AVES ISLAND. ' 283 



May I "beg you to have the goodness to direct that a copy be made and 

 sent to P. S. Shelton, Boston, for which I shall be grateful? 



I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, 



H. S. SANFORD. 

 Hon. Lewis Cass, 



Secretary of State. 



Mr. Cass to 3Ir. Fames. 



Department oe State, 

 Washington, October 6, 1857. 



Sir : The department received with surprise your communication of 

 the 3d instant from Philadelphia, announcing your immediate de- 

 parture for Yenezuela. It was expected and understood that you were 

 again to visit this city prior to your return to Caraccas. 



The object of this dispatch is to acquaint you that Mr. Ribas^ charge 

 d'affaires of Venezuela, has personally visited this city, and has had 

 my dispatch No. 53 read to him. The substance of that dispatch has 

 been also communicated to Mr. Ribas in a note from this department 

 of the 11th ultimo, a copy of which and of his reply are herewith trans- 

 mitted. He has in his personal interviews expressed the hope that you 

 would be permitted to delay the presentation of the subject discussed in 

 my note No. 53 to the government of Venezuela until he had himself 

 written to his government in relation to the matter, which he engaged 

 immediately to do. In compliance with this request, it has been thought 

 desirable to instruct you to await for a brief period after your arrival 

 in Caraccas the result of Mr. Ribas' s communications to his govern- 

 ment. You will doubtless be apprised of their decision in due time. 

 Should it not be made known to you, it will be proper for you to inti- 

 mate that you have been instructed to receive that decision in behalf 

 of your government before presenting in formal terms its demands for 

 the adjustment of the Aves Island claim. In the event of unnecessary 

 delay in rendering a reply, you will then be governed by the instruc- 

 tions contained in my No. 53. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



LEWIS CASS. 



Charles E AMES, Esq., &c. 



Mr. Fames to Mr. Cass. 



No. 40.] Legation of the United States, 



Caraccas, October 31, 1857. 

 Sir: I have the honor to inform you that having embarked at Phila- 

 delphia on the 3d instant, by the first practicable opportunity after 

 leaving Washington, I arrived at Laguayra by a direct passage of 

 twenty days on the afternoon of the 23d instant, and the next day I 

 reached this city. 



