Mr. Monroe, Secretary of State, to Mr. Blake, collector.
August 27, 1816.
Sir: By the deposition of William Atkins, who was one of the prize crew of the Spanish brig St. Joseph, captured by the armed vessel Romp, from Baltimore, taken before and certified by William Wetmore, commissioner, appointed by the district court of the United States for Massachusetts, on the 11th of July last, it appears that property belonging to Spanish subjects, and captured with the first-mentioned vessel, was seized some time ago by the officers of the customs at Gloucester, Massachusetts, after having been smuggled ashore at Sandy Bay, by the assistance and through *the instrumentality of some fishermen in that neighborhood. The minister plenipotentiary of His Catholic Majesty having made a representation of the above-mentioned circumstances to this Department, and communicated a copy of the deposition referred to, I have informed him that you would be instructed to adopt all proper measures to promote the restoration of the goods to the parties entitled to them, which you will please, therefore, to do, and to keep this Department informed of the steps you take. [36]