SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 103 



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 I 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 operations of selling the stock in the English funds, in 

 which Mr. Smithson's fortune was invested, and afterwards shipping 

 the gold, required and had my constant supervision until I saw the 

 latter finally deposited at our mint, in fulfillment of his instructions; 

 that, having sufi'ered greatly from sea sickness during the voyage, 

 added to fatigue after landing in a weak state at New York, where the 

 care of the gold still required my personal superintendence, 1 had 

 been unable hitherto to prepare a statement of the expenses in question, 

 but that I was now regaining strength and intended to set out for 

 Washington on Saturday, at farthest, if then able, as at present I had 

 reason to hope would be the case. I added that I supposed a settle- 

 ment of my account could be effected more satisfactorily and promptly 

 by my presence with the accounting officers at Washington than by 

 any attempt to make it out here and transmit it by letter, which, it 

 may be, might lead to writing backwards and forwards before a final 

 adjustment took place; of which correspondence I have the honor to 

 inform you, and to remain, with great respect, your obedient servant, 



Richard Rush. 



Hon. John Forsyth, 



Secreta7'y of State. 



Richard Rush to John Forsyth. 



Washington, Septemher 15., 1838. 



Sir: I am now to give 3"ou a statement of all the expenses that 

 attended the recovery of the Smithsonian bequest for the United 

 States. 



It may be in order first to mention the whole amount of stock and 

 money that came into my hands from the court of chancery, or 

 otherwise. 



I received of English Government stock £64,535 18s. 9d. in consols, 

 <£12,000 in reduced 3 per cent annuities, and £16,100 in bank stock of 

 the Bank of England, as heretofore mentioned in my No. 26, and will 

 now be seen by the original order or decree of the court, which I inclose 

 (marked A). This document I could not obtain until the 11th of Jul}^ 

 when I received it with the letter of the solicitors of that date, also 

 inclosed (marked B). 



