into the sea on the southeast side of the island. The land of the isthmus has been occupied since 1856, and claimed a pre-emption right by the Whitley family, who have with others extensive sheep corrals and improvements there. Two miners, Messrs. Stranahan and Carleton, have recently (and as I am informed while Whitley, Wilson, and others were in actual occupancy of the land, engaged about sheep shearing, marking, &c.) staked out claims inrrespective of the prior and continuous occupancy of the said old residents of the island. A reservation of one square mile and a half, to include the isthmus and bays in its immediate vicinity, would embrace all which would be requisite for Government purposes.

Very respectfully submitted.

HENRY HANCOCK,

Major Fourth Regiment Infantry California Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, November 27, 1863.

Colonel E. D. TONWNSEND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washinton, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit herewith copies of communications addressed to me on the 10th and 14th of the present month, by Major M. B. Duffield, U. S. marshal for the Territory of Arizona, together with my replies, dated, respectively, on the 11th and 17th instant. * Major Duffield goes to-day on the steamer to San Pedro, Southern California, and at the same time I send down a company of the First Cavalry California Volunteers, numbering 100 well-mounted men. The organizations of the seven companies of the First Cavalry California Volunteers is nearly completed. The last company will be mustered early in December. I have already two of these companies in Southern California, and others will be thrown forward at conveneint intervals to the Territory of Arizona.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. WRIGHT,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

U. S. STEAMER SARANAC,

Mare Island, November 27, 1863.

General GEORGE WRIGHT,

Commanding Military Department of the Pacific:

SIR: Captain Selfridge has referred to me as the senior naval officer present your correspondence in reference to the dispatch from the American consul at Victoria. Every exertion will be made to get a vessel up there as soon as possible.

C. H. POOR,

Commodore and Senior Officer Present.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, November 28, 1863.

Colonel H. M. BLACK,

Commanding Benicia Barracks:

COLONEL: The general commanding directs that you prepare two companies of the Second Infantry California Volunteers to embark on

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*See pp. 669, 674, 671, 676, respectively.

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44 R R-VOL L, PT II