His Majesty's Ship, Victor, containing an account of the state in which Slaves were found on board of a Brazilian Vessel, named Diana, de-tained by the Victor on the Coast of Africa.

The deplorable condition of these unfortunate Slaves as described in that Letter is, I am willing to believe, so totally at variance with the Instructions and positive Orders of the Brazilian Government, that when you communicate to them this Report, due enquiry will be made into the transaction, and that wherever blame may be found to rest, the Persons concerned will be visited with such punishment as shall be calculated to prevent for the future such an aggravation of misery as has been entailed on these unfortunate Beings.

Henry Chamberlain, Esq.

I have the honour to be, &c.

GEORGE CANNING..

(Enclosure.)-Captain Woolcombe to Commodore Bullen.

(Extract.)

Island of St. Thomas, 20th August, 1824. IN obedience to your Order of the 29th July last, I yesterday arrived at this anchorage, and immediately commenced watering, which I shall have completed by noon, and shall proceed again to my cruising ground as soon as the boat returns from the Town, which takes this up, and lands some Portuguese. I have been so fortunate as to seize a Brazilian Brigantine, named Diana, with 143 Slaves on board at the time of seizure.

Of all Vessels I was on board of, this was in the most deplorable condition; the stench from the accumulation of dirt, joined to that of so many human beings packed together in a small space, (the men all ironed in pairs) was intolerable, and to add to this scene of misery the small pox had broken out among them, nine had died before we took possession, and one almost immediately after our first boat got alongside.

In consulting the Surgeon, I was sorry to find nothing could be done for them, it being impossible to take them into this Ship, as many of the Kroomen had not had the small pox, and the chances are that even if we had done so, it would not have checked it in the others left on board, on whom it had not then made its appearance, as it was nearly sunset when we got hold of her after a chase in the wind's eyefrom 7 A. M. We kept her by us all night, and in the morning gave her as good a cleaning and whitewashing as we could, and then sent her off to Sierra Leone, under charge of Mr. Young, who has been long on the Coast, and having taken up prizes before, perfectly understands how to treat the Slaves.

But I must say, I have great fear that they will lose a great many on their way, although great care was taken that no one should go on board who had not had this disease. I hope no accident will happen to any of our own people gone up in her. I have given Mr. Young

Forders to bring his people down to Cape Coast by the first conEDWARD WOOLCOMBE.

veyance.

Commodore Bullen,

Commr-in-Chief of H. M. S. and Vessels, Coast of Africa.

SIR,

No. 53. Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain to Mr. Secy. Canning. (Rec. Nov. 11.)

Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 18, 1824.

I REGRET to say that I have not yet been able to obtain the particulars of the Rule used in the Admeasurement of Slave Vessels, though I have ascertained that it differs entirely from that employed in calculating the Tonnage of Merchant Ships.

I had hoped that the Minister would have acquiesced in my request to be furnished with information on this point, but his Note of the 2d Instant, in reply to mine of the 16th Ult., (forwarded by the last Packet) shewing me that I was not to expect this favour, and declaring besides, that the Vessels whose incorrect measurement you had instructed me to represent to the Brazilian Government, which representation formed the subject of my Letter to His Excellency of the 26th of January last, (of which I have already had the honour to send you a Copy) had been officially ascertained to have been measured according to law, I felt it to be proper not to let the matter stop where it was.

And accordingly I addressed M. de Carvalho again on the 10th Instant on this subject, pointing out the necessity for His Majesty's Government being made acquainted with the mode prescribed by the law for measuring these Vessels; and reiterating the request to be furnished with the Rule.

Inclosure No. 3, being the Copy of this Letter, will put you in possession of what I considered myself called upon to say in support of the request. The chief arguments being in substance, that the British Government having bound Itself by Treaty to pay Demurrage for SlaveShips, improperly detained by British Cruizers, according to a fixed Scale of Tonnage, it is of moment to know how the Tonnage of such Vessels is ascertained: because, as these are found upon investigation by the British Authorities, to be of much larger capacity, when employed in the Slave Trade, than when measured for other purposes, at the same time that their estimate for the latter very nearly coincides with what it would be in England; whilst their estimate for the former very considerably exceeds it; the British Government is thus rendered liable to pay a much higher rate of Demurrage than is bona fide due under the Treaty.

And, that there being now very sufficient reason to believe that the practice used in measuring Slave Vessels in Brazil, instead of being the means of restricting the shipment to five Individuals to every two Tons, has been employed to make it legal to ship at the rate of four

nage; In the 2d above one half;—In the 3d not quite one fourth;—, And in the last, rather more than one half.

I will take the liberty to request your Excellency's attention to the Case of the first of these Vessels; as that whose Tonnage has been ascertained by a British Authority; and found very nearly to agree with that declared by a Brazilian Authority, for other purposes than the Slave Trade.

According to this (which is selected for example sake as the real Tonnage) she would be entitled, at the rate of 5 for every two tons, to carry 210 or 211 Slaves; by the other, 353 Slaves; that is to say, this excessive measure entitles her to carry upwards of four Slaves for each bonâ fide Ton. And the result is nearly the same in the other Cases; which I will venture to assert, and to pledge myself, is not the understanding in which the Treaty of 1815 and the Additional Convention of 1817, were agreed to by the British Government.

At all events, as this question has arisen out of your Excellency's Note of the 2d instant, and is one in which the British Government is deeply interested, as well as that of Brazil, I feel myself called upon to furnish His Majesty's Secretary of State with all the information I can obtain upon the subject, to the end that he may be able to take it into full consideration. Wherefore I trust your Excellency will excuse my renewing the request already made on the 16th ult. and will be pleased to cause to be delivered to me a Copy of the rule established by Law, for admeasuring the Tonnage of Vessels to be employed in the licit Slave Trade; according to which the number of Slaves allowed to be shipped in each Vessel is calculated.

I have great satisfaction in profiting of this opportunity, &c.
H. CHAMBERLAIN.

H. E. The Commr. Luiz Joze de Carvalho e Mello.

No. 54.-Mr. Consul-General Chamberlain to Mr. Secretary Canning. (Rec. Dec. 25.)

SIR,

Rio de Janeiro, October 30, 1824.

IN obedience to the Instructions contained in your Despatch of the Slave Trade Series, dated the 6th of August, received here on the 17th instant, per Lord Melville Packet, I addressed a Letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, stating the mischievous effects resulting from the permission given to Brazilian Vessels proceeding to Molembo for Slaves, to touch in their way at the Islands of Princes and St. Thomas; and signifying the expectation of His Majesty's Government that the Brazilian Government, being made aware of the evils produced by the present form of Passports, would lose no time in altering it.

Yesterday I received a Reply to this Representation (of which I

beg leave to send a Copy and Translation) stating that the latter has been sent on the 27th inst. to the Government of Bahia, with orders to report upon the subject, in order that the Emperor may then decide upon what may be requisite to be done.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

I have honour to be, &c.

H. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Enclosure 1.)-Mr. Consul-Gen'. Chamberlain toM.de Carvalho e Mello. SIR, Rio de Janeiro, October 20, 1824.

I have been instructed to make known to your Excellency, that His Majesty's Commissioners at Sierra Leone have several times represented to their Government the mischievous effects resulting from the practice of the Brazilian Authorities, in giving permission to Vessels proceeding to Molembo for Slaves, to touch, in their way, at the Islands of Princes and St. Thomas. By which permission these Vessels obtain an excuse for being seen near the Slave Coast, to the Northward of the Equator; and they generally take advantage of the opportunity to procure Cargoes of Negroes in those parts, where, by the Laws of every Civilized Nation, the Slave Trade has been strictly forbidden.

It is my duty to add, that His Majesty's Government trust, that the Brazilian Government, now they are made aware of the evils which are produced by the form in which their Passport is drawn up, will lose no time in causing it to be altered.

I beg to repeat to Your Excellency, on this occasion, the sentiments of perfect consideration with which I have the honour to be, &c. H. CHAMBERLAIN.

H. E. The Commr. Luiz Joze de Carvalho e Mello.

(Enclosure 2.)—M. de Carvalho e Mello to Mr. Consul-Gen1. Chamberlain. (Translation.) October 29, 1824.

Luiz Joze de Carvalho e Mello presents his compliments to Mr. H. Chamberlain, His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General; and acknowledging his Note of the 20th instant, in which he acquaints him that the Commissioners of His Britannic Majesty at Sierra Leone, have at various times represented to their Government the bad effects resulting from the practice followed by the Brazilian Authorities, in permitting Vessels bound to Molembo to trade for Slaves, to touch on their way at the Islands of Princes and St. Thomas, has to inform him, that his Note was transmitted on the 27th instant, to the President of Bahia, in order that his report on this subject may be made known to the Emperor.

Luiz Joze de Carvalho e Mello profits of this opportunity, &c. &c. Henry Chamberlain, Esq.

No. 55.-Mr. Consul General Chamberlain to Mr. Secy. Canning. (Rec. Feb. 6.)

SIR,

Rio de Janeiro, December 11, 1824. M. DE Carvalho e Mello having sent me, on the 6th instant, a Note explaining in detail the method used to find the Tonnage of Vessels employed in the licit Slave Trade, requested by me on the 10th of September last, for the purpose of being transmitted to His Majesty's Government, I have the honour to send herewith a Copy and Translation thereof, for their information.

According to this mode of estimating the Tonnage of Slave Vessels, a Brig called the Adamastor, of about 189 tons burthen, belonging to this Port, is allowed to carry 750 Slaves, that is to say, her burthen for the Slave Trade is 300 tons, which seems to be about the general rule of proportion in the Vessels quoted in the Representation of the Mixed Commission at Sierra Leone.

I have the honour to be, &c.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

H. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Enclosure.)—M. de Carvalho e Mello to Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. (Translation) Secretary of State's Office, December 6, 1824.

LUIZ Joze de Carvalho e Mello, presents his compliments to Mr. Henry Chamberlain, His Britannic Majesty's Consul General, and acknowledges the receipt of the Office of the 10th September last, which he addressed to him, requesting that the mode followed in the measurement of Brazilian Vessels employed in the licit Slave Trade might be officially communicated to him, in order that he might transmit it to the knowledge of the British Government.

Luiz Joze de Carvalho e Mello, having by order of His Majesty The Emperor, required from the Competent Tribunal of the Board of Trade, the transmission of all the necessary explanations respecting the mode in question, the same Tribunal, after having taken every information which was necessary to this end, have just made known as follows:-The ground or flooring of the quarter deck, forecastle, deck, and the middle deck from stem to stern, are divided into partial lengths of 6 palms which are called "Rumos" [Compartments]; these breadths are added up on each flooring, or deck, and the sum multiplied by 6 in order to have the superficies of each deck in square palms: if it happen that there are any fractions of a "Rumo” the breadth of the Ship is equally taken at the middle of it, and this is multiplied by the palms of the said fractions, and its product added to the before mentioned; the same is done with the other decks or floorings; afterwards the products or partial results are added up, abating from the amount the