Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1890

Mr. Scruggs to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Caracas, May 3, 1890. (Received May 15.)

No. 100.]

Sir: Since the date of my No. 98 of the 25th of April last I have procured a “sketch map” of the disputed Guianian territory as prepared by authority of the British Government.

This map shows the extreme claim by the British Government, as set forth January 10, 1880; the provisional line within which it refused to admit any question of title October 21, 1886, and also the boundary respecting which it intimated a willingness to submit to arbitration April, 1888.

It will be observed, however, that the claim thus officially announced does not differ materially from that indicated in my former dispatch, and that the vital point in dispute, namely, the command of the great mouth of the Orinoco, is precisely the one which Great Britain now refuses to submit to friendly arbitration.

I have, etc.,

William L. Scruggs.