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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885

13 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

4

No. 53.

(TRINIDAD.)

LAW OFFICERS TO FOREIGN OFFICE.

MY LORD,

We were honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Sir Julian

Royal Courts of Justice, August 25, 1885. Pauncefote's letter of the 8th instant, stating that he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us the accompanying papers, relative to the revolutionary movements directed against Venezuela, and to the recent appearance on the coasts of the Republic of an armed insurgent vessel.

That that vessel, which was named the "Justicia Nacional," appeared to have cleared from Antwerp.

That by a Decree of the Venezuelan Government, dated the 30th June last, the vessel was declared a pirate and lawful prize if captured by any ship of whatever nationality.

That the Venezuelan Minister at this Court had called upon Her Majesty's Govern- ment to issue orders, by telegraph, forbidding the supply of coals or other stores to the said vessel in any British port; and that Señor Guzman Blanco requested them further to order her detention should she come into any such port, or, failing that, her capture on the high seas by Her Majesty's naval forces.

That with reference to this case, our attention was called to the Law Officers' Reports of the 21st July 1877, and the 2nd March 1878, relative to the case of the Huascar," and to the case alluded to by General Guzman Blanco as having occurred in 1826, which was probably the "Terceira" affair, which took place in 1829-30, and of which an account is given in Wheaton by Dana, p. 566.

That Sir Julian Pauncefote was to request that we would take the papers transmitted therewith into our consideration, and that we would favour your Lordship with our opinion as to what action should be taken on the letter of the Venezuelan Minister, and with any general observations which we might have to offer upon the case.

That Sir Julian Pauncefote was further to ask whether we were of opinion that the proceedings of the Governor of Trinidad in the matter might be approved.

We were also honoured with Sir Julian Pauncefote's letter of the 13th instant, transmitting a despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, reporting the case of the Ambrose Light," which was seized as a pirate by a cruizer of the United States, and giving the substance of the Judgment of the United States' District Court at New York, which appeared to be in conflict with the views of Her Majesty's Government on the subject.

That the question was much discussed during the Civil War, and was fully treated in Chapter V. of Montague Bernard's work on the neutrality of Great Britain during the American War.

That Sir Julian Pauncefote was to enclose a copy of a Report of the Law Officers of the 23rd June last bearing on the question; and to request that we would take these fruther papers into consideration in connexion with the case submitted for our opinion in his letter of the 8th instant.

We also have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of two further despatches relative to General Pulgar's revolutionary movements against Venezuela, which were transmitted to us by Sir Julian Pauncefote on the 20th instant.

In obedience to your Lordship's command we have the honour to

Report

That, in our opinion, such action as has already been taken by Her Majesty's Government on the letter of the Venezuelan Minister is proper.

1. We cannot advise that the persons participating in the expedition should not be allowed to return to Trinidad, Grenada, or other British Colony, or to any part of the United Kingdom. But if the Government of any such Colony, or Her Majesty's Govern-

A 15927-52. 35.-12/85.