The evidence establishes the following conclusions: 1. From the early part of the 17th century the Dutch, and since their acquisition of the Colony the British, controlled the trade of the whole district now in dispute. 2. The Dutch, and subsequently the British, appointed Postholders and other officers, whose special duties were :— (a.) To regulate the trade; (b.) To control and protect the native tribes, and to establish friendly relations with them; and (c.) To issue passports authorizing persons to pass through the territories of the Colony. The functions of the Postholders were exercised over the whole of the territory now claimed by Great Britain. 3. As early as the 17th century the Dutch had a station at Barima, and the district there 20 and its inhabitants and trade remained throughout under the control of the Dutch and British. 4. The Dutch West India Company received authority from the States-General to establish, and, in fact, established, a Protectorate over 25 the Indian tribes of Guiana. 5. The Company entered into contracts, leagues, and alliances with the Indian tribes. 6. The Indians of Guiana submitted to, acknowledged, and supported the sovereignty of 30 the Dutch and British respectively within the territory now in dispute, and there was a continuous exercise of jurisdiction therein by the Dutch and British. 7. The Dutch, and, subsequently, the British, 35 claimed and exercised the right of appointing the Captains of the Indians, who were officially recognized as such by the Government of the Colony. 8. The Dutch and British employed the 40 Indians living within the territory now in dispute in services both of a military and industrial character. 10. Subsidies were for many years paid to the Indians for military services by the Dutch 45 and British Governments respectively. 11. The territorial area within which the Dutch and British exercised their acknowledged rights of protection and sovereignty over the Indian tribes included the basins of the 50 Rivers Essequibo, Massaruni, Cuyuni, Pome roon, Moruka, Barama, Waini, Barima, up to the right bank of the Amakuru. 12. After the acquisition of the Colony by the British, Great Britain exercised over the 5 territory now in dispute all those rights by which nations usually indicate their claim to territorial possession. 13. During the 17th and 18th centuries, while the Spanish exercised control over Santo 10 Thomé and the district known as Orinoco, they never exercised any jurisdiction or control over the territory now in dispute. 14. The Capuchin Missions never exercised any control or jurisdiction over any territory 15 except that actually comprised within the Mission stations. 15. On every occasion on which the Spaniards. entered the territory now in dispute their expeditions were mere raids, and were not 20 followed up by any occupation or effective control. 16. Neither Spain nor Venezuela has ever exercised any jurisdiction or control over any part of the territory now in dispute. CHAPTER IV. The Schomburgk Survey. VII, p. 71. (1840.) VII, pp. 74, 79. (1841.) VII, pp. 3-7. VII, p 34. VII, p. 50. VII, p. 50. The intention of Her Majesty's Government at that time was, when the work of the Commissioner had been completed, to communicate to the Governments of Venezuela and Brazil their 10 views as to the true boundary of the British Colony, and then to settle by negotiation any details to which these Governments might take objection. In pursuance of this commission, Schomburgk 15 personally investigated practically the whole of the country: first, from Point Barima and the River Amakuru as far as the confluence of the Acarabisi Creek with the River Cuyuni; later, the whole area stretching west and north between 20 the Essequibo and the Cuyuni. It is important to notice that Schomburgk did (1839.) not discover or invent any new boundaries. He took particular care to fortify himself with the history of the subject. He had further, from 25 actual exploration and information obtained from the Indians, as well as from the evidence of local remains as at Barima, and local traditions as on the Cuyuni, ascertained the limits of Dutch possession, and the zone from which all trace of 30 Spanish influence was absent. On such data he based his reports. (1841.) With his Reports Schomburgk submitted maps of his survey, on which he indicated the line which he would propose to Her Majesty's Government 35 (1843.) for adoption. for adoption. He also called attention to the fact that Her Majesty's Government might justly claim the whole basin of the Cuyuni and Yuruari, on the ground that the natural boundary of the Colony included any territory through which 40 (1843.) flow rivers which flow into the Essequibo. Upon this principle," he wrote, "the boundaryline would run from the sources of the Carumani towards the sources of the Cuyuni proper, and from thence towards its far more northern tributaries, the Rivers Iruary (Yuruari) and Iruang (Yuruan), and thus approach the very 5 heart of Venezuelan Guiana." With the view of facilitating the negotiations for the adjustment of the boundary, he proposed that Great Britain should consent to surrender her claim to a more extended frontier inland. It was on this 10 principle that he drew the boundary-line which has since been called by his name, and this line included, therefore, much less territory than that claimed by Great Britain as a matter of right. In 1842 it came to the knowledge of Her Proposed Beacon on Cape Barima. 15 Majesty's Government that six years before, VII, pp. 81-84. (1836.) Later in the year they renewed the proposal for VII, p. 73. the negotiation of a Treaty, and at the same time (1841.) 45 remonstrated against Mr. Schomburgk's proceed ings in placing boundary posts at certain points. They were informed, in reply, that, in the opinion VII, p. 74. (1841.) of Her Majesty's Government, the negotiation of a Boundary Treaty should follow rather than VII, p. 77. VII, p. 80. The Venezuelan Contentions. VII, p. 86. VII, p. 86. (1841.) precede the survey operations, and that, although Mr. Schomburgk had put up certain marks, he was fully aware that the demarcation as made was merely a preliminary measure open to future discussion between the two Governments. The 5 Venezuelan Minister in London, Señor Fortique, having renewed his remonstrances, Lord Aberdeen, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, (1842.) consented, in January 1842, to send instructions for the removal of the posts which had been 10 placed by Schomburgk near the Orinoco. But (1843.) (1844.) ide line coloured brown B-B on Map in Atlas, 1. 4. That the Spaniards had at an early date ex- 30 plored and occupied the Orinoco and all the contiguous country, and the Rivers Barima, Moruka, and Pomaroon; That at the time of the Treaty of Münster the Dutch had no possessions in Guiana, or none at 35 least on the northern and western side of the Essequibo; That the Spanish domination extended as far as the Essequibo, and that any possession by the Dutch to the west of that river was an usurpa- 40 tion, and bad not been approved of by Spain. The note also quoted the statements of certain geographers and others to the effect that the Essequibo was the boundary of Dutch Guiana, and concluded by saying that, the Essequibo was 45 the natural boundary between Venezuela and the British Colony, and that the British colonists possessed little or nothing beyond it. It is to be observed that the claim of Venezuela put forward in this note is based, first, 50 upon a pretension which must be regarded as |