SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 117 



and amounted, with the expense of stamps and polices, to 

 £599 35. 4id. The statement of this, as paid for me by the 

 consul, will be seen in the enclosure, (marked "Invoice,") 

 on which are also certain items, as dock charges, charges 

 for bills of lading, and some other things, amounting in 

 all to £6 05. 6d., accompanied by vouchers. I also enclose 

 the policies of insurance.* The insurance covered all com- 

 missions and charges paid in London, so as to have made 

 the United States entirely whole in case of loss. This I 

 directed, thinking it most prudent. 



The expenses on selling the stock, viz : brokerage, charges 

 on the transfers, and charges for stamps, were £120 45. 6d. 

 Theee will be seen in my account, marked among the en- 

 closures R. R. 



The several expenses above enumerated, viz : 



1st. The consul's commission of £797 155. 6d., and 

 charges £6 195. 4d. 



2d. The premium of insurance, stamps, and policies, viz : 

 £599 35. 4f/., with the charges £6 05. Qd. 



And 3. The expense of selling the stock, viz : £120 45. 

 6d., deducted from the gross amount of moneys that came 

 into my hands, viz: £106,490 ll5. 9d., will leave £104,960 

 85. 7d., which was the precise sum in gold I brought over 

 in the eleven boxes, and, under instructions from the Secre- 

 tary of the Treasury, deposited at the Mint in Philadelphia, 

 on the 1st instant, to the credit of the Treasurer of the 

 United States. 



The foregoing is the statement I have to make of the ex- 

 penses. I presume to hope that they will not be thought 

 objectionable, but, on the contrary, moderate under all the 

 heads. If I have been somewhat minute in explaining 

 them, it is for the better understanding of the different ac- 

 counts and documents enclosed, trusting that this will be 

 my excuse when about to surrender up a trust where so 

 much pecuniary responsibility has devolved upon me. 



In regard to the 14 boxes containing the personal effects 

 of Mr. Smithson, it will be perceived that the letter of the 

 solicitors, of the 5th July, mentions that they had sent me 

 a list of them. They did so, and I enclose it, (marked F.) 

 It is proper to remark, that this list refers to but one of the 

 boxes, or rather to a trunk, as their letter specifies, and it 

 proved to be erroneous. I preferred that all these boxes, 

 and the trunk, should be first opened at the consulate, in 



* It has been deemed unnecessary, at the Department of State, to com- 

 municate copies of the several policies of insurance above referred to. 



