42 SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 



however, you will remember he refused to confirm on 

 oath ;) and we have little doubt, as above observed, that the- 

 evidence obtained will be such as to satisfy the master upon, 

 the subject. 



These inquiries have of course consumed much time, but 

 we should have had the report before this, had it not been 

 for the remaining point, the claim of Madame de la Batut. 

 As stated in our letter addressed to you on the 22d of July, 

 it is most important that the claim should be disposed of in 

 the present suit ; and we are happy to say that the claim 

 has now been formally made, and, we trust,'in such a shape 

 as will, if it be sustained by the court at all, bar any 

 ulterior proceedings. The evidence in support of it is not 

 strong, and, for the purpose of strengthening it, interroga- 

 tories for the examination of Mr. Drummond have been 

 brought into the master's office ; which, however, will not 

 have the desired effect. These interrogatories were exhib- 

 ited by Madame de la Batut, after much pressing on our 

 parts, and we are now employed in answering them. Hav- 

 ing done that, we shall proceed to get the claim settled, if 

 possible, by the allowance of some small sum, and every 

 difficulty will then be at an end. 



You may rely on our utmost exertions in bringing the 

 matter to a close ; and we are, 



Your very obedient servants, 



CLARKE, FYNMORE & FLADGATE. 



To RICHARD RUSH, Esq. 



Richard Rush to John Forsyth. 



LONDON, August 19, 1837. 



SIR : Desiring, before the court of chancery rose, some 

 opinion in writing from the solicitors as to the prospects of 

 a decision of the case, I addressed a few lines to them on 

 the 21st of last month, as by enclosure No. 1, and received 

 an answer the day following, a copy of which (No. 2) is 

 also enclosed. I did not send it to you at that time, or with 

 either of my letters written since, because, although I went 

 to them in person several times, in the hope of verbal ex- 

 planations that might render it more definite, I found that 

 there was no probability of obtaining any to that effect 

 until after the court had actually risen, at which time I re- 



