AVES ISLAND. 191 



at the rate only of |T per ton for false freights, for some 

 1,520 tons, amounting to about $10,640, without including 

 the charges for the brig John K. Dow, the ship Junius, 

 and the bark Mary Smith, for damages, &c., at the same 

 rate of $7 per ton. They however insist that the facts above 

 stated should not only be considered in deciding as to this 

 charge, but they further insist that, insomuch as such price 

 is actually from |1 to |2 lower than the usual freights for 

 articles carried less than is paid for guano, with a prospect 

 of cargo, in and out, between the West India Islands con- 

 tiguous to Shelton's Isle, and either Boston or New York, 

 as there was no outward freight to Shelton's Isle, except 

 their own shipments of supplies, &c., they may, under 

 the circumstances of this case, justly increase their charge 

 to $9 per ton for all said false freights, and which amounts 



to $13,680, being a difference of |2 per ton, or $3,040 $3,040 



(See depositions before referred to, and other proofs, with 

 our attorney in Venezuela.) 



XIII. These claimants had, in 1854, and in January, 

 1855, before tliej heard of the eviction, made arrange- 

 ments for the employment of sundry other vessels besides 

 those above named, for continued employment in said trade 

 to said isle, on favorable terms, and incurred considerable • 

 trouble and expense in making such arrangements, and 

 they were compelled by said eviction to abandon and re- 

 nounce all said arrangements, and to give up the said ves- 

 sels, insomuch as, by reason thereof, their business at said 

 isle was destroyed, and said vessels rendered utterly useless 

 to them. The damages resulting from being so obliged to 

 adopt such course must necessarily be a matter of general 

 estimate. The claimants allege that they sustained thereby 

 at least $5,000 damage, without reference to the effect other- 

 wise on their other business. This was not specifically set 

 forth in their statement of January 29, 1855, for reasons 

 given, and likewise, in part, because claimants had then but 

 imperfect means of estimating them, and were not certain 

 that the same might not be avoided in some way, and per- 

 haps by the continuance of their guano trade, if not to said 



isle to some other place, making the additional amount of 5,000 



(See depositions before referred to^ and other proofs, 

 with our attorney in Venezuela. See Captain Gribbs's Ans. 

 to int. 6, p. 66, as to bark Brilliant and others.) 



In addition to the foregoing, the claimants insist that 

 they are justly entitled to the following charges, as actual 

 losses and "damages" connected with the establishment 

 at Shelton's Isle, and of which they were prevented, by 

 said eviction, from obtaining the reimbursement, the same 

 not being specifically stated in said estimate of January 29, 

 1855, viz: 



XIV. These claimants conceive they have a just claim to 

 reimbursement of the expenses of the cruise of discovery, 

 in which said isle and guano were discovered, as a derelict 



