Upon a careful consideration of the subject I arrived at the conclusion that this claim on the part of the British Government was well founded.  I deem it unnecessary to state my reasons at length for adopting this opinion, the whole subject being fully explained in the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury and the accompanying papers.

The amount necessary to satisfy the British claim can not at present be ascertained with any degree of accuracy, no individual having yet presented his case to the Government of the United States.  It is not apprehended that the amount will be large.  After such examination of the subject as it has been in his power to make, the Secretary of the Treasury believes that it will not exceed $100,000.

On the other hand, the claims of the importers of rough rice into Great Britain have been already ascertained, as the duties were paid either under protest or in exchequer bills.  Their amount is stated by Mr. Everett, our late minister at London, in a dispatch dated June 1, 1843, to be L88,886 16s. 10d. sterling, of which L60,006 4d. belong to citizens of the United States.

As it may be long before the amount of the British claim can be ascertained, and it would be unreasonable to postpone payment to the American claimants until this can be adjusted, it has been proposed to the British Government immediately to refund the excess of duties collected by it on American rough rice.  I should entertain a confident hope that this proposal would be accepted should the arrangement concluded be sanctioned by an act of Congress making provision for the return of the duties in question.  The claimants might then be paid as they present their demands, properly authenticated, to the Secretary of the Treasury.

JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, March 24, 1846.

To the Senate of the United States: 

In answer to the inquiry of the Senate contained in their resolution of the 17th instant, whether in my “judgment any circumstances connected with or growing out of the foreign relations of this country require at this time an increase of our naval or military force,” and, if so, “what those circumstances are,” I have to express the opinion that a wise precaution demands such increase.

In my annual message of the 2d of December last I recommended to the favorable consideration of Congress an increase of our naval force, especially of our steam navy, and the raising of an adequate military force to guard and protect such of our citizens as might think proper to emigrate to Oregon.  Since that period I have seen no cause to recall or modify these recommendations.  On the contrary, reasons exist which, in my judgment, render it proper not only that they should be promptly carried into effect, but that additional provision should be made for the public defense.

The consideration of such additional provision was brought before appropriate committees of the two Houses of Congress, in answer to calls made by them, in reports prepared, with my sanction, by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy on the 29th of December and the 8th of January last—­a mode of communication with Congress not unusual, and under existing circumstances believed to be most eligible.  Subsequent events have confirmed me in the opinion that these recommendations were proper as precautionary measures.