It is believed, however, that this point has been carefully guarded, and that the plan I adopted, viz: the use of the Historical year (which commenced on the 1st of January) instead of the Legal year (which commenced on the 25th March), and of the Old Style, until 1752, when the act of Parliament took effect, will be found to have been judicious, and to meet the approbation of the investigator. The " Paris Documents" are arranged according to the New Style, which was adopted in France in 1-5S2. " The calendars to the " Holland," " London " and " Paris " Documents, appended to this '

report, have been prepared with much care, and it is hoped will be found useful. They indicate the number of each document in the volume, its general scope and character, its date, and its page ; and thus, persons at a distance will be enabled to ascertain at once the contents and the bearing of each paper in the whole series of eighty volumes of European transcripts. " 'By the act of the 2d May, 1839, establishing the Agency, the sum of four thousand dollars was appropriated towards defraying its expenses. On the 11th of April, 1842, a further sum of three thousand dollars was appropriated by law for its prosecution and on the 13th of ;

xxxvi GENERAL INTRODUCTION. April, 1S43, a further sum of five thousand dollars was appropriated by the Legislature. These several appropriiitions, amounting to twelve thousand dollars, have been drawn from the treasury and entirely exhausted in defraying the expenses of my mission; accurate accounts for which have been rendered to the Comptroller. I will only add, that I have advanced from my own private means a considerable amount, in addition, which has been applied to defraying the expenses of transportation, insurance, binding, and other incidentals connected with the arranging and cataloguing of the documents; in which duty, as before stated, I have been constantly occupied since the month of August last.