followed by some inconvenient disturbance of the "cattle trade" between this island and Madagascar, the amicable continuance of which was a matter of very great importance to us as well as to our neighbours at Bourbon, our supplies being wholly derived from that source; and in the meantime the price of beef became very greatly enhanced, and threatened to become still more so. These fears were subsequently allayed by the intelligence of the death of Prince Rambousalam, and of the undisturbed possession of the throne by King Radama; and the news which was brought here, of the liberal manner in which trade and commerce were to be encouraged by King Radama, and of the favourable views which he had declared respecting the spread of education and Christianity among his people, gave cheering prospects of the advantages that would result to the population of this island, and to its trade and commerce generally, if such liberal views were encouraged; and a continuance of our present friendly intercourse with Madagascar were insured, without chance of further interruption, and with the prospect of still more liberal commercial openings to ourselves and to our neighbours for the purposes of fair and legitimate trade.

The letter which I received under the hand of King Radama, and the others which accompanied it, and which I have the honour to transmit, afforded me an opportunity of making an acknowledgment of the courtesy in such terms as would probably be acceptable, and at the same time conveying an assurance to the King, of the high appreciation in this colony of the liberal views he had exhibited. The enclosure (No. 2) announces the death of the Queen, and the accession of the King under the title of Radama II. The enclosure (No 3) announces the orders that had been given for immunity from duty (so far as I understand it) on all imports and exports from Madagascar; and enclosure (No. 4), from the principal Secretary of State, intimates a wish that an envoy should be sent charged with congratulations to the King, and announces that the approach to the capital would be without impediment, "as in the days of the Great Radama."

I considered it insufficient to reply to this letter, and to these friendly overtures, by a mere response in writing, or to disregard the feeling which prompted the invitation to send a complimentary message of acknowledgment and congratulation; and, knowing how important to this colony would be the continuance of its free and open trade with Madagascar, and how essential it would be for that island itself, that the liberal views of the King should be promptly responded to, and openly and publicly acknowledged, I had no hesi tation in coming to the conclusion that a letter of courtesy, sent

by the hands of special and well-selected messengers, would not only be most acceptable to the King, but be followed by happy consequences to the future welfare of that country, by the assurance which would be conveyed to the people of that island, that the liberality of their present Monarch (in contrast with the most repugnant policy of the late Queen) had been approved by his neighbours, and was best adapted to the welfare of themselves and their country. Upon communicating these views to the principal officers of this Government, I found that they met with a ready support; and accordingly I had no hesitation in carry. ing them out in a manner which has since met with the approval of the Council, and I believe of the community at large.

one or two of

I thought it right, when sending this message of compliment and congratulation, not only to do so in as open and public a manner as possible, but to select several officers and gentlemen of such position as would impress the compliment with still greater importance; at the same time, I carefully excluded from those whom I selected, all persons who had been in any way concerned in former enterprises or adventures (private, political, or religious), in connection with the island, or whose perfect neutrality with regard to all past differences could be in the slightest degree called in question. I also desired to place among the number some gentlemen who were thoroughly acquainted with the general trade, arts, and pursuits of this country, in order that (if asked) they might afford any reliable information that was required upon any of those subjects.

The officers and gentlemen whom I selected were LieutenantColonel Middleton, C.B.; Lieutenant Marindin, R. E., a member of my own personal staff; Mr. Newton, the Assistant Colonial Secretary; Mr. Mellish, a merchant of Port Louis; Mr. Caldwell, the interpreter of languages, and a gentleman of very general and accurate information; and a medical officer selected by Colonel Middleton, to accompany the party. I had a great many applica tions from other gentlemen who desire to be joined in this compli mentary mission; some of whom I rejected for the reasons already stated, and others because my list was already full.

I have the honour to transmit copies of, (1) my letter to King Radama, (2) my letter of credential or introduction of the gentlemen who composed the mission, (3) my memorandum of instructions to Colonel Middleton, as to the course that should be pursued, and the cautions that should be observed, and (4) a subsequent memorandum expressive of my wish that no person who had proceeded to Madagascar, or who might be about to do so, on their own accounts, or for any other purposes, should be allowed to engraft

themselves on my mission, or become identified with it; this latter document I wrote advisedly, as I had heard of many private adventurers, who had gone, or who were going, to Madagascar, and desired to avoid all suspicion, by the people of Madagascar, or by any of our neighbours, of having any other object than that of compliment and congratulation, which my letter to the King discloses ; at the same time I authorised the Colonial Secretary to reply to the letter of the Secretary of State in the terms of the letter of which the enclosure (9) is a copy.

I have reason to believe that similar communications have been made to our neighbours at the Island of Bourbon; and I have no doubt that the liberal views of the new King will be met by them in the same good spirit, and I sincerely hope that the friendly encouragement of our two countries (England and France) will help to give assurances to King Radama which will tend to the advancement and improvement of his splendid but neglected country.

At the first subsequent meeting of the Council, which took place on the 20th instant, I fully explained to the board the letters I had received, the course I had pursued, and the objects I had in view, announcing at the same time that I had authorized, in anticipation of their vote, an advance for the expenses of the mission, of which the particulars should be placed before them at a future meeting. This was fully approved; and it was proposed, and unanimously approved at the Council, that according to the usage of former days, and the customs and expectations of Madagascar, the mission should not go empty-handed, but should be the bearers of handsome and substantial tokens of the general appreciation, by the people of this colony, of the liberal policy, in trade and commerce, which had marked the commencement of the new King's reign; and I was urged to propose and allow a resolution to pass for the expenditure of such sum as would be necessary for that purpose, the sum proposed being 2,0007.

This was so strongly approved by the Council that I felt no hesitation in acquiescing in the proposal; and a vote was accordingly proposed and unanimously carried, for the expenditure of a sum not exceeding 2,000l., in the purchase of these presents and testimonials. Of this sum I authorized about one-half to be at once laid out, in anticipation of your Grace's sanction, leaving the rest to be purchased in England and sent at a future time, when I hoped that the reply which might be expected from Her Majesty to the letter of King Radama, would furnish opportunity of forwarding the remaining gifts from the colony. Should Her Majesty desire to accompany her royal answer with a token from herself, as, for instance, Her Majesty's picture, I shall be happy to be instrumental in forwarding it.

I was the better pleased to sanction this resolution, as it emanated from an honourable member (Mr. Antelme) who, while thoroughly English in his views and liberal policy, and in all that concerns trade, commerce, government, and international intercourse, is, at the same time, thoroughly French in his nationality; and therefore the proposal of the honourable member must have completely allayed any notion that could possibly have arisen among some of our neighbours, that there could have been anything designed by this complimentary mission beyond that which was plainly expressed in my letter to King Radama and in my statement to the Council; and I may add that I have been most careful, in all that I have done, to avoid all possible misinterpretation of the object of this mission.

The minutes of the Council, which contain these proceedings and resolution, are transmitted for your Grace's information.

Part of the amount so voted (about 1,2007.) has been laid out, as judiciously as local circumstance permitted, in the purchase of such presents and testimonials as were considered likely to be acceptable to the King; and the mission, and their charge, were despatched on the 22nd instant in a trading ship, called the Jessie Byrne, which afforded me the best available means of sending them to Tamatave, the first step to the capital. I regretted that the absence from this neighbaurhood of any of Her Majesty's ships prevented me from sending my mission in a more dignified and complimentary manner; but I felt that the immediate opportunity of suitably returning the reply, and of offering the congratulation, ought not to be lost.

I am quite aware that without previous communication with your Grace I have assumed a degree of responsibility for which I must request your Grace's indulgence and approval; I hope that the circumstances I have explained will be sufficient to support the course I have pursued, and I trust that the peculiarity of our position of dependence on the trade with Madagascar, and the prospects of improvement to that country that may probably result from this prompt exhibition of encouragement, will be sufficient to excuse the action I have taken without your Grace's previous sanction; a sanction which could only have been received after such a lapse of time as would have neutralized its effect by the appearance of a tardy and hesitating acknowledgment; and, as your Grace will see from this despatch and the accompanying papers, that I have taken every precaution to avoid stepping beyond the legitimate limits of a compliment, although it has been paid with a demonstration which ordinary circumstances would not have demanded, I hope you will give me credit for having pursued the course best

suited to the objects in view, and that the satisfactory result of the mission will amply justify the means used for attaining it.

Although it is strictly out of my province to offer any suggestions on a subject which is foreign to the immediate duties of my administration, I hope I may be excused for looking somewhat in advance of the present moment, and, considering the future advantages that may result to this colony, as well as to our neighbours and to the Island of Madagascar itself, from any encouragement that may be given by civilized nations (and especially by England and France) to the promotion of open commerce and intercourse between Madagascar and the rest of the world, and to the furtherance of those improvements and acts of civilization (accompanied by the spread of Christianity and the Gospel), which are immediately essential to the well-being of that country, and remotely beneficial to ourselves and other neighbouring colonies and countries. Very little encouragement on the part of friendly nations, promptly offered on the present occasion, will suffice to induce such a man as the present King, with the early instruction he has received, and the liberal spirit he now displays, to proceed in the course of civilization and improvement which he appears to have so nobly begun; and if two such countries as England and France could now concur in these broad and philanthropic views, and give their aid and countenance in carrying them out with the best advantage to Madagascar, and with general benefit to their own as well as to other countries and colonies, I feel sanguine that the best and most successful results would be sure to ensue; and, even though no more should be done than the prompt and liberal expression of hopes and expectations, coupled with a recommendation and encouragement of extended trade, commerce, and intercourse, and the formation of companies (French, English, mixed, and otherwise) for the development of the agricultural and mineral resources of the country, and the appointment, perhaps, of Consuls, for the protection of the interests of merchants, enterprisers, and capitalists, the first and most important. steps will have been taken which will lead to a brighter future.

Your Grace will understand that I have carefully avoided any expression in my statements and correspondence that require explanation, as tending to commit my communication with King Radama or the Government to anything like a recognition of any more extensive dominion in Madagascar than properly belongs to him and his succession. I am aware that on the western side of the island there are the Sakalaves and other petty Chiefs, who assert (and, for anything I know to the contrary, may possess) some limited independent position or territorial dominion. Of these interual subdivisions I profess to know nothing; and the general terms of "King Radama," or "King of Madagascar," or "Throne of Mada[1862-63. LIII.]

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