CO885-(10-11) — Page 832

9743.

No. 661.

(TRINIDAD.)

SIR,

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Foreign Office, September 9, 1870. I AM directed by Earl Granville to request that you will inform the Earl of Kimberley, with reference to your letter of the 20th ultimo, that his Lordship has taken the opinion of Her Majesty's Advocate General as to whether any, and, if so, what instructions should be given to the Governors of Her Majesty's West Indian Possessions with respect to the proceedings of certain vessels of war sailing under Venezuelan colours in those waters, and which vessels have been declared by the "de facto" Government of Venezuela to be pirates. The Queen's Advocate reports that, in his opinion, if either of the vessels mentioned in the Venezuelan Consul General's letter of the 16th of July last should enter a British port, and he should wish to arrest it in the British Vice Admiralty Court, every facility should be given by the Governors of those Colonies to enable him to recover possession of it as the property of his Government.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

I have, &c. (Signed)

E. HAMMOND.

16978.-194 35-5/86:

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

11 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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