SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 39 



however, will not have the desired eli'ect. These interrogatories were 

 exliibited by Madame de la Batut, after much pressing- on our part, 

 and we are now employed in answering them. Having done that, we 

 shall proceed to get the claim settled, if possible, by the allowance of 

 some small sum, and every difficulty will then be at an end. 



You may rely on our utmost exertions in bringing the matter to a 

 close; and we are, your very obedient servants, 



Clarke, Fynmore & Fladgate. 



1\) Richard Rush, Esq. 



Richard RukJi, to Jolm Forsyth. 



London, Aug ad. 19, 1837. 



Sir: Desiring, before the court of chancery rose, some opinion in 

 writing from the solicitors as to the prospects of a decision of the 

 case, I addressed a few lines to them on the 21st of last month, as by 

 inclosure No. 1, and received an answer the day following, a copy of 

 which (No. 2) is also inclosed. I did not send it to you at that time, 

 or with either of my letters written since, because, although I went to 

 them in person several times, in the hope of verbal explanations that 

 might render it more definite, 1 found that there was no probability 

 of obtaining any to that effect until after the court had actually 

 risen, at which time I requested they would furnish me with a further 

 communication. The court rose a few days ago, and I yesterday 

 received from them the report, a copy of which (No. 3) is now also 

 transmitted, as the suitable accompaniment to their letter of the 22d 

 of July. 



I am happy to find it more satisfactory than that letter; the letter 

 left it doubtful when the obstructing claim of Madame de la Batut, an 

 outline of which is given in their letter, would be put into a proper 

 shape for examination and settlement. Nor could I urge any longer the 

 expediency of a report by the master, during the existence of the term, 

 under reiterated assurances from our solicitors of what is stated in their 

 letter, viz, that to do so might have led to a course, on the part of the 

 solicitors of Madame de la Batut, productive of more delay and expense 

 than are likely to flow from the master's report being withheld until 

 the next term. 



The solicitors' report to me, dated yesterdaj^, besides embodying a 

 succinct statement of the steps taken in the cause since the decree in 

 February, shows that the la Batut claim is at length placed upon a 

 footing to be met and decided upon by the court, which it has been my 

 constant aim to see effected; and although they write with caution as 

 to any precise time when a final and favorable decision of the cause on 

 all its points may be expected, their report is encouraging. I can only 



