124 SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 



site for him, or some person duly authorized by him, to 

 take the necessary steps to obtain a transfer. 



We have had some communication with the solicitor of 

 the lady's family, who writes as follows : 



" My client Mr. La Batut, upon taking out administra- 

 tion to his late mother, Madame La Batut, to whom Lieu- 

 tenant Colonel Henry Lewis Dickinson, by his will dated 

 17th July, 1819, gave half of the income of his property, 

 for her life, will be entitled to an apportioned part of such 

 income from the last payment, on the 22d March, 1858, to 

 lOtli September, in the same year, which would amount to 

 about £70. 



" The property originally consisted of French 5 per cent, 

 rentes, payable 22d March, and 22d September, but by 

 order of the court a sum of £5,015 three per cent, consols 

 was invested in the name of the accountant general in this 

 suit, to the separate account of Mary Ann dc la Batut, the 

 annuitant, to meet the payments of the life income. By 

 the law of France, the life income is apportionable and pay- 

 able up to the time of death, and Lieutenant Colonel Dick- 

 inson having been domiciled in France at the time of his 

 death, that law will apply to this case. 



" Will you be good enough, under these circumstances, 

 to obtain the consent of your client in presenting a petition 

 as to the £5,015 and the arrears of dividends due thereon, 

 to ask for the payment to my client of the apportioned sum 

 put of such arrears, without obliging him to go to the ex- 

 pense of proving the law of France upon this subject. I 

 will hand you the necessary proof of death, the expense of 

 which can be included in the necessary costs of the appli- 

 cation." 



We should recommend that the request contained in this 

 letter be complied with. 



We have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient ser- 

 vants, 



Fladgate, Clarke & Finch. 



To the Smithsonian Institution, 



Washington^ U. 8. 



40 Craven Street, Strand, 



London, W. C, October 26, 1861. 

 Sir : Your letter of the 14th August reached us in the 

 long vacation which has just terminated, and we hasten to 

 reply to it. 



All that will be requisite to be done in the first instance 

 is, that we should have the authority of the President of 



