AVES ISLAND. 195 



ments, and otlier papers; necessary journeys of P. S. Shel- 

 tonfromBo8ton,andofhisattorneyfromDerby, Connecticut, 

 and from New York to Washington, to attend to such claim; 

 and otlier actual expenses in the prosecution thereof, amount 

 up to this date to upwards of $5, TOO; and they have also 

 been obliged to employ their said attorney to go on a voyage 

 from New York to Caraccas, to attend to said case, the ex- 

 pense whereof, and his compensation therefor — if he should 

 not be detained there but a few days — is estimated at |5,000 



in all $10,700 



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

 our attorney in Venezuela.) 



XIX. Moreover, these claimants will necessarily have to 

 pay commissions upon the collection of said claim when 

 realized; what that percentage may be is not very material, 

 except to the parties interested. They conceive that Vene- 

 zuela should pay to them a reasonable portion of those 

 commissions, and ten jDer centum on the amount Venezuela 

 may admit to be due and ultimately pay as such reasonable 

 portion, beyond which these claimants forbear to charge. 

 Said portion of said commissions on the amount of $341,000 

 only, at ten per cent,, is $34,100, which, deducted from 



said amount, leaves $306,900. Ten per cent, thereon is... 30,690 



(See depositions before referred to, and other proofs, 

 with our attorney in Venezuela.) 



XX. And these claimants further insist that, in conse- 

 quence of the unreasonable and inexcusable delay of Veiie- 

 zuela to adjust and pay the said claim, they ought to be 

 allowed and paid, by Venezuela, interest on the amount 

 due to them, and from the 26th day of December, 1854, 

 when the wrong was committed, until the same be fully 

 paid. They learn the legal rate of interest in Venezuela 

 is twelve per cent, per annum. They conceive they are 

 entitled to claim it if such be the fact. But at present 

 they charge but six per cent, per annum, the legal rate in 

 the United States, and in the State of their residence, 

 Massachusetts. And they deem it entirely proper to de- 

 clare that it is their purpose, under favor of Divine Provi- 

 dence^ and with the aid of the federal government of the 

 United States, to persist in the prosecution of their just 

 claim for the atonement, reparation, and indemnification 

 by Venezuela, for her grievous outrage upon and wrong of 

 them, and to exhaust all the legal and honest means and 

 remedies to which resort can be had, till the same is fully 

 satisfied and paid ; and that, although further procrastina- 

 tion may be used, and still further delay may be had, for 

 all such procrastination and delay they shall insist that 

 additional interest and augmented damages must be yielded 

 to them. At six per cent., on $341,000, said interest 

 amounts, if calculated from December 26, 1854, up to 

 26th of February, 1857, (before which time it is supposed 



