s'empresse de faire part à Son Excellence, que le Ministère de la Marine et des Colonies prévenu par le Commissaire Juge des PaysBas à la Cour Mixte de Sierra Leone, que plusieurs Navires, et entre autres le Brick négrier le Lynx, qui se trouve plus particulièrement désigné dans la Note de M. l'Ambassadeur, avaient été capturés, naviguant sous le Pavillon des Pays-Bas, avec des Papiers de St. Eustache, en a pris occasion pour appeler très sérieusement l'attention de l'Administration de cette Colonie sur la dite circonstance, et que cette démarche qui date du 31 Octobre, 1826, a paru avoir eu son effet, attendu que d'après des nouvelles transmises récemment par le Commissaire Juge précité, aucun Navire sous le Pavillon des PaysBas n'a été capturé et conduit à Sierra Leone, pendant le premier Semestre de 1827. Le Soussigné peut encore ajouter, que M. le Général Major Van de Bosch, nommé Commissaire Général du Roi pour les Indes Occidentales, a été chargé par ses Instructions d'examiner sur les lieuxmêmes quelles seraient les Ordonnances qu'il conviendrait d'adopter, à fin de mettre un terme à l'abus, qui se ferait du Pavillon des PaysBas pour la Traite des Négres, et que le Ministère de la Marine et des Colonies lui a remis à cet effet Copie de toutes les Pièces qui se rapportent à la dite matière. Le Soussigné se flatte que Son Excellence Sir C. Bagot reconnoitra dans la présente Communication, combien le Gouvernement des PaysBas, a à cœur de prévenir le renouvellement des plaintes sur cet objet, et il saisit cette occasion pour lui réitérer, &c. S. E. Sir Charles Bagot. VERSTOLK DE SOELEN. No. 80.-The Earl of Dudley to Sir Charles Bagot. SIR, Foreign Office, 3d November, 1827. I HAVE received your Excellency's Despatches of this Series, up to the 26th October last. I am glad to observe the very satisfactory assurances which are contained in the Note from M. Verstolk, of the 23d October, on the subject of the irregularities which have been practised in the issue of Licences to Vessels trading from The Netherland Colonies in the West Indies; irregularities which had given facilities to the illegal Traffick in Slaves. I am, &c. H. E. Sir Charles Bagot, G.C.B. DUDLEY. FRANCE. No. 81.-Visct. Granville to Mr. Sec". Canning.-(Rec. Jan. 27.) (Extract.) Paris, 1st January, 1827. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 29th of December, 1826. The Law for the more effectual prevention of Slave-trading by the Subjects of France, has been already submitted to the consideration of the Chamber of Peers, and will probably pass through both Chambers. The Right Hon. George Canning. GRANVILLE. No. 82.-Mr. Secretary Canning to Viscount Granville. MY LORD, Foreign Office, 26th February, 1827. THE accompanying Copy of a Communication from the Admiralty gives an account of the Slave-trade now openly carried on upon the Western Coast of Africa under the French Flag. It appears from the Communication in question, that 11 French Vessels, having on board 2,577 Slaves, have been met with by the Squadron under Commodore Bullen on the Coast above-mentioned, between the 3d day of August, and the 23d day of November, 1826, comprizing a period of little more than 3 months. The fact of the many gross instances of French Slave-trade thus met with in so short a period of time, and within so narrow a space, corroborates the statement of Captain Bullen, that the Flag of France now absorbs nearly the whole of this disgraceful Traffick. The Captains of these French Traders, it appears, as if secure of indemnity under the cover of their Flag, do not scruple openly to avow their undertakings, The accompanying List contains the names of the Vessels, their Masters and their Owners, the number of Men and of guns, of which their Crew and Force consist, the amount of their tonnage, the Places to which they belonged, the Ports from whence they came, the spots to which they were bound, the dates and Places where they were met with, and the number of Slaves they had on board; in fact, every detail that can be wanted to ensure the conviction of the Offenders. The accompanying Letter from Commodore Bullen, contains particulars revolting to humanity, of the transactions in which these Slavevessels were concerned. Surely if the Government of His Most Christain Majesty continue to have at heart, as they have so often declared, the putting down of this nefarious Traffick, they will not omit this opportunity of proving the sincerity of their professions, by instituting the most severe enquiry into the transactions, by inflicting due and publick punishment upon the Offenders, and by issuing the strictest Orders to their Authorities, Colonial and others, for the prevention of similar Slave-trade undertakings under cover of the Flag of France. His Excellency Viscount Granville. I am, &c. GEORGE CANNING. SIR, (Enclosure.)—John Barrow, Esq. to Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. Admiralty Office, 30th January, 1827. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Canning, an Extract of a Letter from Commodore Bullen, dated at the Island of St. Thomas, on the Coast of Africa, the 26th November last, with a Copy of the List therein referred to, of French Slave-vessels boarded by His Majesty's Squadron on the African Station. I am, &c. JOHN BARROW. Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. (Sub-Enclosure A.)-Commodore Bullen to J. W. Croker, Esq. H.M. S. Maidstone, S. Anna da Chaves Roads, (Extract.) Island St. Thomas, 26th November, 1826. BEING completed on the 28th, I weighed in chase of the French Schooner Le Daniel, with 200 Slaves, described in the accompanying List. I must again, although extremely sorry to trespass so much on their Lordships' time, call their attention to the enormous extent to which the French still continue to carry on the Slave-trade on this Coast. This Vessel was in a most horrid crowded state, her Slavedeck being only 2 feet 5 inches in height, and, although only 2 days out from the Old Calabar, was very sickly. The daring Miscreant refused to heave to, although my Colours were flying, until my shot fell a considerable distance over him. He had also the audacity 4 days afterwards to stand into West Bay, Princes Island, where I was lying with 2 of the Squadron, wooding and watering. I again dispatched a Boat out to board him, and found that the night I first intercepted him off the River Cameron, in consequence of the heavy rain which commenced shortly after I brought him to, the Slaves quarrelled among themselves regarding the right of precedence of those below to get on deck for fresh air, and those who had already the possession of it, when, shocking to relate, 19 fell victims. The North Star shortly after this boarded the Victor, with 497 Slaves from the Bonny, in a very crowded, sickly state, and although but out a few days 20 had died, and 2 more were expected that evening; on the 2d, 5th, and 15th instant, L'Heniter with 203, L'Henriette with 427, and La Felicie with 348, were successively boarded by the Esk, and the Boat of His Majesty's Ship under my command; the latter, upon Lieutenant Tucker's arriving on board, and requesting the particulars of her Cargo, the Master assured him he had nothing in but palm-oil, ivory, &c. and bound to Mobille, but upon my Lieutenant's looking into her hold, and perceiving the Slaves, he smiled, and calmly told him he had 348 on board, was out 2 days from River Gabon, and that his Vessel was in such a leaky condition, as scarcely able to be kept free. This Fellow had then before him a Voyage of several weeks to Martinique. Captain Clavering in his late visit to the River Benin, boarded 3 Vessels, described in the accompanying List, all of which had part of their Cargoes on board. When they have hitherto perceived British Boats coming up to examine them, they have repeatedly disembarked their Cargoes, to avoid, either from shame or other motives, being detected in the actual fact; in this instance, however, no effort was offered to avoid the search on the contrary, upon Lieutenant Wilson, of that Ship, expressing his astonishment to one of the Masters, that he had not landed his Slaves, he, with the greatest carelessness, told him, that as he knew the French Cruizers were seldom on the Coast, and never during the rains, he had nothing to fear from the Visits made to him by the British Men-of-War. The Conflict has, during the last 2 months, visited the Rivers Bonny, Calabar, and Cameroons, and so extensive is the trade carried on under the French Flag in those Rivers, that they monopolize the whole, and not a Spaniard was found in either. In the Bonny 4 French Brigs alone were waiting the completion of their Cargoes: one of them, the Confidence of Nantz, landed 400 on Lieutenant Wakefield's arrival. In the old Calabar, 2 Vessels, a Ship and a Brig, were lying, the former L'Arion of Marseilles, owned by Touissant, Benet and Sons, had only 7 Frenchmen on board, out of her Crew of 32 Persons, and was cleared out at St. Thomas, West Indies, by the French Consul Hurault de Ligny. Since I left Sierra Leone, on the 3d of August last, 2,577 Slaves have been found on board French Vessels by the Squadron under my orders, the whole of whom are more particularly described in the accompanying Return. It was my intention to have visited the before-mentioned Rivers, but the tremendous rains which we have experienced this Season, more severe than any hitherto, entirely frustrated my attempts. Their Lordships must fully perceive that 3-4ths of the Slave-trade is now carried on by that Nation, and unless something is done to prevent it, ere long, few Vessels will shew any other Colours than white, when the Papers seem to be so easily and readily obtained from their Possessions in the West Indies; whether correct or false, it is impossible for us to determine. The rainy Season having now pretty nearly ceased, I am happy to say the Squadron are again getting tolerably healthy. Lieutenant Tour, of the Esk, Lieutenant Campbell, of the Royal Marines, and Mr. Rogan, Surgeon of the North Star, have, however, been invalided for ill health. In the vacancy occasioned by the former I have appointed Mr. J. S. Tollervy, Admiralty-Mate of the Esk, which I trust will meet with their Lordships' approbation. I have also to acquaint their Lordships, that the Intrepida, Spanish Schooner, captured by the Esk on the 10th of August last, with a Cargo of 292 Slaves, and sent up in charge of the Master of that Ship, was in so sickly a condition, that 57 died previous to her Condemnation. CHARLES BULLEN. |