416 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



an apprehension that, the territorial claim does not follow 

 historical traditions or evidence, but is apparently indefi- 

 nite. ... It may be well for you to express anew to Lord 

 Salisbury the great gratification it would afford this govern- ^ 

 ment to see the Venezuelan dispute amicably and honorably 

 settled, by arbitration or otherwise, and our readiness to do 

 anything we properly can to assist in that end." 



In the spring of 1888 Congress called for the corre- 

 spondence relating to the Venezuelan controversy, and thus 

 the matter came more prominently before the country. 

 Although the subject was duly discussed by the press, even 

 then it did not occur to the people of the United States that 

 the question of a South American boundary could, to any 

 very great or serious extent, affect American interests. 



From 1888 to December, 1895, amicable relations between 

 Venezuela and Great Britain were greatly disturbed, 

 although diplomatic intercourse was resumed in the form 

 of several special Venezuelan envoys to London, who labored 

 earnestly, though in vain, for a friendly adjustment of the 

 boundary difficulties. During this period of seven years 

 British subjects continued to emigrate to the Caratal gold 

 district, where they founded numerous settlements, and so 

 far won the confidence of the native Indian tribes that the 

 latter were often willing to unite with them in forcibly resist- 

 ing Venezuelan authority. In the year 1895 the boundary 

 dispute had again reached a dangerous crisis, owing to 

 some hostile encounters, within the disputed area, between 

 British settlers and the Venezuelan police. Venezuela's 

 appeals to the United States for protection were so persistent 

 that President Cleveland was finally induced to step into 

 the arena. A somewhat vigorous correspondence took place 

 between Washington and London, the burden of the discus- 

 sion between Mr. Olney and Lord Salisbury being the appli- (/ 

 cability of the Monroe Doctrine to the case. 



The annual message of the President (1895) was followed, 

 two weeks later (December 17), by a special message to Con- 

 gress, submitting the Olney-Salisbury letters, and further 

 sustaining, in argumentative form, the attitude which the 



