SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 27 



Daniel Brent to Richard Rush. 



United States Consulate, 



Paris, May 3, 1837. 

 Sir: On the 7th of August last I made known to the Secretaiy of 

 the State the amount of expenses that had been incurred by me in this 

 city in taking precautionary steps to secure to the United States, as 

 legatee of James Smithson, of London, the possession of property 

 then supposed to constitute a portion of his estate, and now have the 

 honor of transmitting to you, in consequence of a letter recently 

 received from the Department, receipts for the amount of these 

 expenses, as follows, viz: 



Francs. 



Receipts of the M. Castaignet for his services 226. 25 



Do. avocat, M. Delagrange for his services 40. 00 



My own receipt for postages 6. 00 



Total 372.25 



I would feel obliged to you if you would have the goodness to pro- 

 vide, at as earl}" a day as may suit your convenience, for my reim- 

 bursement, b}^ furnishing me with a bill on Paris for their amount; 

 and, in the meantime, I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient, 

 humble servant, 



Daniel Brent. 



Richard Rush, etc., London. 



Richard Rtish to Daniel Brent. 



London, Portland Hotel, 



Great Portland Street., May 10., 1837. 



Sir: I received your letter of the 3d instant transmitting receipts 

 for sums expended by you in Paris, amounting to 272.25 francs for 

 precautionary steps taken on your part to secure possession of prop- 

 erty then supposed to constitute a portion of the property bequeathed 

 to the United States by Mr. Smithson. You state that you transmit 

 these receipts to me in consequence of a letter recently received from 

 the Department of State, and request I will provide for your reim- 

 bursement by a bill on Paris for the amount. 



I received from the Secretary of State in December last copies of 

 the same account, with a request that I would examine it and if I 

 deemed it just and the amount reasonable transmit to you the sum 

 necessary to discharge it, his letter remarking that the account, if cor- 

 rect, was properly chargeable on the Smithsonian fund in my hands, 

 created by the act of Congress of July 1, 1836, for defraying expenses 

 incidental to the prosecution of the claim of the United States to the 

 bequest of Mr. Smithson. 



