M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 60:  Relating to the compensation by Great Britain in the case of the brigs Enterprise, Encomium, and Comet, slaves on board which were forcibly seized and detained by local authorities of Bermuda and Bahama islands.]

WASHINGTON, January 25, 1840.

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.

SIR:  I transmit a report from the Secretary of the Navy, containing information required by a resolution of the Senate of the 2d of March, 1839, in relation to the military and naval defenses of the United States.

M. VAN BUREN.

WASHINGTON CITY, January 28, 1840.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: 

I present for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, accompanied by a report and documents from the Chief Engineer, in relation to certain works[61] under the superintendence of that officer during the past year.  These documents were intended as a supplement to the annual report of the Chief Engineer, which was laid before Congress at the commencement of the session.

M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 61:  Operations in the Missouri, Arkansas, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers, etc.]

WASHINGTON, January 29, 1840.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I herewith transmit to the Senate, with reference to their resolutions of the 17th instant, copies of two official notes which have passed subsequently to the date of my message of the 22d between the Secretary of State and the British minister at Washington, containing additional information in answer to the resolutions referred to.

M. VAN BUREN.

Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth.

WASHINGTON, January 26, 1840.

Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.: 

The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, has the honor to acquaint Mr. Forsyth, Secretary of State of the United States, that since the date of his last official note, of the 12th instant, he has been furnished by Her Majesty’s authorities in North America with more correct information than he then possessed respecting certain reported movements of British troops within the disputed territory, which formed the subject of a part of that official note, as well as of the two official notes addressed by the Secretary of State to the undersigned on the 24th of December and on the 16th of the present month.  The same reported movements of troops were referred to in a recent message from the governor of Maine to the legislature of the State, and also in a published official letter addressed by the governor of Maine to the President of the United States on the 23d of December.