contrary to the stipulations which bind England and Spain, will, when he thinks proper, bring the same at once under the notice of the Captain-General of the island of Cuba, so that this authority being acquainted with the case, shall, in the event of the ConsulGeneral's opinion being correct, adopt the fitting measures respecting it.

And 2ndly. That the Consul-General, using the courteous and decorous tone which is proper in such communications, the Captain-General shall reply to the same, either himself or through his Secretary, with the courtesy and consideration which are due to the functionary of a friendly and allied nation.

Henry Lytton Bulwer, Esq.

FRANCISCO MARTINEZ DE LA ROSA.

ROYAL ORDER of the Spanish Government to the Governor of Fernando Po, relative to the non-delivery of Refugee Slaves. August 18, 1859.

(Translation.)

San Ildefonso, August 18, 1859. WITH reference to your communication of the 20th of June last, giving an account of a request made by the Governor of the Portuguese possessions of St. Thomas and Princes, that certain refugee slaves belonging to various merchants of those possessions, who have sought an asylum in the Island of Fernando Po, should be delivered up to him;

Considering that the title of a property in a slave can only be valid in those countries in which the laws recognize the existence of slavery;

Considering that in all countries where slavery is not admitted all men of whatsoever class or whensoever they come are necessarily reputed as free;

Considering that, as the validity of the title which serves as the foundation of this request is not recognized, the request cannot be taken into consideration;

Considering, finally, that in Fernando Po and its dependencies the existence of slavery is not admitted nor recognized in any manner whatever;

Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to command that you shall in no case whatsoever accede to claims of the nature of that put forward by the Governor of the Portuguese Islands of St. Thomas and Princes.

Which, by Royal Order, I communicate to you for your information and guidance. God preserve, &c.

O'DONNELL.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, for the Apprehending and Delivering up of Seamen, Deserters from Spanish Merchant Vessels in the British Dominions. January 23, 1860.

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 23rd day of January, 1860. PRESENT, THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by the "Foreign Deserters' Act, 1852," it is provided, that whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are or will be given for recovering or apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant ships in the territories of any Foreign power, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, stating that such facilities are or will be given, declare that seamen, not being slaves, who desert from merchant ships belonging to a subject of such Foreign power, when within Her Majesty's dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships, and may limit the operation of such Order, and may render the operation thereof subject to such conditions and qualifications, if any, as may be deemed expedient;

And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities will be given for recovering and apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant ships in the dominions of Her Majesty the Queen of Spain;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue of the power vested in Her by the said "Foreign Deserters' Act, 1852," and by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is pleased to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that from and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, seamen, not being slaves, and not being British subjects, who, within Her Majesty's dominions, desert from merchant ships belonging to subjects of Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships; Provided always, that if any such deserter has committed any crime in Her Majesty's dominions, he may be detained until he has been tried by a competent court, and until his sentence (if any) has been carried into effect.

And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and the Secretary of State for India, in Council, are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly. WM. L. BATHURST

DECREE of the Queen of Spain, relative to the reciprocal Arrest and Delivery of Seamen, Deserters from British and Spanish Merchant Vessels. Madrid, April 19, 1860. (Translation.)

On the 27th of December, 1859, my minister, accredited to See Vol. 9, Page 347,

the Court of Great Britain, signed at London a declaration, for the mutual arrest and delivery of seamen, deserters from merchant vessels of Spain and of the United Kingdom, and of which the following is a literal copy :

DECLARATION.

"The undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary of Her Catholic Majesty has been instructed to make the following declaration: "The Consuls-General, Consuls, and Vice-Consuls of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing in Spain and her possessions, have the power to arrest and send, either on board their ships or to their respective countries, the individuals of the crew of British merchant vessels who shall have deserted from such vessels; assistance is therefore to be rendered to that effect by all competent local authorities, after it has been proved by the rolls of registration, or any other authentic document, that the individuals thus reclaimed formed a part of such a crew."

After the production of such evidence, the surrender can no longer be denied, and all possible aid and power is therefore to be rendered to the British Consuls and Vice-Consuls for the discovery of such deserters.

Should any such deserter have besides committed some crime on land, his delivery may then be deferred by the local authorities until he has stood his trial before the competent tribunal, and undergone the sentence pronounced against him. But this declaration does not apply to such seamen as are Spanish subjects, and have not been naturalized abroad.

The Spanish Government promises to give to this declaration the force of an international law.

London, Dec. 27, 1859.

XAVIER ISTURIZ.

Her Britannic Majesty having approved of the stipulations by a decree signed in London on the 23rd of January of the present year, we have decreed that the above declaration, signed in London, and confirmed by Her Britannic Majesty, for the mutual arrest and delivery of seamen, deserters from British and Spanish merchant vessels, shall receive full and strict effect and force in each and all of its provisions,

Given at the Palace of Madrid, 19th April, 1860.

CALDERON COLLANTES,

THE QUEEN.

Minister of State.

SWEDEN.

BRITISH TREASURY WARRANT, fixing the Rates of Postage on Books, &c., and packets, transmitted to and from Gottenberg. March 28, 1860.

*

WHEREAS by an Act of Parliament passed in the 4th year of the reign of Her Majesty, for the regulation of the duties of postage, certain scales of weight and rates of postage were fixed and were made chargeable and payable upon, for, and in respect of letters, newspapers, Parliamentary proceedings, and printed papers transmitted and forwarded by the post, and various regulations were made for facilitating the transmission of such letters and papers by the post, and by the said Act power was given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury (amongst other things), from time to time, by Warrant under their hands to alter and fix any of the rates of British postage payable by law on the transmission by the post of Foreign or Colonial letters or newspapers, or of any other printed papers, and to subject the same to rates of postage according to the weight thereof, and a scale of weight to be contained in such Warrant and from time to time, by Warrant as aforesaid, to alter or repeal any of such altered rates, and make and establish any new or other rates in lieu thereof, and from time to time by Warrant as aforesaid, to appoint at what time the rates which might be payable were to be paid.

And whereas the provision fixing the maximum weight of letters to be sent by the post in the said before recited Act was repealed, and further powers were given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury in that behalf by another Act of Parliament, passed in the 11th year of the reign of Her Majesty, for giving further facilities for the transmission of letters by post, and for the regulating the duties of postage thereon, and for other purposes relating to the Post-Office.

And whereas it is expedient that regulations should be made for the transmission by the post of packets consisting of books, publications, or works of literature and art, and other printed papers, between the United Kingdom and Gottenberg, in the kingdom of Sweden, in the manner hereinafter mentioned and contained.

Now we, the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, in exercise of the powers vested in us in and by the said 2 beforementioned Acts, or either of them, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do, by this Warrant under the hands * See Vol. 5, Page 248. † See Vol. 8, Page 247,

of 2 of us, the said Commissioners (by the authority of the statute in that case made and provided), order, direct, and declare as follows:

1. All packets consisting of books, publications, or works of literature or art, whether British, Colonial, or Foreign, and all packets consisting of printed votes and proceedings of the Imperial Parliament, posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Gottenberg, or posted at Gottenberg, addressed to the United Kingdom, may be transmitted by the post between the United Kingdom and Gottenberg (the sea conveyance being by British or Foreign packet-boat direct). And all such respective packets shall be transmitted in conformity with, and under and subject to, the several regulations, orders, directions, and conditions hereinafter mentioned and contained, and the single rate of postage for the transmission of such packets shall be the sum of 3 pence, and all such respective packets so transmitted and chargeable with postage as aforesaid, shall be subject to the several progressive and additional rates of postage hereinafter mentioned that is to say:

On every such packet, if not exceeding 4 ounces in weight, there shall be charged, taken, and paid, for the transmission thereof respectively as aforesaid, the uniform single rate of postage of 3 pence.

And on every such packet exceeding 4 ounces in weight, there shall be charged, taken, and paid progressive and additional rates of postage as follows, that is to say:

On every such packet, if exceeding 4 ounces in weight, and not exceeding 8 ounces in weight, 2 rates of postage.

And on every such packet, if exceeding 8 ounces, and not exceeding 1 pound in weight, 4 rates of postage.

And on every such packet, if exceeding I pound, and not exceeding 1 pound in weight, 6 rates of postage.

And for every additional pound in weight of any such packet above the weight of 1 pound in weight, there shall be charged, taken, and paid 2 additional rates of postage. And every fractional part of such additional pound in weight shall be charged as an additional pound in weight, and each progressive and additional rate chargeable under this clause shall be estimated and charged at the sum which any such packet would be charged with under this Warrant, if not exceeding 4 ounces in weight.

No such packet, which in length, or breadth, or width shall exceed the dimensions of 2 feet, shall be forwarded by the post under the provisions of this Warrant.

The terms "books, publications, or works of literature or art," in this Warrant used, shall, for the purposes of this Warrant, mean and comprise all such articles as in their general character are either literary or consist of printed, written, engraved, or lithographed matter (although not strictly literary), including books (whether printed, written, or plain), publications, or compilations