No. 12

I have had before me your Despatch of the 5th of January last,
enclosing your correspondence with Captain Oldfield, the Senior Naval
Officer, in reference to a demand which had been made by the Officer in
Command of the British Marines at San Juan for a Soldier in the United
States Camp who was supposed to be a deserter.

I entirely approve of the spirit of your correspondence with
Captain Oldfield, and of the desire exhibited by you and by him to
prevent any interruption to the good feeling which had previously
obtained between the two camps on San Juan arising from this occurrence.

It is to be regretted that the Officer in Command of the British
Detachment of Marines should have made a demand not warranted by any
subsisting engagements with the United States, and with which it could
not be expected that an Officer of a Foreign Power, however well
disposed, would comply.

I enclose for your information a copy of a letter which I caused to
be addressed on the subject to the Admiralty and a Copy of the answer.