UNMASTERLY INACTIVITY? SIR JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE, LORD SALISBURY, AND THE VENEZUELA BOUNDARY DISPUTE

Abstract

This article re-examines British diplomacy in the Venezuelan boundary dispute, 1895–96. The analysis focuses closely on the actions of the British Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, and his Ambassador to Washington, Sir Julian (later Lord) Pauncefote. It argues that a combination of Salisbury’s deliberate foot-dragging, and his failure to understand how seriously US politicians viewed the dispute, meant that disagreement was unnecessarily prolonged and exacerbated. Thus, at a time when the British government was beset with other imperial problems it was ultimately forced to concede to US demands. Consequently, the article argues that the issue was not only poorly handled by Salisbury, but was also a significant moment in US foreign policy.