The British commodore argued that the erasure of the word “signed,” even if it did not invalidate the document, gave good ground for the suspicion that the document was a forgery; and she being engaged in the slave-trade, the officer who captured her regarded the claim first set forth to American nationality as groundless. The American commodore could not permit the character of the vessel to be assigned as a reason for her capture, and confined the discussion to the papers constituting the nationality of the vessel. He regarded the consular seal as genuine, and believed that, if the paper had been a forgery, care would have been taken to have had it drawn up without any erasure, or the word “signed.” The discussion in relation to the Volusia and the Navarre, was renewed with the Chief-Justice and Judge of the Admiralty Court, soon after the arrival of the Perry at the island of St. Helena. [8] The following letter from Viscount Palmerston to Sir H. L. Bulwer, then British Minister at Washington, appears in the Parliamentary Papers of 1851. LVI. Part I. “FOREIGN OFFICE, _November 18, 1850_. “SIR,--I herewith transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a dispatch from the commodore in command of H. M. squadron on the west coast of Africa, respecting the circumstances under which the ship Martha was captured, on the 6th of June (1850) last, fully equipped for the slave-trade, by the U. S. brig-of-war Perry, and sent to the United States for trial. “I have to instruct you to furnish me with a full report of the proceedings which may take place in this case before the courts of law in the United States. “PALMERSTON.” CHAPTER XXVIII. ANOTHER CRUISE--CHATSWORTH AGAIN--VISIT TO THE QUEEN NEAR AMBRIZETTE--SEIZURE OF THE AMERICAN BRIGANTINE “LOUISA BEATON” BY A BRITISH CRUISER--CORRESPONDENCE--PROPOSAL OF REMUNERATION FROM THE CAPTORS--SEIZURE OF THE CHATSWORTH AS A SLAVER--ITALIAN SUPERCARGO--MASTER OF THE LOUISA BEATON. The commodore, on the 24th of August, intimated that it had been his intention to relieve the Perry from the incessant duties which had been imposed upon her, but regretted that he could not then accomplish it without leaving American interests in that quarter unprotected, and that the commander would therefore be pleased to prepare for further service on the southern coast, with the assurance of being relieved as soon as practicable. Orders were issued by the commodore to resume cruising upon the southern coast, as before, and to visit such localities as might best insure the successful accomplishment of the purposes in view. Authority was given to extend the cruise as far as the island of St. Helena, and to remain there a sufficient length of time to refresh the crew; and, after cruising until the twentieth of November, then to proceed to Porto Praya, touching at Monrovia, if it was thought proper.