of United States, vol. 10, chap. 175, p. 668; 1st session 34th Cong., chap. 29, p. 12, May 15, 1856, and chap. 72, pp. 28, 29, August 1, 1856; 3d session 34th Congress, chap. 38, p. 159, February 7, 1857, appropriated certain sums of money, under different heads, to defray those expenses. One of these is in the following words: "For arrearages, purchase of vessel and outfit, and for field service, provided in the first article of the reciprocity treaty with Great Britain, ten thousand five hundred dollars." It is understood from Mr. Cutts that the commissioner does not contemplate the purchase of a vessel, presuming that it will be more conducive to the public interests to hire one; but as the appropriation specifically provides for the purchase of a vessel, &c., he is at a loss to know how to proceed. I have the honor, therefore, to submit for the consideration of the committee the propriety of having an appropriation made, in the following words: "For compensation and per diem of the commissioner, compensation of the surveyor, and for the payment of all expenses of the commission under the reciprocity treaty with Great Britain, twenty-three thousand dollars;" in which case the probable unexpended balance remaining in the treasury on the 30th of June, 1858, may be carried to the surplus fund. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. J. GLANCY JONES, LEWIS CASS. Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means. Letters calling attention to the necessity of an appropriation to meet the interest on the sum stipulated to be paid to Denmark for the discontinuance of the Sound Dues. JANUARY 22, 1858.-Referred to the Committee of Ways and Means and ordered to be printed. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 21, 1858. SIR: I have the honor herewith to enclose two communications, addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, respectively, calling attention to the necessity of adding to the appropriation for the payment of the sum stipulated in article III of the convention with Denmark for the discontinuance of the Sound dues, an amount sufficient to pay the four per cent. interest on the said sum from the first day of April last, and until the principal shall have been paid as stipulated in article VI of the said convention. I will thank you to give these communications their appropriate direction. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. JAMES L. ORR, Speaker of the House of Representatives. LEWIS CASS. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 21, 1858. SIR: I have the honor herewith to enclose a copy of a note addressed to this department, on the 13th instant, by his Danish Majesty's chargé d'affaires in this city, calling attention to a provision in article VI of the convention with Denmark for the discontinuance of the Sound dues, the ratifications of which were exchanged on the 12th instant, in regard to the payment of interest on the sum stipulated in article III, in the event of an earlier day than that named in the convention being fixed upon by Denmark, and carried into effect for a free navigation of the Sound and Belts. From this note your committee will perceive the necessity of adding to the appropriation for the payment of the sum stipulated in article III, an amount sufficient to pay the four per cent. interest on the said sum from the first day of April last, and until the principal shall have been paid as stipulated in article VI. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. J. GLANCY JONES, Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, LEWIS CASS. House of Representatives. DANISH LEGATION, Washington, D. C., January 13, 1858. The undersigned, his Danish Majesty's chargé d'affaires, has the honor to inform the Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of State of the United States, that the tolls formerly levied by Denmark on American vessels and their cargoes passing through the Sound and Belts, and commonly called the Sound dues, have entirely ceased to be levied on such vessels and their cargoes on and from the 1st day of April, 1857, and that the said immunity has gone into operation simultaneously for the vessels of all nations and their cargoes, in strict compliance with the provision contained in article VI of the convention entered into by Denmark and the United States for the discontinuance of the said Sound dues, the ratifications of which were exchanged on the 12th instant-the provision contained in article VI, and above referred to, being to the effect, that if an earlier day than that stipulated by the said convention "shall be fixed upon and carried into effect for a free navigation through the Sound and Belts in favor of any other power or powers, the same shall simultaneously be extended to the vessels of the United States and their cargoes, in anticipation of the payment of the sum stipulated in article 3. The provision above referred to, and contained in article VI of the said convention of the 11th of April, 1857, having thus been carried into effect on the 1st of April of the same year, the interest of four per cent. on the sum stipulated in article III of the said convention to be paid by the United States to Denmark, will have commenced running from the said day, the 1st of April, 1857, in conformity with another provision in article VI of the said convention to the effect, that, "in that event the government of the United States shall also pay to that of Denmark four per cent. interest on the said sum from the day the said immunity shall have gone into operation until the principal shall have been paid as aforesaid.” The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to the Hon. the Secretary of State the assurance of his profound respect and high consideration. Hon. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State. W. DE RAASLOFF. CONGRESS, CONGRESS, WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT ON NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKES AND RIVERS. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, IN ANSWER TO A resolution of the House, calling for information as to the present condition of works of improvement on the western and northwestern lakes and rivers. JANUARY 22, 1858.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 18, 1858. SIR: In answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 4th instant, requesting to be furnished with a statement of the present condition of the works of improvement on the northern and northwestern lakes, and the western rivers, with such information as this department can procure of their commerce, I have the honor, herewith, to transmit a report of the colonel of the corps of topographical engineers. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. L. ORR, Speaker House of Representatives. JOHN B. FLOYD, BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, SIR: In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 4th instant, calling upon the Secretary of War for a "statement of the present condition of the works of improvement on the northern and northwestern lakes and the western rivers, with such information as he can procure of their commerce," I have the honor to state that the annual reports for 1857 of Lieutenant Colonel S. H. Long and Lieut. Col. J. D. Graham; the former transmitted with the annual report from this bureau of the 23d of November last, and the latter under a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 4th instant, will furnish the information called for in relation to the condition of the works of improvement. With regard to the commerce of the ports at which those works have been constructed, I would respectfully refer to Senate Ex. Doc. No. 16, 3d session, 34th Congress, as containing the latest and most reliable information upon the subject. Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, J. J. ABERT, Colonel Corps Topographical Engineers. Secretary of War. |