112 SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 



don ; and I have the hope that this course will meet the 

 approbation of the Secretary of the Treasur\' and yourself. 

 It left the gold, as secured in boxes at the Bank of England, 

 untouched at New York; and I had caused tbe seal of our 

 consul at London to be affixed to each of them. 



Somewhat worn down by fatigue since coming on shore, 

 after an uncomfortable voyage of squalls, gales, and head 

 winds, I venture to ask a little repose at my home before 

 proceeding to Washington, for the purpose of making out 

 and rendering to you an account of all expenses that have 

 attended the final recovery of this fund, of which the United 

 States, by the information I give you in this letter, are now 

 in possession. In the course of the next week I shall hope 

 to proceed to Washington, with the view stated; and in 

 order that, ray account of the expenses being found satisfac- 

 factory, which I presume to hope will be the case, I may 

 ask to be discharged from all further responsibility under 

 the trust I have been performing. The net amount, in dol- 

 lars, of the fund as I delivered it over to the United States 

 at the Mint, was found to be five hundred and eight thou- 

 sand three hundred and eighteen dollars forty-six cents, 

 ($508,318,46,) as specified in the receipt given to me for it 

 by the treasurer of the Mint. 



I have the honor to remain, with great respect, your 

 obedient servant, 



KicHARD Rush. 



The Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary of State. 



Richard Bush to John Forsyth. 



Philadelphia, September 11, 1838. 



Sir : I yesterday received a letter from the Secretary of 

 the Treasury, dated the 7th instant, stating it to be desirable 

 that the expenses attending the transfer of the Smithsonian 

 fund to this country, and its deposit at the Mint, should be 

 ascertained as early as practicable, that the accounts in re- 

 lation to it may be adjusted with a view to the investment 

 of the balance, and asking my attention to the subject at 

 my earliest convenience. 



In reply, I had the honor to inform the Secretary that 1 

 could not make out a statement of the expenses, as far as 

 then incurred, before embarking at London with the gold, 

 the documents relating to them not being obtainable until 

 the last moments of my stay ; besides that, the whole opera- 



