Mr. Seward to Mr. Hovey.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 27, of the 12th of July last, containing a copy of two documents addressed to you by the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Ecuador to Peru, in which the same protests against the reference of the ship “George Howland” claim for the action of Congress.
You are directed to inform Mr. Malo that on assurance received that the government of Ecuador would pay the contracted for instalments on the 17th of next September the government of the United States has agreed to suspend further action in the matter until that period. A considerable sum, however, was paid by the government of Mr. Malo, on the 7th of last month, into the hands of the representative of the government at Guayaquil on account of the claim in question, a fact of which Mr. Malo is, perhaps, ere this sufficiently informed.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Alvin P. Hovey, Esq., &c., &c., &c.