E 9.-No. 7. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Rio de Janeiro, September 15, 1851. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, informing me that the repairs required by the United States steamer Susquehanna are now completed; and requesting me to communicate to the imperial government here your high appreciation of the friendly spirit manifested by it, in furnishing you with all the facilities and aid, within the control of the naval arsenal and engineer's department at this port, and desiring that your thanks may be especially tendered to certain of the officers and agents of this government, who are particularly named in your communication. I will have much pleasure in communicating to the Brazilian government a copy of your letter, through the minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs, with due acknowledgements in behalf of the government of the United States, for these civilities and acts of courtesy. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Commodore J. H. AULICK, ROBERT C. SCHENCK. Commanding U. S. Squadron East India and China seas. F 9.-No. 15. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Rio de Janeiro, September 16, 1851. The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States, has great pleasure in communicating to H. E. Paulino José Soares de Souza, minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs, the enclosed copy of a letter received from Commodore John H. Aulick, of the United States navy, expressing his sense of the obligations conferred by the imperial government and its officers, in the facilities so kindly afforded him at the naval arsenal and engineer's department in this port, for the repair of the United States steam frigate Susquehanna; and requesting that his thanks may be especially tendered to certain of the official agents, whom he mentions by name. The undersigned, in behalf of his government, unites most heartily with Commodore Aulick in this acknowledgement of the friendly civilities and courtesies of the imperial government, and of its officers and agents; and is happy in the confidence that such acts of kindness and mutual consideration, interchanged between the two nations, will continue to bind them more closely in the amicable relations which they now so happily maintain towards each other; and the undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to his excellency the assurances of his high respect and distinguished consideration. ROBERT C. SCHENCK. [Translation.] G 9. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Rio de Janeiro, September 17, 1851. The undersigned of the council of his Majesty the emperor, minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs, acknowledges the receipt of the note No. 15, which Mr. Robert C. Schenck, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, addressed him on the 16th instant, as also of the accompanying copy of a letter from Commodore John H. Aulick. The undersigned has read with pleasure, and is thankful for the expressions used both by Mr. Schenck and the commodore for the facilities afforded in the naval arsenal of this port, for the repairs required by the steam frigate Susquehanna of the United States. The government and the citizens of the United States will always find, on the part of the imperial government, the best disposition to be of any service in all that lies in its power. The undersigned will comply with the wishes of Mr. Aulick, by for warding his letter to the minister of the navy for translation, in order that the same may be communicated to the persons employed in the arsenal, of whom honorable mention is made in said letter, and he avails himself of this occasion to renew to Mr. Schenck the assurances of his perfect regard and distinguished consideration. PAULINO JOSE SOARES DE SOUZA. [Translation.] A 13. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Rio de Janeiro, October 15, 1851. In consequence of a communication from the minister of the navy of the 9th instant, I have the honor of enclosing to Mr. Robert Č. Schenck, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, a copy of the account for expenses incurred by the navy department, in the repairing of the steam frigate "Susquehanna,' amounting to eleven million four hundred and two thousand, nine hundred and four reis. Apprising Mr. Schenck that the above amount is to be paid to the navy department, as the aforesaid minister informs me, I avail myself of this occasion to renew to him the assurances of my perfect regard and distinguished consideration. PAULINO JOSE SOARES DE SOUZA. Mr. ROBERT C. SCHENCK, &c. [Translation.] Account of expenses incurred by the Navy Department in works required by the United States steam frigate Susquehanna, as shown by the accounts hereto annexed, presented by the inspector of the naval arsenal of this port, in a communication dated the 25th instant, No. 372. At the rate of 1,000 reis to the dollar, United States currency, amounting to eleven thousand four hundred and two dollars and ninety cents. This account amounts to the sum of eleven million four hundred and two thousand nine hundred and four reis. First section of general accountant's office of the navy, October 1, 1851. The chief clerk, True copy: AUGUSTO CEZAR DE CASTRO MENEZES. JOAQUIN MARIA NASCENTES D'AZAMBUJA. J 12. [Translation.] DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Rio de Janeiro, November 24, 1851. In reply to the note, No. 23, of the 17th instant, in which Mr. Robert C. Shenck, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, wishes that a person may be indicated to whom the commodore, commander-in-chief of the United States naval forces on this station, is to pay the amount of expenses incurred in the repairing of the steam frigate Susquehanna, I have the honor to state to Mr. Schenck that said commander may address himself, for that purpose, to the intendent of the navy, whose pay-clerk is fully authorized to receive the amount of the account aforesaid. I avail myself of this occasion to renew to Mr. Schenck the expressions of my perfect regard and distinguished consideration. PAULINO JOSÉ SOARES DE SOUZA. No. 13. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Rio de Janeiro, November 24, 1851. SIR: I enclose herewith a mass of papers and correspondence, which will need little explanation beyond the story they tell for themselves. Perhaps you will deem it proper to refer them all to the navy department. With my No. 9 I sent copies of the notes which were interchanged in relation to the facilities, courteously afforded by this government, at the imperial naval arsenal, for the repair of the steam frigate Susquehanna when she was in this port. It appears that the work which was required by Commodore Aulick was done, and the materials furnished by the public authorities at the arsenal, with the understanding that he would be charged only the actual first cost of them; but, for some unexplained reason, he went to sea, after his vessel was in condition to proceed upon her way to her station in the East Indies, without adjusting or paying the accounts. He seems not even to have examined or certified them in any way. On the 15th of October last, the minister for foreign affairs, in consequence of an application to him from the minister of marine, addressed to me a note enclosing a summary of the accounts, amounting to eleven contos, four hundred and two mil, nine hundred and four reis, (11,402,904 reis.) This, however, was not done, as I have ascertained, and as will be seen by reference to my enclosed correspondence, until after a confidential inquiry had been made of Mr. Kent, our consul, to know whether he had any authority to pay the money. He, of course, had replied in the negative. I found, also, that no arrangement had been made with Mr. Ferguson, our naval storekeeper on this station, to enable him to meet the demand. Neither had I any power to draw on naval account. But the credit of our government for punctuality and good faith was to be sustained; and I did not hesitate, therefore, to assure his excellency, the minister, that I would be supplied with funds for the purpose, as soon as I could communicate with my government at home. In the meantime, the opportune arrival of Commodore McKeever from Buenos Ayres, enabled me to bring the whole subject to his notice; and, after considering the circumstances, he has promply, and, as I think, very properly, determined to direct the payment to be made at once from the funds subject to his orders. I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER, Secretary of State. The copies of papers enclosed, with the above, are as follows: A 12. Note from Minister of Foreign Affairs, October 15, 1851, with account enclosed. B 12. My note to Consul Kent, October 16, 1851. C 12. The consul's reply, October 20, 1851, with his correspondence with the Intendente da Marinha. D 12. My note to Mr. Ferguson, United States naval storekeeper, October 16, 1851. E 12. Mr. Ferguson's reply, October 20, 1851. F 12. My reply to Minister of Foreign Affairs, October 27, 1851. I 12. My note to Minister of Foreign Affairs, November 17, 1851. B 12. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Rio de Janeiro, October 16, 1851. SIR: I have been surprised to-day by a communication from the minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs of this government, enclosing an account against the United States of $11,402, 904 rs., for materials furnished and work done in the repairing of the steam frigate Susquehanna at the naval arsenal in this city. Can you give me any information on the subject? If you have learned, officially, or otherwise, why these charges were not adjusted by commodore Aulick, before he proceeded on his cruise, I will be glad to receive the explanation before I reply to the minister's note. To me the matter is a perfect mystery; but I have thought that perhaps you, or Mr. Ferguson, the naval storekeeper, to whom I have also addressed a note of inquiry, might have had some communication from the commodore about the business, or be in possession of some facts. I am reluctant to believe that Commodore Aulick, after the facilities afforded him, so courteously, by the authorities here, for making his |