AVES ISLAND. 455' 



and otlier losses, those depositions say nothing precisely ; and had they 

 contained estimates of them, they could have been but matters of opin- 

 ion subject to verification by the testimony of those having positive 

 and accurate knowledge on those points. The presentation of the 

 accompanying depositions to the government of Venezuela will dissi- 

 pate, I feel certain, the doubts which it has been sought to excite on 

 the ground that there were discrepancies in these claims. 



And, in this connection, I would respectfully ask to be informed 

 whether it be true that the late minister of the United States at Ca- 

 raccas had, prior to quitting that mission, communicated to the Vene- 

 zuelan government any papers bearing on these claims other than the 

 proofs which (at the request of claimants, and upon their complaint 

 that he had withheld a portion of their proof and given another muti- 

 lated portion to that government) he had been directed forthwith to 

 present it. 



I have been informed that sundry letters written to the Department 

 of State by Shelton & Co., or their attorney and counsel, in opposi- 

 tion to the pretensions of other claimants, and which I suppose to have 

 been communicated to our legation at Caraccas for its information, had 

 been placed in the hands of the Venezuelan government to the preju- 

 dice of these claimants, and had caused embarrassment in the prose- 

 cution of the claim. I should regret to learn that this had been done 

 by an agent of the government, which, I conceive, could not have- 

 authorized any act to the prejudice of interests of our citizens confided 

 to it, and I would respectfully ask to be informed whether, if it be 

 true that such papers have been comiiaunicated to the Venezuelan gov- 

 ernment, it has been done with the sanction of the department. 



I have the honor to be, very respectfully, vour obedient servant, 



H. S. SANFORD. 



Hon. Lewis Cass, 



Secretary of State. 



3Ir. Appleton to Mr. Tnrpin. 



No. 13.] Department of State, 



Washington, January 22, 1859. 



Sir : Herewith you v/ill receive a series of documents transmitted to 

 the department by Mr. Sanford, as attorney for Lang & Delano, in 

 support of the claim against Venezuela, which, as you allege in your 

 No. Y, was so deficient in proof that you had felt constrained to de- 

 cline the invitation of the government to proceed to Valencia for the 

 purpose of entering upon an investigation of the Aves claim, with a 

 view of deciding upon the equity of the compromise offered by the 

 claimants to the Venezuelan government. 



Mr. Sanford, having been apprised of the lack of proofs complained 

 of, has lost no time in supplying the needed documents, which the 

 department regards as satisfactorily sustaining their accompanying 

 detailed statement of losses, and which you will lose no time in laying 



