The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-28 00:00:00

COTTON.

LIVERPOOL, May 27.—Sales probably 10,000 tales.
Market improving, good inquiry.

THE ALTA VELA CASE.

The island of Alta Vela, lying about 20 miles
south of the most southern promontory of _Hayti,
was discovered on the 23d February, 18G6, by the
schooner Boston, from Baltimore, owned by Messrs.
Patterson and Murguiendo. In the partition of
Hayti in 1814 between the Haytian and Dominican
Governments, Alta Vela, included in the province
of Azna, was recognized as belonging to the latter.
Judge Black claimed on the part of his clients that the
islet was not at the time settled, and not being so was
not the property, nor under the sovereignty, of any
Government, and therefore his client took possession
and began to remove the valuable guano depokits
The claim was not for a moment recognized by Mr.
Seward, and Mr. Johnson, acting on his advice,
refused to put the owners of the schooner forcibly
into possession, or to demand satisfaction for what
he pronounced to be an outrage, as a man-of-war
of the Dominican Republic had removed these great
discoverers. The Dominican Government sold the
right to remove the guano to an American company.
The value of the deposits was certainly proved by
Judge Black's clients, but this can clearly constitute
no title to the island, although so many prominent
gentlemen have actually given an opinion in favour
of the claim. Indeed, the more the case is investi,
gated the less justifiable appears the action of Judge
Black and the others, and the more infamous the
gross abuse of Mr. Seward, who in this instance has
acted with common honesty. Indeed, had he pur-
sued the course advised by Butler, Stevens, &c., one
of those precedents would have been established
which fir centuries to come would have been hurled
at the United States. Mr. Cazneau, the especial
agent of the State department, reports—" Alta Vela
lies, it seems, exactly south of that border belt
which has been completely desolated by the wars
between the Dominican and Hayden Republics.
Neither Government permits the citizens of the
other to live on this frontier, and a long margin
of the mainland nearest to Alta Vela bay is a
populated waste, without settled inhabitants, with-
out cultivation, and, in point of fact, without a
Government." If the United States is justified in
taking possession of the island for this reason, it E:
justified in occupying the main land similarly cir-
cumstanced, and it has as good a right to annex;
the Hudson Bay Territory, except such spots as ar
settled. What is equity for a nation is equity fo..
au individual ; therefore any citizen who may dis-.
cover something valuable on a neglected portion of
his neighbour's estate may seize on it, urging thi:
neglect, and the fact the value, which the owner die:
not know, as circumstances to justify the claim.

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.

.I.tuitralia and New Zealand, via Eoutiaanapton May 23.

Ditto, via, garseilles _
................June 17.
Ditto, via Panama ........ „........ ........ ...3lay 2).
Brasil, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video June 4.
Ditto, Dy irrenoil packet
Daps Verde, by Brazil paattet ...... ..... Juno 4.
%)ape of Good Hope. Asoeasion. and St. lielena June 12.
thiuts, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton—June 6.
Ditto, via Marseilles. 0.6 • • ....... • .!.. . . June 11,
Valkland Islands ,.........June 4.
•....
dibraltar, via Southampton .......... .. ........... May 30.
ludia. via Southampton
•
.....
........ „„,...June t
Ditto, vis Siarseil.es
Malta, agypt, &a... ......... .... .............. , liay 3).
Ditto,Alare.illes... ........................... Itay --.
alauritius, Cap..: 01 Good Live, and :ULM, Via

tioutnaniptou ....................
Ditto, alarbeilies June 18.
ewfoundla no ...... •.. • . •••-• .... • • —June 3
e.irt ugal .........
to Oporto ...
Ditto, pr.".I€,IIIP
Ditto z .tto to Lisbon
United th tato , Ituada, Cslitornia, •te., ey
Brit
,aose, \FLy 23
West ladles and 1-'4,111c (except 2lexioo and Baha-
mas) may 24.
Ditto, by L Lited 6tatcs paean.
Ditto ditto (Sew YorX)
Ditto ditto 'Zicw York)
Ditto dittL (Baltimore)

Ditto, by Canadian paotet ...... ..........May 29.
West Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe ......June 3.
Cuba and mexico ....nay 25.
Bahamas, via New Y
Bermuda. via Halifax .

llorniman's Pare Teas are Bd. per pound cheaper. T heir
2,500 agents—confectioners in London, and chemists in
the country—are constantly receiving fresh supplies of
the long-approved Nu, Sold only in 1)(4,014,