AVES ISLAND. 169 



2. A letter of introduction of myself to Mr. Eames, (marked "pri- 

 vate,") dated January 6. 



3. A courier's passport for myself. 



4. A letter from, the department to myself inclosing said papers, 

 dated January 9. 



5. A letter to me from the honorable the Secretary of the Navy, 

 dated the 9th, advising me simply that Commander Tilton had in- 

 formed the department that the >Saratoga would be at St. Thomas 

 about the 1st of February. 



I regret that the last vessel for Laguayra left here on the 8th instant, 

 and none is expected to sail for several days. I have ascertained that 

 sailing from here to Havana or St. Thomas would not expedite me to 

 Laguayra for some days, as the packet from St. Thomas to Laguayra 

 is monthly and leaves St. Thomas on the arrival of the steamer, which 

 leaves Havana on the 9th of every month. 



I am not advised by any of said letters when the Saratoga will be 

 in Havana, nor if she will take me from that port, nor if I was at St. 

 Thomas on the 1st of February if she would carry me to Laguayra 

 from that port. Under these circumstances, for the sake of dispatch, 

 and presuming that Mr. Eames would receive the sealed letter addressed 

 to himself at an earlier period if dispatched by the department than if 

 carried by me, I herewith reenclose it, and beg of the department to 

 send it by the earliest opportunity. I presume the Saratoga may 

 afford such means, as the Secretary of the Navy assured me she would 

 touch at Laguayra. 



* In the meantime, and before I sail, I purpose visiting Washington 

 again in respect to this claim ; when, if deemed proper, I may request 

 a duplicate of such dispatch to be sent by me with some additional 

 papers which I may then furnish the ■ department for transmission to 

 Mr. Eames to enable me to aid the department and Mr. Eames effect- 

 ually in the prosecution of this just claim. 



I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant^ 



H. S. SANFORD. 



Hon. William L. Marcy, 



Secretary of State. 



P. S. I notice in the papers a call by the Hon. Mr. Bell, in the 

 Senate, for the correspondence relating to Aves Island. Lest I might 

 be misunderstood, I desire to state that I have had no participation in 

 this any more than the other call, of which I was ignorant till I saw it 

 in the papers. 



H. S. S. 



Mr. Sanford to Mr. Marcy. 



Washington, January 22, 1857. 

 Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a translation of a report 

 of the Secretary of Finance of Venezuela to the Congress of that State, 



