AVES ISLAND. 377 



under his instructions to obtain the determination of Venezuela in the 

 case. 



That note was acknowledged hy the Hon. Mr. Grutierrez under date 

 of 3d instant, and the acknowledgment was accompanied by an inti- 

 mation that as soon as the health of his excellency the President would 

 permit^ his excellency's orders would be taken for the preparation of 

 a further reply ; but up to the present time no such reply, nor any 

 official communication from the government of Venezuela in reference 

 to the Aves question, subsequent to the note of the 3d instant referred 

 to, has reached this legation. 



It is, therefore, the duty of the undersigned, under his instructions, 

 to request, and he now requests, to be informed what determination 

 has been arrived at in regard to the ''Aves" reclamation, and what 

 action, for the purpose of effecting a speedy and satisfactory adjust- 

 ment of it, has been taken by the government of Venezuela since the 

 official conference of the 29th ultimo between the undersigned and the 

 honorable Minister of Foreign Kelations on that subject. 



The undersigned renews to the Hon. Mr. Grutierrez the assurance of 

 his distinguished consideration. 



CHARLES EAMES. 



Hon. Jacinto Gutierrez, 



Minister of Foreign Relations. 



[Translation.] 



ic of Venezuela. 



Department or Foreign Eelations, 



Caraccas, November 23, 1857. 



His excellency the President of the republic has been informed of 

 the communication of the 21st instant, addressed to this department 

 by the honorable minister resident of the United States, referring to 

 his previous one of the 2d instant, which, as well as the other making 

 mention of it, the executive power has ordered to be answered in the 

 manner in which the undersigned now proceeds to answer it. 



Before the departure of Mr. Fames from Venezuela for the United 

 States, five months' ago, the question respecting the guano of the 

 Island of Aves not being as yet concluded, the undersigned announced 

 to .him that there being a legation of Venezuela in Washington the 

 government, in the absence of the American legation from Caraccas, 

 would enter into an understanding with the government of the United 

 States through its agent there. This agent was instructed to commu- 

 nicate this determination, and he made it known to General Cass. 

 Afterwards, and before the return of Mr. Fames to Venezuela, the 

 undersigned, on the 21st of September last, commenced an understand- 

 ing with the said Secretary of State of the Union, completing after- 

 wards the answer in the month of October last past. That answer was 

 given as soon as the decision of the council of government, which had 

 been asked and which had to be waited for, was received. In addition 

 to this, a special minister has been appointed, with the character of 

 envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, in the person of 



