40 AVES ISLAND. 



desire to be informed, as far as proper, of the state of the negotiation 

 hy our governnient and that of Venezuela on the subject. 



Please communicate with my brother, Hon. B, B. French, who will 

 be at liberty, now that he has resigned his office^ to act for me at 

 Washington. 



With much respect, 



HENRY F. FRENCH, 

 Care of Hon. B. B. French, Washington, D. C. 

 Hon. William L. Marcy, 



Secretary of State. 



Mr. Shelton to Mr. Marcy. 



Washington City, June 24, 1855. 

 Sir: The accompanying memoranda are submitted to your con- 

 sideration in connection with our former letters, and the following 

 testimony herewith inclosed : 



A. Deposition of Captain Joshua F. Safford as to fraud of Dias 

 with respect to ''agreement" and hauling doion the United States flag 

 dy Dias, dated June 20, 1855, &c. 



B. Deposition of Captain J. Wheeler, June 8, 1855, discovery of 

 guano on Shelton' s Isle hy Captain Gibbs, &c. 



C. Deposition of Captain J. Wheeler, June 15, 1855, as to the 

 United States flag being hoisted and kept flying on Shelton' s Isle, and 

 as to declaration of British commander of her Britannic Majesty's ship 

 Devastation as to our rights, &c. 



D. Letter of Captain N. P. G-ibbs to P. S. Shelton, received about 

 January 29, 1855. 



E. Certificate by Nathan P. Gibbs, in his handwriting, made in 

 January^ 1855, and given to P. S. Shelton. 



F. Letter of N. P. Gibbs to P. S. Shelton, received January 15 via 

 St. Thomas. (Landing of second company of Venzuelans.) 



G. Letter of Captain N. P. Gibbs to P. S. Shelton, received in 

 January, 1855. 



H. Protest of George W. Nickels, master, Henry C. Dearborn, mate, 

 and Patrick Scollan, second mate of ship James N. Cooper, New York^ 

 February 20, 1855. 



I. Extract from N. P. Gibbs 's report to P. S. Shelton, dated Aves 

 Island, April 6, 1854 : (discovery of said island.) 



We have confidence that our letter of the 20th instant has satisfied 

 the President and yourself that we have not had any desire to suppress 

 any fact or to withhold any information in our possession respecting 

 this case, and especially that our statement that Captain Gibbs was 

 '^ constrained under the circumstances to take" the Dias permit was a 

 correct version of the facts stated in proper terms in such language as 

 the facts justified, and that that language was not used to mislead in 

 any wise the department. We are particularly anxious to convince 

 you that the statement as to constraint was not an afterthought put 



