AVES ISLAND. 181 



One of these has been placed on file, another authenticated under 

 the seal of the department is herewith returned to you, and the third 

 copy similarly attested, has heen transmitted to Mr. 'Eames with a 

 corresponding instruction. 

 I am, &c., 



W. L. MARCY. 

 Henry S. Sanpord, Esq., 



Mr. 31arcy to Mr. Slielton. 



Department op State, 

 Washington, February 3, 1857. 

 Sir : In reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo, I have to acquaint 

 you that Mr. Eames has not communicated to this department a copy 

 of the contract which you have heen informed was executed in Decem- 

 ber last, between the Philadelphia Guano Company and the govern- 

 ment of Venezuela, and duly authenticated under the seal of the lega- 

 tion, nor has Mr. Eames mentioned the existence of any such contract. 

 Our dates from Caraccas, however, only reach the 6th of December. 

 Should the department receive any such document as that referred to, 

 and there should appear to be no reason for withholding it, a copy 

 will be forwarded to you as you request. 

 I am, sir, &c., 



W. L. MARCY. 

 Philo S. Shelton, Esq., Boston. 



No. 46.] Mr. Marcy to Mr. Eames. 



Department op State, 

 WasJdngton, February 3, 1857. 



Sir: Mr. Henry S. Sanford, the attorney of Shelton and other claim- 

 ants, against Venezuela, who is now on his way to Caraccas with im- 

 portant dispatches to you in relation to the Aves Island question^ has 

 addressed to this department a memorial respecting the claim which 

 he represents, accompanied by a new and corrected memorandum of 

 the items forming that claim. A certified copy of these papers is, at 

 Mr. Sanford' s request, herewith forwarded to you. 



Without entering upon a detailed examination of the items compo- 

 sing the claim as now presented, it may be remarked, that the grounds 

 upon which it is offered are sufficient to warrant the department in 

 transmitting it to you as the basis of your demand upon the govern- 

 ment of Venezuela. The claimants, by their attorney, allege that 

 their former statement of losses, &c., was hastily made up from crude 

 and unreliable data, and that the substituted amounts are susceptible 

 of proof from authentic sources. 



