No. 92-Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to His Majesty's Commissioners. GENTLEMEN, Foreign Office, 20th November, 1821. I AM directed by Lord Londonderry to acquaint you, for your information, and that of the Gentlemen acting with you in the Mixed British and Netherlands Commission, that it appears, by a Communication which his Lordship has received from the Baron Fagel, Ambassador from the King of The Netherlands at this Court, that the Netherlands Corvette, De Komut (La Comète), of 150 Men and 28 guns, Captain Pieterzen, under orders for the Western Coast of Africa, and for the East Indies, will be furnished with a Copy of the Treaty of the 4th May, 1818, and of the Documents thereunto annexed, for the repression of the traffick in Slaves. I am, &c. H. M's. Commissioners, Sierra Leone. J. PLANTA, Jun. Note.-A similar Letter was sent to the Commissioners at Surinam.

No. 93.-Messrs. Gregory and Fitzgerald to the Marq. of Londonderry. (Received 7th March, 1822.)

MY LORD,

Sierra Leone, 15th December, 1821. IN laying before your Lordship the Case of the Spanish Slave trading Schooners Nuestra Senora de la Caridad, and Nueva Virgen, taken by His Majesty's Ship Myrmidon, Captain Leeke, on the 5th September last, in the river Bonny, and condemned by the British and Spanish Court of Mixed Commission on the 7th of November, we consider it a point of duty to notice particularly an abuse which the concurrence of these instances would indicate to be not uncommon. This abuse consists in the renewal of the Royal Passports of the legitimate Traffick for fresh Voyages, by means of Notes or Memoranda endorsed or subjoined, bearing the signature of the Local Authorities, and assigning some colourable pretext for the assent of those Authorities to this direct and open violation of the Treaties.

In respect to the present Voyages, that pretext is the conveyance of Slaves alleged to have been already purchased and left behind, in former voyages, on the Coast to the Southward of the Line. It appears by the log-book of the Nueva Virgen, that an Agent was left in the vicinity of Cape Lopez, for the purpose of purchasing Slaves, or of collecting Slaves already purchased. But this serves but to mark more strongly the collusion of the Local Authorities with the Traders, for the violation of the Treaties by the illegal prolongation of the Traffick. It is not improbable, however, that these endorsed Notes of renewal might have been fabricated by the Traders, and it may at least be expected that such a defence will be set up.

The Spanish Government, it seems, has not issued any new Passports since the expiration of the term to which the Trade, in a legitimate or permitted form, was restricted. One of these Notes of renewal

is dated the 29th of May, 1820. This would not have been necessary if a new Passport could even then have been had.

It will not be necessary for us to trouble your Lordship by pursuing further those observations which we trust we may be excused for having thus far offered. Certified Copies of the Passports-in question accompany this communication, and they will convey to your Lordship's judgment, more correctly than any reasoning of ours, the opinions and inferences that are most properly deducible from the several parts of them. We have the honour, &c.

The Marq. of Londonderry, K.G.

E. GREGORY.
EDWARD FITZGERALD.

(Inclosure 2.)—Abstract of the Case of the Brig La Caridad, and of the Schooner La Nueva Virgen, under Spanish Colours.

Sierra Leone, 15th December, 1821.

THE Caridad and the Nueva Virgen, were brought to Sierra Leone on the 4th of November, 1821, by His Majesty's Sloop Myrmidon, Captain Leeke, without any of their original Spanish Crew on board, but with a number of Negroes that had been shipped in the river Bonny.

The facts relating to these Vessels, as stated in the declarations of Captain Leeke, and in the examinations of himself and of his Officers, are as follows:

About the 11th of August last, an attempt was made by the Boats of the Myrmidon to visit the Brig and the Schooner; the Crews of those Vessels having powerful means of defence, opened a heavy fire on the approach of the first boat, and succeeded in obliging the party to retire, yet not until, unfortunately, two Officers, one of them the Commander of the party, with a Serjeant of Marines and a Seaman, were wounded. At the next spring tides after this affair, Captain Leeke proceeded in the Myrmidon to the Place where the Vessels lay, which was a considerable distance up the river; he found the Brig and the Schooner entirely abandoned.

The Slaves had been removed from both Vessels, as well as some part of their Cargo.

The Masters of the Spanish Vessels, on the arrival of the Myrmi don, sent a Letter to Captain Leeke, by the Master of a French Vessel, then taking in Slaves at Bonny, expressing their regret that they should have fired upon the Boats of the Myrmidon; that they knew not to whom the Boats belonged; that they were extremely sorry for what they had done, and begged Captain Leeke that he would pity their situation.

Captain Leeke demanded the Slaves and the Cargo that had been removed from the Vessels. The Spanish Masters accordingly sent to Captain Leeke 149 Slaves belonging to the Brig, and 130 Slaves belong ing to the Schooner; they also sent the Papers of both the Vessels.

These Papers consisted of a Royal Passport, a log-book, a muster-roll, and a Mediterranean Pass of the Caridad; and of similar Documents belonging to the Nueva Virgen. It appeared from these Papers that both the Vessels were fitted out at Santiago de Cuba; the Brig was commanded by José Sargana, was armed with 7 guns of different calibres, and with small arms, and was manned with 42 men.

The Passport of La Caridad bore the original date of Madrid, 2nd of April, 1818, and had the usual Royal and Official Signatures: it was made effective at Cuba on the 4th of March, 1819, in favour of the Brig Cometa, Don Juan Francisco Ballejos, Master; Antonio Balliant, Owner; coming to the Coast of Africa for 485 Slaves; signed Luis de Arruc. In the present instance, it was put in operation in favour of Don José Sagana, and authorized him "to proceed to the Coast of Africa, to the southward of the equinoctial Line, with the Brig under his command called Nuestra Senora de la Caridad, in search of the Negroes, that he had left there, as had been fully verified by the Documents which he had produced, dated Cuba, 21st of April, 1821; signed Francisco Xavier de Radillo." This authorization was endorsed on the manuscript Note upon the back of the Passport.

The Schooner La Nueva Virgen was commanded by Juan Bautista Valanzo, mounted 3 guns of various calibres, had small arms, and a Crew of 23 men. Her Passport was originally given in favour of the Schooner Nueva Virgen, José Izaura, Master and Owner; it was dated Madrid, the 14th July, 1818, and had the usual Royal and Official Signatures. It was made effective for the conveyance of 250 Slaves, by the authority of the Commandant of the Marine at The Havannab, under date of Cuba, 23d September, 1819; signed Augustin Figueroa ; Francisco Xavier de Radillo.

This Passport was renewed by a few lines endorsed in manuscript, in favour of the new Captain, Don Juan Bautista Valanzo, authorizing a voyage to the permitted Parts of the Coast of Africa, to trade in Slaves, complying with the requisite forms. This endorsement is dated Cuba, the 21st of May, 1820; signed Francisco Xavier de Radillo.

Another endorsed memorandum, "in consequence of the sickness of the above-named Captain Valanzo," authorizes Don Carlos Panjust to take the command of the Vessel in his place, and to proceed on the voyage, having complied with the necessary forms, "dated Cuba, 26th of June, 1820; signed Luis de Arruc."

A third endorsed memorandum, renders the Passport effective for the present voyage, in the terms of the following tenor:

"Renewed in favour of Don Juan Bautista Valanzo, in order that he, with the above-named Schooner, may proceed from this Port to the Coast of Africa, south of the equinoctial Line, in search of the Negroes which were left there, as a part of her Cargo, by the Brig proceeding from this Port, named El Aquiles, as the principal Owner, Don Antonio

Vinentes, has made apparent, by judicial Documents, which have obtained for him the necessary permission from the other Authorities of this Place, Cuba, 17th of April, 1821; signed Francisco Xavier de Radillo.

It appeared by the log-book of the Nueva Virgen, that she left Santiago de Cuba on the 8th of May, 1821, in company with the Schooner Estrella and the Brig Caridad; the 3 Vessels, as was expressed," being destined to the Coast of Africa, to the south of the Equator, to take away from thence 239 Negroes that had been left by the Brig Aquiles, Don Pedro Cardona, Master."

The Commissioners, at the conclusion of the examinations of Captain Leeke and his Officers, thought that the Papers given to Captain Leeke, by the Masters of the Caridad and Nueva Virgen, clearly established them Spanish characters: The Commissioners further examined some of the Negroes of each Vessel; they deposed that they were Natives of the Hiboo Country, which is in the Neighbourhood of Bonny River, and that they were sold to the Masters of the Brig and of the Schooner. The Commissioners, on the evidence thus obtained, decreed, on the 7th of November, the Caridad and the Nueva Virgen to be condemned as prize, for being engaged in the Traffick in Slaves.

The Slaves on board those Vessels were, at the same time, adjudged to be emancipated. Accordingly, 136 Negroes from the Caridad, and 106 Negroes from the Nueva Virgen, were delivered over to the Colonial Government: during the passage from Bonny to Sierra Leone, 17 Negroes died on board of the first, and 34 on board of the second Vessel. E. GREGORY. EDWARD FITZGERALD.

No. 94.-Messrs. Gregory and Fitzgerald to the Marq. of Londonderry. (Received March 7.)

(Extract.)

Sierra Leone, 10th January, 1822. We observed several months since, by the statements in the Newspapers, that the Report which we had the honour to address to your Lordship on the 5th of January, 1821, concerning the general state of the Slave-trade on this Coast of Africa at that time, was considered as far too sanguine.

Naturally anxious as we felt for the character of that Report, we conceived that, without presuming to enter into controversy with the high Authorities from which that opinion is stated to have emanated, or with the distinguished Individuals who are said to have expressed opinions somewhat similar, it might be permitted to us, as a matter of official duty, to offer a few facts in the way of explanation.

We thought it expedient, however, to delay this explanation, in order to afford opportunity for collecting more extended and more accurate intelligence, and by this intelligence to authenticate our general

K

conclusions, being fully persuaded that no measures of really wise and beneficent policy can be formed on a solid foundation, or be managed with due effect in operative administration, further than as they shall be suggested and directed by strict truth in matters of fact.

After the enquiries and considerations of an interval of 6 months, since we first became apprized of the questionable view in which the state of the Traffick, as communicated in the Reports, was regarded, we are still most humbly of opinion that the information which we had the honour to convey to your Lordship in that Report, is as correct as the nature of the subject and the extent of the scene would admit.

The main fact upon which the occasion for forming that Report suggested itself, was, that in the 6 months which had elapsed since the opening of the new Commission in June, 1820, to the date of the Report, not more than 1 Slave-ship had been brought into Sierra Leone for adjudication under the Treaties.

That Vessel was the Spanish Schooner Montserrate, taken in the River of Little Cape Mount, by His Majesty's Brig Thistle, Lieutenant Hagan, and condemned as prize by the British and Spanish Commissioners on the 2d November, 1820.

We beg leave now, after a further lapse of 12 months, to request your Lordship's consideration of the still more remarkable fact, that not a single Slave-trading Vessel has, in that period, been detained by any of His Majesty's Cruizers, to the northward of Cape Coast.

We are aware that this fact will not warrant an inference, that during these 12 months no Slave-trade has been carried on in those latitudes, under the Flags of the Powers included in the Mixed Commission Treaties; some Slave-trading Vessels under those Flags having been, in more than one instance, found mixed with the French Traders, who came boldly in considerable numbers to Cape Mount and the Gallinas, and to every other Slave-trading Station, in consequence of the exemption of the French Flag from that strict visitation which the Treaties impose on all who are subject to their influence.

From the best intelligence that we could collect, we were led to think that the following might be a tolerably correct general view of the state of the Traffick during the Year 1821.

Regarding the Coast to the northward of the Equator as divided into three Sections; the first extending from this Colony northward, and comprehending the usual haunts of the Slave-traders in these parts, as far as His Majesty's Cruizers have carried their operations; the second intermediate between this Colony and Cape Coast; the third extending from Cape Coast to the equinoctial Line; there is reason to believe that in the first Section, to the northward of this Colony, the Traffick was in a greast measure suppressed; in the section extending from this Colony to Cape Coast, the operations of the Traders were much cramped; and it was only in the Rivers and Stations from Cape