AVES ISLAND.. 451 



ment temporarily resides, and to bring on with me all the documents 

 and proofs bearing on the question, that the executive power may judge 

 of the equity of the prosecution. 



Had the whole reclamation been in the condition of that of the claim- 

 ants Shelton & Co., I would have accepted the invitation, but, in view 

 of the fact that one fourth of the compromise so offered was based upon 

 a claim — that of Lang & Delano — in support of which but little proof 

 had been offered, and in relation to which, indeed, documents inclosed 

 in the department's No. 37, bearing adversely on this claim of Lang 

 & Delano had been placed in the hands of this government by my 

 predecessor, together with a knowledge of the fact that a part of this 

 |50,000 offered to be accepted by Lang & Delano was for $15,000 

 claimed by Wheelwright & Cobb for false freight on one voyage of a 

 single vessel, nearly live times as much as was charged by any other 

 vessel on the same account between the same ports, I concluded that 

 perhaps it would be prudent to await the views of the department after 

 the receipt of my No. 4, by which time also, in all probability, the pro- 

 vissional government would have returned to Caraccas. 



With the highest respect, I have the honor to be, your obedient 

 servant, 



E. A. TURPIN. 



Hon. Lewis Cass, 



Secretary of State. 



P. S. — Inclosed copy of Mr, Sanojo's reply to my note of 17th Oc- 

 tober, translated. 



[Translation.] 



ic of Venezuela. 



Departivient of Foeeign Relations. 



Valencia, October 27, 1858. 



The secretary of foreign relations has had the honor to present to 

 the executive power the note dated 7th instant, in which the minister 

 resident of the United States of America proposes to this government 

 to fix at $200,000 in money of that country the reclamation relative to 

 the Aves Island, and his excellency the chief of the State has determ- 

 ined that the following shall be communicated to Mr. Turpin: 



The republic has offered to terminate by an equitable adjustment the 

 question of the Island of Aves, for reasons which were set forth in the 

 note of 1st July last to the predecessor of Mr. Turpin. It is now that 

 for the first time in the course of this old business is indicated the 

 amount of the indemnification which is claimed. Heretofore nothing 

 more has been sought than the admission of the national responsibility, 

 and the equity of the proposition of the claimants cannot be judged of 

 by the note of Mr. Turpin and the accounts of the claimants which 

 accompany it. 



As this matter will make certain conferences necessary, it appears to 



