the Secretary of State, and claiming the interference of this Government.

ISAC C. LEA, Secretary,

American Atlantic-Pacific Ship-Canal Company.

(Inclosure 3.)-Captain Churchill to the Editors of the "New York Express," November 21, 1851. [See Page 1082.]

No. 86.-Mr. Crampton to Viscount Palmerston.—(Rec. Dec. 29.) (Extract.) Washington, December 15, 1851.

WITH reference to my despatch of the 7th instant, I have the honour to inclose an extract from a newspaper containing the copy of a resolution moved in the Senate by General Cass, and agreed to, requesting the President to furnish the Senate with information regarding an alleged outrage on The United States' flag, by the firing into and seizure of the American steamer Prometheus by a British vessel of war.

I have been informed by W. George Law, owner and contractor of The United States' mail line of steamers from New York to Chagres, that his vessels have been in the habit of touching at Greytown, and had always paid the harbour dues which have now been resisted by the Prometheus, but which appeared to Mr. Law to be just and moderate, having been established by the municipal authorities of the place to cover considerable expenses incurred by them in buoying out and otherwise improving the harbour. Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B.

JOHN F. CRAMPTON.

(Inclosure.)-Resolution.

"Resolved,-THAT the President of The United States be requested to communicate to the Senate, if not inconsistent with the public interest, any information the Executive may have received respecting the firing into and seizure of the American steam-ship Prometheus, by a British vessel of war, in November last, near Greytown, on the Mosquito coast; and also what measures have been taken by the Executive to ascertain the state of the fact, and to vindicate the honour of the country."

No. 87.-Earl Granville to Mr. Abbott Laurence.

Foreign Office, December 30, 1851. THE Undersigned, &c., has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note which Mr. Laurence addressed to Viscount Palmerston on the 19th instant, complaining of the proceedings of the Captain of Her Majesty's brig-of-war Express on the occasion

of the Captain of the American Atlantic and Pacific Ship-Canal Company's vessel Prometheus refusing to pay certain harbour dues at the port of Greytown, Mosquito.

The Undersigned begs, in reply, to state that, in conformity with the advice which Her Majesty's Government gave to the Government of Mosquito when the Treaty of Washington of the 19th of April, 1850, was concluded between Great Britain and The United States, the Mosquito Government decided that the vessels and goods of all nations should without distinction be, from the 1st of January, 1851, exempt from the payment of all duties whatever at the port of Greytown. But the Town Council of the place, in order to raise a small revenue to provide for some few unavoidable expenses, resolved at one of their meetings that certain taxes and dues should be levied to supply in some measure the place of the revenue which would have been obtained if the customs' tariff had not been abolished.

This Council, which is composed of 2 Englishmen, 2 citizens of The United States, a Frenchman, and a native of Greytown, a highly intelligent merchant, accordingly passed a resolution by which certain small harbour dues, amounting on the whole to about 11 dollars on each vessel, were imposed on shipping frequenting the port of Greytown. Mr. Laurence will see, therefore, the abovementioned harbour dues were not imposed by the advice of Her Majesty's Government:

With regard to the enforcement of those dues, the Undersigned begs to assure Mr. Laurence that the Captain of the Express did not act on the occasion in question in consequence of any orders from Her Majesty's Government; and as far as Her Majesty's Govern. ment are at present informed, no report upon the subject having yet been received from Greytown, the Captain of the Express appears to have exceeded his proper authority.

Her Majesty's Government may expect very shortly to receive, direct from the officers concerned, accounts of the transaction which forms the subject of Mr. Laurence's note, and Mr. Laurence shall thereupon receive a further communication. Mr. Laurence may in the meanwhile rest assured that it is far from the intention of Her Majesty's Government to authorize any proceeding at variance with the stipulations of the Treaty of Washington of the 19th of April, 1850, and that they most deeply regret any transaction which can be considered as an affront offered by any British officer or authority to The United States' flag.

A. Laurence, Esq.

The Undersigned, &c.

GRANVILLE.

CONVENTION of Claims between The United States and Portugal.-Signed at Washington, February 26, 1851.*

[Ratifications exchanged at Lisbon, June 23, 1851.]

THE United States of America and Her Most Faithful Majesty the Queen of Portugal and of the Algarves, equally animated with the desire to maintain the relations of harmony and amity which have always existed, and which it is desirable to preserve between the 2 Powers, have agreed to terminate, by a Convention, the pending questions between their respective Governments, in relation to certain pecuniary claims of American citizens presented by the Government of The United States against the Government of Portugal, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, for that purpose, to wit:

The President of the United States of America, Daniel Webster, Secretary of State of said United States; and

Her Most Faithful Majesty, J. C. de Figanière é Morao, of Her Council, Knight Commander of the Orders of Christ, and of 0. L. of Conception of Villa Viçoza, and Minister Resident of Portugal near the Government of The United States:

Who, after having exchanged their respective full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

ART. I. Her Most Faithful Majesty the Queen of Portugal and of the Algarves, appreciating the difficulty of the 2 Governments' agreeing upon the subject of said claims, from the difference of opinion entertained by them respectively, which difficulty might hazard the continuance of the good understanding now prevailing between them, and resolved to maintain the same unimpaired, has assented to pay to the Government of The United States a sum equivalent to the indemnities claimed for several American citizens (with the exception of that mentioned in the IVth Article,) and which sum the Government of The United States undertakes to receive in full satisfaction of said claims, except as aforesaid, and to distribute the same among the claimants.

II. The High Contracting Parties, not being able to come to an agreement upon the question of public law involved in the case of the American privateer brig General Armstrong, destroyed by British vessels in the waters of the Island of Fayal, in September, 1814, Her Most Faithful Majesty has proposed, and the United States of

* Signed in the English and Portuguese languages.

America have consented, that the claim presented by the American Government, in behalf of the captain, officers, and crew of the said privateer should be submitted to the arbitrament of a sovereign, potentate, or chief of some nation in amity with both the High Contracting Parties.

III. Sɔ soon as the consent of the sovereign, potentate, or chief of some friendly nation, who shall be chosen by the 2 High Contracting Parties, shall have been obtained to act as arbiter in the aforesaid case of the privateer brig General Armstrong, copies of all correspondence which has passed in reference to said claim between the 2 Governments and their respective representatives, shall be laid before the arbiter, to whose decision the 2 High Contracting Parties hereby bind themselves to submit.

IV. The pecuniary indemnities which Her Most Faithful Majesty promises to pay, or cause to be paid, for all the claims presented previous to the Ct day of July, 1850, in behalf of American citizens, by the Government of The United States (with the exeeption of that of the General Armstrong,) are fixed at 91,727 dollars, in accordance with the correspondence between the 2 Governments.

V. The payment of the sum stipulated in the preceding Article shall be made in Lisbon, in 10 equal instalments, in the course of 5 years, to the properly authorized agent of The United States. The first instalment of 9,172 dollars 70 cents, with interest as hereinafter provided, (or its equivalent in Portuguese current money,) shall be paid, as aforesaid, on the 30th day of September of the current year of 1851, or earlier, at the option of the Portuguese Government ; and at the end of every subsequent 6 months a like instalment shall be paid; the integral sum of 91,727 dollars, or its equivalent, thus to be satisfied on or before the 30th day of September, 1856.

VI. It is hereby agreed that each and all of the said instalments are to bear, and to be paid with an interest of 6 per cent. per annum, from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the present Convention.

VII. This Convention shall be approved and ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the city of Lisbon within 4 months. after the date hereof, or sooner if possible.

In testimony whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

Done in the city of Washington, D. C., the 26th day of February, of the year of our Lord 1851.

(L.S.) DANIEL WEBSTER,

(L.S.) J. C. DE FIGANIERE E MORAO.

TREATY of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, between The United States and Costa Rica.-Signed at Washington, July 10, 1851.*

[Ratifications exchanged at Washington, May 26, 1852.]

In the name of the Most Holy Trinity.

COMMERCIAL intercourse having been for some time established between The United States and the Republic of Costa Rica, it seems good for the security as well as the encouragement of such commercial intercourse, and for the maintenance of good understanding between The United States and the said republic, that the relations now subsisting between them should be regularly acknowledged and confirmed by the signature of a Treaty of amity, comand navigation.

merce,

For this purpose they have named their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

The President of The United States, Daniel Webster, Secretary of State;

And his Excellency the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Señor Don Felipe Molina, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of that Republic to The United States;

Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

ART. I. There shall be perpetual amity between The United States and their citizens on the one part, and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica and its citizens on the other.

II. There shall be, between all the territories of The United States and the territories of the Republic of Costa Rica a reciprocal freedom of commerce. The subjects and citizens of the 2 countries respectively shall have liberty, freely and securely, to come with their ships and cargoes to all places, ports, and rivers in the territories aforesaid, to which other foreigners are or may be permitted to come; to enter into the same, and to remain and reside in any part thereof respectively; also to hire and occupy houses and warehouses for the purposes of their commerce; and, generally, the merchants and traders of each nation respectively shall enjoy the most complete protection and security for their commerce; subject always to the laws and statutes of the 2 countries respectively.

In like manner the respective ships of war and post-office packets of the 2 countries shall have liberty, freely and securely, to come to all harbours, rivers, and places to which other foreign ships of war * Signed in the English and Spanish languages.