seizure, only in the event of Slaves being found actually on board, or at least that this limitation is established in practice under that Law. Captain Du Plessis, when he sailed hence in February, proposed to return to the same Stations in the hope of finding some of these Vessels with Slaves actually embarked. It has been ascertained by the Logbook of La Dichosa Estrella, a Shipwrecked Prize of His Majesty's Ship Morgiana, and also by tae log-book of the Schooner Joseph, a professed Swedish Schooner, brought in by Lieutenant Clarkson, of the Iphigenia, that both those Vessels were visited by Commodore Du Plessis, off the Gallinas, on the 12th and 13th of February; but the time that has elapsed without advice of any actual detention being made by that Commodore, gives us reason to think that he has not made any. The American Cruizing Force on the Coast, in the year 1821, was reduced to a single armed Schooner. The Alligator, a Vessel of that class anchored here on the 13th of May, 1821, at the same time with the French Schooners, Momus and Iris, and sailed a tide or two before them. The Alligator made some captures: the ostensible character of some of the Vessels detained by her was not American. Considerable attention was, consequently, directed to the determination respecting them. It was at first reported that all the Vessels thus taken were condemned by the American Courts; but subsequent information has corrected this statement, and it appears, that some or all of these Vessels, not of American character, have been restored. The Alligator was succeeded on the Station by the Shark, a Vessel of the same class. The Shark was in this Harbour about the close of the year 1821, and again in the commencement of the year 1822 : she had not made any Captures. On the departure of the Shark from the Coast, a Midshipman and a few men belonging to her were left in a small Schooner, named the Augusta, to assist the Settlement for American Coloured People proposed to be established near Cape Mesurado. The presence of this detachment has given occasion for the junction of a British detachment with it from the Iphigenia, commanded by Lieutenant Clarkson. A Schooner, named the Joseph, assuming a Swedish National character, was detained and brought in here early in the month of March, by the Augusta, having these joint detachments on board. Proceedings on charges of Slave Trading were, in the first instance, instituted against the Joseph in the Court of Vice Admiralty, on the grounds of British Property or Interest, and British outfit: these allegations were not sustained in evidence, consequently the jurisdiction of the Judge could not reach the Case. But as some prominent facts gave ground to believe, that an examination upon the Standing Interrogatories, would be effectual in eliciting the means of a Conviction in the British and Spanish Court of Mixed Commission, it was recommended from the Bench that a Suit should be instituted in that Court; these proceedings have been commenced accordingly. The detention of the Schooner Joseph took place while Sir Robert Mends was in this Harbour, and within the range of communicating with his detachment in a short time: but questions of some difficulty may arise in the event of the detention of any Vessel by the detachment, while the Iphigenia is at the further extremity of the Coast. These details comprehend the whole of the information which we have to communicate respecting the Foreign Cruizers on the Coast, and their operations since the 5th of January, 1821. The additional facts and circumstances which we have to bring under your Lordship's notice are these: His Majesty's Commissioners, while engaged in the investigation of the Case of the Spanish Schooner Rosalia, detained by Lieutenant Hagan, of His Majesty's Brig Thistle, in the Rio Pongos, in the month of January, were informed by that Officer that this Vessel had come to that River, in this instance, for the purpose of closing an account of Slave dealing, which had remained unsettled from the preceding year. This, Lieutenant Hagan said he had ascertained in the River, and the limited cargo brought by the Rosalia in her present voyage, consisting only of a few bales of cloth and some boxes of tobacco, appears to confirm that statement. More recently still, in a special visit of search, in which the Creeks of that River were examined by the Boats of His Majesty's Ship Pheasant, conducted by Lieutenant Stokes, of His Majesty's Brig Snapper, under particular instructions from Captain Clavering, it was ascertained that no Slave Trading Vessel had been in any part of the River during the last three months. This period would comprehend the whole interval from the time of the capture of the Rosalia in the early part of the month of January. Communications received in the Colony, from nearly the whole of the Chiefs, concur in expressing a desire to be secured in the enjoyment of the property which they have already realized; and to be permitted to carry on peaceful and legitimate commerce under British protection. The best assurance of the sincerity of these professions is to be found in the knowledge of the state of constant disquiet in which the Factories of the River are placed, by the visits of the Cruizers in search of Slave Ships. A definitive arrangement is now considered likely to be effected within the present year. In the interval the Chiefs seem disposed to recommend themselves to favourable opinion, by a conduct suited to the relation in which they desire to place themselves with respect to this Colony. The Rio Nunez, which for some years prior to the present time, had not been visited by any British armed Vessel, was, in the course of the Pheasant's Cruize, specially examined by the Boats of that Vessel. The Officer commanding the Boats, following Captain Clavering's instructions, ascended the stream of the Rio Nunez as far as it was practicable for his Boats, being considerably above 100 miles, without finding a vessel of any description engaged in the Slave Trade. We are sorry, however, to have to state, that Captain Clavering obtained intelligence of the sailing of a Vessel, named the Apollo, from Cacheo or Bissao with a Cargo of Slaves, which were in train of collection for her, when the Conde de Villa Flor was brought off from Bissao by the Boats of the Iphigenia. This fact, together with the antecedent proof of the abuses practised in those Places, as disclosed in the mass of Papers found on board of the Conde de Villa Flor, will be sufficient to show to the Portuguese Government the necessity of a total reformation of the Settlements of Bissao and Cacheo. In connexion with the general subject and view of this Communication, it seems proper to notice the termination of a petty warfare between Two Chiefs, named Sanassee and Almami Amurath, residing on the Coast between the Rio Pongos and the Rio Nunez. This petty warfare had lasted for some years, without much bloodshed, but with considerable vexation, by the stoppage of the usual intercourse between the Interior of the Country and the Commercial Towns on the Seaside. The Solima Nation consequently interfered, and a Force of near 10,000 Men, under the command of a Chief, named Yarradi, Brother of The King of the Solimas, came down at the instance of one of the Contending Parties, Almami Amurath; but, as the result would appear to indicate, influenced by the spirit of impartial pacification. Although this Chief dictated his Terms with the absolute authority of an unresisted Conqueror, he used his power with rare moderation and disinterestedness. The point which we have to notice more particularly is, that he did not exact or carry off any considerable number of Slaves; for, notwithstanding his general moderation and forbearance, we conceive that he would scarcely have abstained from following the usage of the Country in this respect, if the temptation of an active Slave Trade, and a ready Market upon the adjacent Coast, presented the inducements of former times, to levy contributions in that form. In laying these facts before Your Lordship, we are not so much influenced by the desire of maintaining any opinion previously advanced by us, nor of offering any present opinion, as we are by the wish of affording, in existing matters of fact, grounds to ascertain, jointly with the actual extent of Foreign co-operation, whether any progress has been made through the system of the Treaties of Mixed Commission towards the repression of the Slave Trade. While the Foreign Colonies afford profitable Markets for the Sale of Slaves, the attainment of that object will necessarily be in a great measure local in its commencement, and gradual in its advances; and if it has not made some advance in the Country adjacent to this Colony, and under the immediate operation of the various interests of trade and policy, by which the Native Chiefs and their People are connected with the Colonial Government and the Colonial Merchants and Inhabitants generally, it cannot be supposed to be in a better train in Places less favourably circumstanced. We will not disclaim a disposition to hail with alacrity any approach towards the termination or material diminution of the crimes and horrors connected with the Slave Trade, upon any part of the Coast of Africa, however limited; but in proportion as we value that reformation, we would be unwilling to assume it to ourselves on insufficient grounds, and the prior caution which we would be induced to exercise in that respect, must necessarily be strengthened by the duty of carefully weighing what we communicate to Your Lordship, as the result of our settled observations upon the matters of fact brought under our view, in the discharge of our official duties, and collected in the range of our immediate researches and enquiries. We have the honour to be, &c. E. GREGORY. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. EDWARD FITZGERALD. No. 2.-The Marquess of Londonderry to the British Commissioners at I FURNISH you herewith, for your information, and that of the other Gentlemen of the Commission of which you are Members, with the Copy of a Letter, dated the 2d of April, 1822, from the Secretary to the Admiralty, to One of the Under Secretaries for this Department, by which you will perceive that there will be in future only Two Signatures of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to the Instructions issued in conformity to the Treaties for preventing the illegal Traffick in Slaves. I am, &c. His Majesty's Commissioners. LONDONDERRY. No. 3.-Mr. Secretary Canning to the British Commissioners. GENTLEMEN, Foreign Office, November 26, 1822. IN reference to your Despatch of the 7th of June, 1821, stating the departure of M. Le Fer from Sierra Leone, whereby the Commission, of which you are Members, was left without a Representative on the part of Spain,-I have to send to you for your guidance,-1. The Copy of a Despatch, addressed, on the 22d February, 1822, by the King's command, to His Majesty's Ambassador at The Hague, Minister at Madrid, and Chargé d'Affaires at Lisbon, proposing that the Provisions of the Slave Trade Treaty, for the case of the death of one or more of the Commissioners, shall extend to the case of Vacancies occurring in the Commissions from illness, or absence on leave. 2dly, I send to you the Copy of a Despatch, dated the 17th of June, 1822, from His Majesty's Minister at Madrid, expressive of the willingness of that Court to adopt the proposed extension of the Provisions of the Treaty. 3dly, The Extract of a Despatch, dated the 27th of June, 1822, likewise from His Majesty's Minister at Madrid, stating that the Spanish Minister had promised that Orders to the effect above mentioned should be sent out without delay to the Commissioners of His Catholick Majesty. 4thly, The Copy of a Despatch, dated the 6th of April, 1822, from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Lisbon, together with its Inclosure, signifying the readiness of the Portuguese Government to sign an Article to the effect suggested. 5thly, The Copy of a Despatch, dated the 10th of May, 1822, from His Majesty's Minister at The Hague, and of its Inclosure, stating the acquiescence of The King of The Netherlands in this Proposition. And, 6thly, I furnish you with the Copy of an Instruction which I addressed, on the 25th September, 1822, by the King's command, to His Majesty's Envoy at Madrid, and Ministers at Lisbon and at The Hague, inclosing a Project of an Additional Article for sanctioning, in a formal manner, the details of the arrangement in question. So soon as any more specifick Arrangement is agreed upon between the Parties, I shall lose no time in taking His Majesty's pleasure for forwarding the same to you for your guidance. In the mean time you will endeavour to come to an agreement with your Fellow Commissioners, to act in the spirit of the intended arrangement. His Majesty's Commissioners. I am, &c. No. 4.-Messrs. Gregory and Fitzgerald to The Marquess of Londonderry.-(Rec. Feb. 14, 1823.) MY LORD, Sierra Leone, September 10, 1822. WE have had the honour to receive Your Lordship's Despatch, dated the 17th of May last, inclosing the Copy of a Letter addressed, under date of the 2d of April, by the Secretary to the Admiralty to one of His Majesty's Under Secretaries for the Foreign Department, by which we perceive that there will be in future only Two Signatures of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Instructions to be issued in conformity to the Treaties for preventing the illegal Traffick in Slaves. We shall inform the Foreign Members of the Commissions of this change regarding the authentication of the Instructions to British Cruizers under the Treaties. And we have the honour to be, &c. E. GREGORY. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. EDWARD FITZGERALD. |