172 AVES ISLAND. 



ment, in view of the straitened condition of its treasury, immediately 

 to devise the means, in money, to honor its indorsement on the pro- 

 tested hills, and even, should it so be urged, to indemnify Wallace's 

 successors ; nothing of this could have ultimately induced the govern- 

 ment, after nearly a whole month expended in daily conferences, to 

 relax from its firm purpose of maintaining the rescision of the contract, 

 had it not been for the ardent and hourly official advocacy of the United 

 States minister resident in Caraccas. By him the attorney in fact of 

 the company was presented to the government, and with him he was 

 present at the daily conferences ; and as the result of those confer- 

 ences, after so long and uninterrupted a discussion, was adverse to 

 him, he asked and obtained at the hands of the head of the nation a 

 special audience in reference to the matter, a record of which is now 

 to be found on the files of the department of foreign affairs. 



The question then assumed a broad and serious aspect, through 

 which was descried a disagreeable contest, as well as a painful issue, 

 between the government of Venezuela and that of the United States, 

 where public opinion and the daily press, by their energetic demon- 

 strations, gave additional impulse to the claim, as we learned from 

 the official information, from time to time, received from the diplo- 

 matic agent of Venezuela near the government of Washington. 



Under such circumstances, aware that the object which the company 

 £ad in view, was the recovery of the rights which it had acquired 

 under the contract, the nullity of which had been declared by the ex- 

 ecutive power — that power appreciating the importance pressing on 

 Venezuela, not to disturb her relations with a friendly nation, and 

 looking to the difficulties of every kind to make available the guano 

 industry, by a system of administration carried on over so many and 

 isolated localities, almost all of them deserted and unsupplied with 

 potable water ; many of them wanting even a landing place, and for- 

 bidding, unless at great risk, the residence of the officers ashore, which 

 circumstance necessitated the employment of a fleet to watch the 

 coasts, at the time when there was not even one vessel for that service 

 about Aves Island, and in consequence of which fact, authority had to 

 be obtained for the purchase of such vessel ; viewing all these things, 

 said executive power authorized the secretaries of the departments of 

 finance, of the interior, of justice, and of foreign relations |to agree 

 upon a previous recognition of the declaration of the 22d of May, with 

 the representative of said company, which, on the preceding 30th of 

 Aprils had obtained an act of incorporation from the legislature of 

 Pennsylvania, in conformity with the law of that State^ to grant the 

 privilege of said island for a period of fifteen years ; and it was ac- 

 cordingly granted by contract, signed on the 29th of September ulti- 

 mo, for the excavation, sale, and exportation of guano, on condition 

 of payment into the treasury of five dollars (single) for each and every 

 ton, instead of four dollars, the consideration under the former con- 

 tract ; all expense incident thereto to be at the cost and on account of 

 the contractors. It was also conditioned that they should sell the 

 guano on the islands at an uniform and like price, to all individuals 

 or nations whatsoever ; that said islands should be guarded by officers 

 of the republic, and by such naval or land force as it may deem expe- 



