AVES ISLAND. 221 



statistical documents forming the basis its text should inspire. These 

 documents are numerous and authentic, and emanate directly from the 

 general administration, because the government in creating the topo- 

 graphical commission placed its archives entirely at the disposition of 

 the skillful officer who was at its head." * * * * 



"The number of observations of latitudes and of chronometrical longi- 

 tudes made by Mr. Codazzi is considerable. This indefatigable observer 

 has established 1,002 notable points, it being observable that among 

 these there are 58 which have sustained a comparison with the observa- 

 tions published by M. de Humboldt and with those unpublished of one 

 of your. committee." 



'"'Venezuela is situated at the northern extremity of South America. 

 Its political limits give it a very irregular figure, the circumference of 

 which is 566 miriametros, comprising upon the Sea of the Antillas an 

 extent of coasts of 144 miriametros. The superfice of the territory is 

 11,094.5 square miriametros, distributed in the following manner: 



Tops of high mountains 47.2 



Elevated mountains 2,756.9 



Tablelands 471.9 



Plains 6,795.2 



Lakes 222.8 



Lagoons and ponds 68.2 



Lands liable to inundation 716.7 



Islands 15.6 



* * * '^'The labors of Colonel Codazzi having required on his 

 part so much perseverance appear to us as a whole and in all respects 

 worthy of the most effectual encouragement. Your committee would 

 not hesitate to solicit for them the highest proof of your estimation in 

 causing their insertion in the memoires of foreign savants, if such a 

 request could be granted in the case of materials so voluminous, and 

 which, besides, are on the eve of publication. Solely by reason of this 

 impossibility your committee restrict themselves to the proposition that 

 you offer your thanks to Mr. Codazzi for his important communication. 

 They think, also, that by reason of the enlightened protection which 

 the government of Venezuela has always granted to the labors of this 

 skillful official, it would be just and useful that a copy of this report 

 should be transmitted to the congress of that republic through the 

 Minister of Foreign Affairs." 

 . The conclusions of the report were adopted. 



Thus formally was the geographical and topographical delineation 

 of the republic of Venezuela in the whole extent of its jurisdiction, 

 both continental and insular, as existing or pretended, laid before the 

 world by the government of Venezuela itself. 



Thus formally was it in that character received, analyzed, and re- 

 ported upon by the learned societies standing in direct official relation 

 with the government of France, and thus their reports reciting the 

 exact number and measurement of all the islands claimed by Venezuela 

 as Venezuelan, was officially transmitted to the government of Ven- 



