast during the sixteenth century, and on the rivers between the Essequibo and the Orinoco. In 1850 there was much popular excitement in Venezuela, and rumours military preparations in England. The Government at Caracas was pressed by Congress to erect forts at certain points on the coast; and, after some correspondence, it was agreed that neither of the contending parties should attempt any formal occupation of the disputed territory, such as would be implied by the construction of forts, or the establishment of military posts.*

In 1876, when the late Lord Derby was Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the claims of Venezuela were again advanced, on the same basis as thirty-one years before, reliance being furthermore placed upon the Bull of Alexander VI. (1496), as importing "a fresh and most Parl. Papers, Venezuela, No. 1, 1896, p. 256.

*