AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



tigate the territorial claims of Venezuela and Great Britain 

 in order to enlighten the government upon the question as 

 to whether Great Britain's action in South America should 

 be accepted by the executive as an extension of European 

 dominion on the American continent. The President there- 

 fore appointed a commission "to investigate and report 

 upon the true divisional line between the republic of Vene- 

 zuela and British Guiana." In asking Congress for an ap- 

 propriation to defray the expenses of such an investigating 

 board, the President said: u When such report is made and 

 accepted, it will, in my opinion, be the duty of the United 

 States to resist by every means in its power, as a wilful 

 aggression upon its right and interest, the appropriation by 

 Great Britain of any lands or the exercise of governmental 

 jurisdiction over any territory which after investigation we 

 have determined of right belongs to Venezuela. 



" In making these recommendations, I am fully alive to the 

 responsibility incurred, and keenly realize all the consequences 

 that may follow." 



The commission at once entered upon the arduous labor 

 of examining a voluminous mass, of documentary evidence 

 furnished by Venezuela and somewhat good-naturedly by 

 England, but before the final conclusion of their task had 

 been reached, the British Government yielded to the repeated 

 solicitations of the United States, and agreed to arbitrate 

 with Venezuela. For that purpose a treaty was drawn up 

 in Washington and afterward signed (February 12, 1897) by 

 the British and Venezuelan representatives. By this conven- 

 tion a tribunal of arbitration was appointed, consisting oi 

 two English judges, two American judges, and a president 

 of the tribunal who should be selected by the four membei 

 of the court already designated. 



In June, 1899, the commission assembled in Paris. It con- 

 sisted of Professor Martens, the distinguished Russis 

 authority upon international law, the Chief Justice of tin 

 United States, Justice Brewer of the United States Supreme 

 Court, Baron Russell, Lord Chief Justice of England, an< 

 Sir Richard Collins, Lord Justice of Appeals of Great Bril 



