The New York herald., 1868-04-15

IN the southern coast ia marked @. de Lobos, with
foA ssahas corresponding to Beata, Alta vels and
In the same collection is found copy OF original
map OF the island OF Hayti, which Is contained In
the third volume Of the celebrated work Of Ramuso
cities Of Isabella, Nativita, ST. Dominica, and the
province OF Azova (Azua) ase named. An island
land, now known as Cape Beafa. and the adjacent
Island Is marked and named Beata and two smaller
isaads corresponding to Alta yea and Los Fraes,
Stili another map Is found which is a copy OF the
original which was made and engraved In the year
FaraDg ny 's & wen known Italian chartographer Pamo
Island OF spagnola now called the Island Of st.
Domingo, which is most fertile in many things for
and other Spices" OF the southern coast is marked
cape de los Bos and eight islands two OF which are
colored as belonging to Espaniola.
:, In map OF the Antillian islands, drawn by Mar
tines IN i5IS the island OF Hayt is found under the
tne sn0re, one or which Is named "Biatan and the
other Frailes. Alta vela does not appear
work entitled Descripcion de las indas ocidentaes
de Antonia de Herrara 6Ol." The map has the title
,N, ~DNescriPcion del dlsuco del Audienca de la Es
pamela" The geograpner who made This copy re-
marks In regard to this map as follows:-"Though
tnere nave peen made already before this time 6ol
better and more complete maps Of the principal
West India islands OF CUBA, OF Haytl, &C., still
TINS map Is remarkable as a general one Of all
tnose os regions giving in pretty full and com.
princlpai settlements, capes, &C., and showing the
postons anu relations of all those islands In very
OF the Antilles is not to be found on the map. They
are caned 'isias de Ia mar del Norte, (the islands
OF tne North Seal Many of the names appear proba.
Diy Ior tle nrst time on an engraved and printed
map" The towns OF ST. Domingo and Azua are
given, and the peninsula of Beata Is called La ca
iOgia, separated from which appear the islands ''Sa
beata' and "AltoDeo,u with other islands cOrre-
spending TO Los Fraiies.
We nave no evidence that any part of the original
N HON, n liA ilfl
by Spain before the Dominican revolution. BY
tnat revolution the whole of that dominion Injured to
81. Domingo. We have seen that the republic OF st.
Domingo has ever since claimed the whole OF IL, In
Guiding the isle OF Alta Veia
Legislators can seldom expect to foresee all the
cases anu conditions to which their laws may ulti-
mateiy be supposed TO apply 1t can hardly be be-
neved that IN passing the GuanO law OF 1856 Con-
gress would have thought 1t necessary to insert a
caution that the discoverers should assign the exact
latitude and longitude of guano islands, II they had
supposed their law would have been extended over
Islands that are known as landmarks to every
seafaring man, and whose latitude and longitude
were accurately set down in geographical maps and
mariners charts hundred years before civilization
commenced IN the region now occupied by the
united States As little could Congress have eX-
pected that, in determining the national right to
occupy such Islands, they would come into conflict
with title directly derived from the discovery and
occupation of the West indies by Columbus.
ney General OF the United States explained the
GuanO act as follows:-
'ATroRNEY GENERAL's OFFICE, Dec. a. 1859.
J
Kendall, OF Baltimore, has petltiOned TO be pro-
tected In the possession OF guanO island In the
Caribbean Sea, called Cayo Nerde IL also ap-
pears that Cayo Verde Is regarded by the
British government as under the dominion OF that
Power and belonging TO the Bananas Lord Lyons
having given notice that the removal OF guanO there
from by an American would be considered not only q
trespass, but hostile aggression.
"beOTe citizen OF the United States can be enti-
tied TO the benefit OF the act OF 1855 IL must appear
that the island rock or key upon which he has dis-
covered guano was not at the time Of its discovery
within the lawful jurisdiction OF any other govern
ment In the present case Cayo Verde Is
distinctly asserted by the British government
TO be within its Jurisdiction. The President
has no right under the law, TO annex the island TO
the United States, put any American citizen in
possession Of II, until the diplomatic question raised
by the British Minister shall be finally settled, and
not then unless IL be settled In our favor am, very
respectfully, yours, &c, j. 5. BLACK.
Hon. LEWIS CAsS, Secretary Of State"
Upon this review OF the facts specially submitted
to the Secretary by the claimants as well as OF other
geographical, historical and political facts which
bear upon the subject the secretary of State finds
himself unable To recommend the employment OF the
land and naval forces Of the United states for the
seizure VI the island Of Alta Vela
WILLIAM ii. SEWARD.