94 AVES ISLAND. 



Mr. French to Mr. Marcy. 



Washington, Janiiarij 21, 1856. 

 Sir: I inclose a letter from my brother, Judge French, of New 

 Hampshire, who is attorney, both in law and in fact, of Messrs. Lang 

 & Delano and Wheelwright & Cobb, of Boston, in their claim against 

 the Venezuelan government, which he has forwarded to me, with the 

 account of Lang & Delano stated, vs. the Venezuelan government, 



I pray you to note particularly the last paragraph but one of my 

 brother's letter, in regard to "the mode of proceeding and the amount 

 to be insisted on." 



With great respect, your obedient servant, 



B. B. FRENCH, 

 Attorney, with H. F. French, 

 For Lang dt Delano and Wheelioright & Cohh. 



Hon. William L. Marcy, 



Secretary of State. 



Exeter, New Hampshire, 



January 18, 1856. 



Sir: Your letters of the fourth instant to Lang & Delano, and to 

 Wheelwright & Cobb, have been forwarded to me for answer. 



I have called on Mr. Shelton, and proposed an arrangement a^ to 

 the proposition of our several claims^, but he for the present declines 

 to enter into any stipulation on the subject. Between Lang & Delano 

 and Wheelwright & Cobb there will be no difficulty in any arrange- 

 ment, as I have full power to act for both. I forward herewith Lang 

 & Delano's statement of their claim, as they have drawn it up. It is, 

 I have no doubt, correct so far as it purports to give precise statements. 

 Some of the last items are estimates of their own, made by men who 

 embarked their fortunes in this enterprise, and have been ruined by if. 

 They may be exaggerated, and we by no means insist upon being 

 judges* in our own case. The statement will give information as to 

 the precise nature of their claim, and we shall be contented to abide 

 the award of any commission that may be appointed to assess the 

 damages upon such principles as the department may deem rea- 

 sonable. 



Mr. Shelton is somewhat impracticable at present, because we will 

 not agree to a mode of prosecuting those claims different from what 

 seems to us legitimate and proper. I do not despair, however, of com- 

 pleting an arrangement such as you suggest with him whenever he 

 perceives that our government is really doing all in its power to pro- 

 cure for all parties suitable redress — a point upon which I and they 

 for whom I act are already satisfied. 



Wheelwright & Cobb estimate their losses and damages at $15,000. 

 Their papers already filed disclose the nature of their claim. 



