referred. The object affecting Prussia was this: As the legislation now stood, if a British or American slave-vessel hoisted a Prussian flag, and was consequently brought for adjudication before a Prussian Court, the Englishman or foreigner, whoever he might be, would declare his nationality, and escape all punishment, as not being amenable to Prussian law. If, therefore, the interpretation of the Treaty requires it, an addition must be made to the Prussian law, in order to enable it to meet this case. I have, &c. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. WESTMORLAND. No. 40.-The Earl of Aberdeen to the Earl of Westmorland. MY LORD, Foreign Office, February 16, 1844. I HEREWITH transmit to your Lordship a copy of a note, which I addressed to the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Ministers at this Court on the 16th December last, transmitting to them, for communication to their Courts, copies of signals which the Admiralty proposed to be used exclusively by the cruizers invested with the right of search under the Treaty of December 20, 1841, between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. I have to desire that you will request the Prussian Government, in case they should not have any objection thereto, to cause their acquiescence in this proposal to be notified to Her Majesty's Government, as it is desirable that the signals should be furnished to the commanders of cruizers without further delay. The Earl of Westmorland, G.C.B. I am, &c. No. 42.-Chevalier Bunsen to the Earl of Aberdeen.-(Rec. March 8.) Londres, le 7 Mars, 1844. SON Excellence, M. le Comte d'Aberdeen, &c. ayant fait part au Soussigné, &c. par sa note du 16 Décembre, 1843, des signaux proposés pour l'usage de croiseurs des Puissances signataires du Traité du 20 Décembre, 1841, concernant la suppression de la Traite des Noirs, le Soussigné n'a pas manqué d'accuser à son Excellence, sous la date du 18 Décembre, la réception de cette obligeante communication. Dans ses conversations particulières avec son Excellence, il a pu ajouter de vive voix, que le Gouvernement du Roi n'avait rien à objecter contre l'adoption de ces signaux et que l'usage en serait prescrit aux croiseurs que la Prusse pût être dans le cas de faire armer en vertu de la Convention précitée. Si le Soussigné n'a pas jugé nécessaire de réitérer cette assurance confidentielle et verbale par une réponse ultérieure et officielle à la note de son Excellence, il vient à présent de recevoir, par suite d'une question adressée au Cabinet du Roi par la Légation de Sa Majesté Britannique à Berlin, l'ordre d'ajouter cette déclaration formelle à ses communications antérieures, et de répéter à son Excellence que la Prusse ne voit aucune difficulté à agréer les signaux ci-dessus mentionnés, et qu'elle se réserve de sa propre part d'en faire usage le cas arrivant. En s'acquittant de cet ordre de son Gouvernement, le Soussigné profite de l'occasion présente pour exprimer à son Excellence que le Gouvernement Prussien a aimé à prendre acte de la communication de la Légation Britannique à Berlin, selon laquelle les mesures nécessaires ont été prises pour que les croiseurs Anglais soient informés des principes, d'après lesquels la nationalité de vaisseaux est jugée par la législation Prussienne. Le Soussigné, &c, S.E. Le Comte d'Aberdeen, K.T. BUNSEN. No. 44.-The Earl of Westmorland to the Earl of Aberdeen. MY LORD, (Received March 18.) Berlin, March 14, 1844. I HAVE the honour to inclose to your Lordship herewith a copy of the answer which I have received from Baron Bulow, and which has no doubt been communicated some time ago to your Lordship by the Chevalier Bunsen, to the application I addressed to his Excellency in consequence of the instructions contained in your Lordship's despatch of the 16th ultimo, upon the subject of the signals proposed by the Admiralty to be used by the cruizers invested with the right of search under the Treaty of December 20, 1841, for the suppression of the Slave Trade. I have, &c. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. WESTMORLAND. (Inclosure.)-Baron Bulow to the Earl of Westmorland. M. LE COMTE, Berlin, le 27 Février, 1844. Je m'empresse de vous informer, en reponse à la lettre que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'adresser, en date du 21 du courant, que le Ministre du Roi à Londres a déjà été chargé, le 5 du mois passé, de déclarer à Lord Aberdeen, sur sa note du 16 Décembre dernier, “que le Gouvernement Prussien n'avait rien à objecter à l'introduction des signaux proposés par l'Amirauté Anglaise pour l'usage exclusif des croiseurs qui auront à exercer le droit de visite, conformément aux stipulations du Traité, conclu le 20 Décembre, 1841, entre la Prusse, la Grande Bretagne, l'Autriche, et la Russie, pour la répression de la Traite des Noirs; et que le Ministère du Roi se réservait, pour le cas où plus tard Sa Majesté armerait des croiseurs à en munir les commandants des instructions nécessaires à l'emploi à faire des signaux." En vous fesant part aujourd'hui de cette déclaration, M. le Comte, j'ai l'honneur de vous prévenir, que M. Bunsen vient d'être invité à nous faire connaître les raisons, qui l'ont empêché jusqu'ici à la faire de son côté. Agréez, &c. M. Le Comte de Westmorland, G. C.B. BULOW. RUSSIA. No. 64.-The Earl of Aberdeen to Lord Stuart de Rothesay. MY LORD, Foreign Office, February 16, 1844. I HEREWITH transmit to your Excellency a copy of a note which I addressed to the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Ministers at this Court, on the 16th of December last, transmitting to them, for communication to their Courts, copies of signals which the Admiralty propose to be used exclusively by the cruizers invested with the right of search, under the Treaty of December 20, 1841, between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. I have to desire that you will request the Russian Government, in case they should not have any objection thereto, to cause their acquiescence in this proposal to be notified to Her Majesty's Government, as it is desirable that the signals should be furnished to the commanders of cruizers without further delay. Lord Stuart de Rothesay. I am, &c. No. 66.-Lord Stuart de Rothesay to the Earl of Aberdeen. MY LORD, (Received March 18.) St. Petersburg, February 29, 1844. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch, of the 16th of February, inclosing the copy of a note which your Lordship had addressed to Baron Brunow, on the 16th of December last, transmitting to that Minister copies of signals which the Admiralty propose to be used exclusively by the cruizers invested with the right of search, under the Treaty of December 20, 1841. I have inquired of Count Nesselrode if he had directed Baron Brunow to answer the above-mentioned note. His Excellency replied, that when the wishes of Her Majesty's Government on this subject were known, he had immediately communicated them to Prince Menschikoff, the Minister of Marine, and that the delay in answering was owing to the silence of the Naval Department, which he said arose probably from the impression that as there could be no objection to adopting the proposed flags no answer was required. His Excellency added, however, that there should be no further delay in forwarding an instruction on the subject to Baron Brunow, and he requested me in the meantime to assure your Lordship of the acquiescence of the Russian Government in our proposal. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. I have, &c. STUART DE ROTHESAY. FRANCE. No. 86.-The Earl of Aberdeen to Count Ste. Aulaire. Foreign Office, January 8, 1844. THE Undersigned, &c. has the honour to acquaint his Excellency Count Ste. Aulaire, &c. that it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to send forthwith Mr. Henry Cadogan Rothery to Cayenne, to conduct further proceedings in the case of the Marabout on the part of the captors of that vessel. The Undersigned begs that his Excellency will communicate this intention to the Government of the King of the French, in order that it may be made known to the authorities at Cayenne, together with a request that every facility may be afforded to Mr. Rothery in the conduct of the case, and that no unnecessary delay may take place in the prosecution of the suit to its termination. H.E. Count Ste. Aulaire. The Undersigned, &c. ABERDEEN, No. 87.-Count Ste. Aulaire to the Earl of Aberdeen.—(Rec. Jan. 9.) J'AI reçu et transmis immédiatement à mon Gouvernement la note par laquelle votre Excellence veut bien m'annoncer l'envoi à Cayenne d'un agent Anglais chargé d'y suivre l'appel du jugement rendu par le tribunal de cette ville en faveur de l'armateur du Marabout. Votre Excellence m'ayant fait l'honneur de me dire que des jurisconsultes Français consultés sur ce point lui avaient donné l'assurance que l'appel pouvait encore être suivi utilement, il ne m'appartient d'élever à cet égard aucun doute: je me bornerai donc à vous rappeler, my Lord, ce que déjà plusieurs fois depuis l'origine de cette affaire j'ai eu l'honneur de vous répéter, savoir: que de certains délais sont fixés par notre législation pour la validité des appels à interjeter, et que ces délais sont de rigueur. S.E. Le Comte d'Aberdeen. Veuillez, &c. STE. AULAIRE, No. 100.-The Earl of Aberdeen to Lord Cowley. MY LORD, Foreign Office, February 27, 1844, I HEREWITH transmit to your Excellency a copy of a letter and of its inclosures, from the Admiralty, stating that Slave Trade is carried on with impunity under the French flag, on that part of the west coast of Africa which lies to the southward of 10° south latitude. It is much to be regretted that Commander Matson was not able to ascertain the name of the vessel under French colours which he describes as having left Benguela with a cargo of slaves in the month of March last. Nevertheless, in communicating these papers to M. Guizot, you will express the confidence of Her Majesty's Government that the Government of the King of the French will cause every possible inquiry to be made into the circumstance, as well as into the general abuse of the French flag, which Commander Matson reports to be prevalent on that part of the coast, and that the proper steps will be taken to prevent the continuance of such abuse. H.E. Lord Cowley, G.C.B. I am, &c. ABERDEEN. (Inclosure.) The Secretary to the Admiralty to Viscount Canning. MY LORD, Admiralty, February 14, 1844. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of the Earl of Aberdeen, copies of 2 letters, dated 7th and 10th instant, from Commander H. J. Matson, relative to the Slave Trade carried on under the French flag on that part of the west coast of Africa situated to the southward of 10° south latitude. I have, &c. Viscount Canning. JOHN BARROW. (Sub-Inclosure 1.)-Commander Matson to the Secy, to the Admiralty. 25, Westbourne Place, February 7, 1844. SIR, I Do not believe that Her Majesty's Government is aware that the Slave Trade has lately been carried on with comparative impunity under the French flag on that part of the west coast of Africa to the southward of 10° south latitude, the mutual right of search not being permitted to the southward of that parallel. On or about the 30th March, 1843, a brig, under French colours, arrived at Benguela, and in 48 hours afterwards sailed with a cargo of more than 500 slaves. A boat belonging to Her Majesty's brig Waterwitch was then watching the port; but the officer in charge having received orders from me not to board a vessel under the French flag, unless he had received positive information that it was fraudulently assumed, he did not attempt to interfere with her either on her arrival or departure. I learned by subsequent inquiries that this brig came direct from Rio de Janeiro fully equipped for the Slave Trade, that she had regular French papers, and that her master and several of her crew were Frenchmen. There is no other part of the coast of Africa where the Slave Trade is more successfully carried on than to the southward of 10° south. Not any French vessels of war visited that part of the coast during the 4 years that I was stationed there; nor could I learn that any one had done so since the Slave Trade was abolished. I have, &c. The Secretary to the Admiralty. H. J. MATSON. |