240 AVES ISLAND. 



tubs within reacli of ship's tackle, a sum not exceeding eight dollars 

 per ton for the best quality, or four dollars per ton in its native place 

 of deposit: Provided, Jioivever, That no guano shall be taken from 

 said island, rock, or key, except for the use of the citizens of the Uni- 

 ted States, or of persons resident therein, as aforesaid: And provided 

 also, That said discoverer or discoverers, or his or their assigns, shall 

 first enter into bonds, with such penalties or securities as may be re- 

 quired by the President, to deliver the said guano to citizens of the 

 United States, for the purpose of being used therein, and to none 

 others, and at the price aforesaid, and to provide all necessary facilities 

 for that purpose within a time to be fixed in said bond. And any 

 breach of the provisions thereof shall be taken and deemed a forfeiture 

 of all rights accruing under and by virtue of this act. 



Sec. 3. And he it further enacted. That the introduction of guano 

 from such islands, rocks, or keys, shall be regulated as in the coasting 

 trade between different parts of the United States, and the same laws 

 shall govern the vessels concerned therein. 



Sec. 4. And he it further enacted, That nothing in this act contained 

 shall be construed obligatory on the United States to retain possession 

 of the islands, rocks, or keys, as aforesaid, after the guano shall have 

 been removed from the same. 



Sec. 5. And he it further enacted, That the President of the United 

 States is hereby authorized, at his discretion, to employ the land and 

 naval forces of the United States to protect the rights of the said dis- 

 coverer or discoverers or their assigns, as aforesaid. 



Sec. 6. And he it further enacted, That until otherwise provided by 

 law, all acts done, and offenses or crimes committed, on every such 

 island, rock, or key, by persons who may land thereon, or in the 

 waters adjacent thereto, shall be held and deemed to have been done 

 or committed on the high seas, on board a merchant ship or vessel 

 belonging to the United States, and be punished according to the laws 

 of the United States relating to such ships or vessels and offenses on 

 the high seas; which laws, for the purposes aforesaid, are hereby 

 extended to and over such islands, rocks, or keys. 



Approved August 18, 1856. 



POINTS ON SPECIAL REPRISALS. 



1. Special letters of reprisal are, in time of peace, means of redress 

 allowed by the law of nations to a State for injustice by another State. 



2. A resort to such remedy by the injured State is, in a rightful case, 

 entirely consistent with a state of peace, and does not justly constitute 

 a casus helli. 



3. Such resort may be had, as well to obtain just redress for a citi- 

 zen or a subject who has been wronged, as to obtain reparation for 

 injuries directly to the State. 



4. Such reprisals may be made, as well for the unlawful acts of indi- 

 viduals of the State complained of, as for the acts of such State itself 

 by its authorities. 



