Until about 7 o'clock in the evening of that day, I was not aware that any suit had been instituted by the Owners against the "Ava." Nor did I know of the circumstance connected with the case which required my consideration. At or about that hour, a Solicitor (Mr. Brereton), called upon me at my private residence, and on behalf of the Messageries Maritimes, gave me to understand that the French Mail Steam Vessel "Ava" was detained under arrest, and that very serious consequences might ensue if immediate action were not taken in the matter. Appreciating the force of his representations, I told him that, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, I was willing to hear the parties at nine o'clock the same evening, and at that time there attended at my house the Acting Queen's Advocate, the French Consul, M. Caril, the Agent of the Messageries Maritimes, Mr. Brereton, their Attorney, and Mr. Francis, the Attorney of the Owners of the "Rona" who had arrested the "Ava" and who then appeared to oppose her release.
At the time of hearing, the Queen's Advocate stated that he appeared before me on behalf of the Government,