FOREIGN DEPENDENCIES. CANADA. reserves, which, on or before the first of March, Substance of the intended Arrangements for the 1824, were actually laid out in various townships New Canada Company.. THE merchants and others, who have united together to establish a company for purchasing, improving, settling, and disposing of lands and other property in Upper Canada, and especially for purchasing and settling certain lands in the province of Upper Canada, which have been reserved for certain public purposes, and for the support of a Protestant clergy, and which are known by the name of "The Crown Reserves" and "The Clergy Reserves," and which merchants and others, for that purpose, have subscribed a capital of one million sterling;having applied to earl Bathurst, his majesty's principal secretary of state having the department of the colonies, to advise his majesty to grant to them a charter of incorporation, and to grant and convey to them, for certain valuable considerations, the said reserved lands in the province of Upper Canada; the following is the substance of the arrangement that has been concluded between the committee, or court of directors, appointed by those persons, and acting for the general body on the one part, and lord Bathurst on the other part : in the province of Upper Canada. That the lands will be conveyed to the company in feesimple, to be held in free and common soccage. That five commissioners shall be appointed to proceed to Upper Canada to determine the price to be paid by the company for the said reserved lands; two of them to be nominated by lord Bathurst, two by the directors of the proposed company; and the fifth to be selected by lord Bathurst from three persons proposed by the directors, and to whom no objection is made by the four first-named commissioners. That the commissioners shall be guided, in fixing the price to be paid by the company for the lands granted to them, by certain principles, which are detailed at length. That during a period of fifteen years, after the 1st January, 1826, the company shall annually enter into possession of so much land as shall be valued at 20,000l. sterling, or more if they think proper; for which they shall pay quarterly. That the company will, in each of the above-mentioned fifteen years, place at least one-half of the lands which may have been purchased by them in the possession of settlers, either as grantees or as lessees under them, in the proportion of one head of a family or one adult unmarried settler for every 200 acres of land, &c. &c. Substance of an Address to his Majesty from the Legislative Council of Lower Canada, respecting Canada Corn and Flour, That lord Bathurst will, at an early period of the next session, introduce a bill for the purpose; containing the necessary clauses for investing the proposed company with the powers and privileges which it may be expedient they should possess. That lord Bathurst will move the lords of the privy council to advise his majesty to issue, under the great seal, a royal AN address to his majesty, from the legis charter for the incorporation of the proposed lative council of Lower Canada in provincial company. That when the company shall have parliament assembled, dated Quebec, 4th March, been actually incorporated, lord Bathurst will 1825, intreats his majesty's gracious considerafurther advise his majesty to convey to them, tion of the peculiar circumstances which make upon the terms subsequently mentioned, the the corn laws inapplicable to the provinces of lands in Upper Canada subsequently described. Canada; and expresses a hope, that when those That after deducting the portions which have laws shall come under parliamentary considerbeen granted or demised on lease, or occupied ation, grain and flour, the production of the on the license or promise of government, North American colonies, may at all times be or appropriated to public or clerical pur- made admissible for British consumption, duty poses, or occupied without disturbance for ten free;—or, if limited in quantity, that the limityears, or which may be peculiarly convenient or ation may be fixed at one million of bushels of necessary either for the public service or ecclesi-wheat annually; and if subject to any duty, that astical purposes, lord Bathurst will advise his that duty shall not exceed a fourth of the duty majesty to convey to the company the whole of to which foreign grain may at any time be the crown reserves, and one-half of the clergy liable. No duties were levied or received in this colony prior to the month of August 1811, and for the latter half of that year the amount collected did not exceed 1017. 5s. 1d. In the following year, however, they amounted to 2,1757. 19s. 4d., but in the years 1813, 1814, and 1815, they do not appear to have exceeded an average of 1,5007. In 1816 they amounted to 2,4477. 16s. 6d. ; and in the ensuing years, until 1821, they arose to 3, 4, 5, and 6,000l. In the year 1823 they are returned at 8,7301. 8s. from the collector's books. The exports, which are from the years 1817 to 1823 inclusive, are in bulk, but not in value, and consist of the produce of Africa in its various states of preparation. Hides, mats, tiger skins, gold dust, monkey skins, stuffed birds, honey, muts, oils, and wax, wood of various kinds, indigo, coffee, rice, lime-juice, and African curiosities, principally compose the list. The imports are also given, but they are in value (not in quality), during the same period, and are chiefly conveyed in ships from London, Liverpool, and Bristol; and the invoice value during the year 1817 was 72,5167. 7s. 23d.; in 1818, 94,7997. 14s. 54d.; but in the following year, 1819, it fell to 80,8631. 68. 113d.; and in 1820, it was only 66,7251. 9s. 43d. In 1821, however, the invoice value is quoted at 105,0607. 15s. 10d.; in 1822, at 85,3507. 14s. 8d.; in 1823, at 121,4427. 18s. 11ąd.; and in 1824, at 80,9177. 128. 8d. A census of the population of the colony is also given for the years 1818, 1820, and 1822. No census of the colony appears to have been taken at the time of its transfer to the crown, neither was any taken in 1817. The order transmitted from the colonial office required up to the latest time a complete census of the population, exclusive of the military; distinguishing the European, Nova Scotians, disbanded African soldiers, Kroomen, other African emigrants, and liberated Africans; distinguishing also the sexes, the number of persons married, who have learned to read and write, and the number actually enjoying the means of Christian education This last order has not yet been complied with, so far as the completion of the census, but it will be finished when the governor (general Turner) returns from the Gold Coast. The grand total of population, according to the census last taken in 1822, is 15,081, of which little more than one-third belongs to Freetown. It is chiefly composed of the following classes :-West Indians and Americans, 48 men, 19 women, 18 boys and girls. Of natives, 1,327 men, 977 women, and above 1,200 boys and girls. Liberated Africans, 3,312 men, 1,956 women, and between 2,000 and 3,000 boys and girls. Discharged soldiers, 1,103; and Kroomen (who appear to be a migratory race, constantly moving to and from the colony), 947. Between the census of 1817 and 1818 there appears to have been an increase of population of 2,252 individuals, including 1,190 captured negroes; and between the latter and that taken in 1822, there is an increase of 2,956 persons, including 943 liberated Africans and 1,030 discharged soldiers from West Indian and African corps. The returns of schools shew within the last three or four years a very considerable increase of numbers. In 1817, the number of men, women, and children in course of education did not much exceed 400. On the 31st of December, 1823, there were children, 2,172; adults, 287 ; making a total of 2,460. In the account of the number of churches and chapels, with an estimate of the persons attending, we have 24 chapels described, in nearly half of which service is performed by coloured pastors. The number of persons usually attending is 5,818, of whom between 500 and 610 are Wesleyan Methodists, above 200 of lady Huntingdon's sect, and about half that number Baptists. A detailed account of births in the colony was ordered, but no general record appears to have been kept. And in answer to the order for an account of fit persons liable to serve on juries in the colony of Sierra Leone, it is said that this cannot be correctly ascertained, but that the number must be very considerable, for that 42 petit, and from 8 to 10 grand jurors are usually summoned every sessions from the coloured inhabitants. The usual rate of wages paid is to labourers 9d. or 10d. per day, and from 2s. 6d. to 78. per day to artificers, according to their skill. It is added, however, that these rates of payment are on the decline. In ships and fishing-boats, exclusive of a small number belonging to natives, the property of the inhabitants of the colony is small, and does not exceed a small tonnage There are about thirty-five vessels, from 10 to 88 tons burden, besides fourteen boats employed by fishermen. An ACCOUNT of the total Grants of Money | mends their claims to the consideration of his for the Civil Establishment of Sierra Leone, majesty's government. from 1808 to 1824; also, an Account of the total Amount of all Bills drawn upon the Treasury from thence, for Military Expenditure, and paid during the same period. Year 1808 1809 Grants of Money Total Amount of £ s. d. 16,310 0 0 17,360 0 0 15,710 0 0 £ 8. d. 12,568 9 1 25,853 4 3 36,291 13 3 41,549 9 1 055,330 3 4 66,968 6 5 51,820 15 114 58,951 15 2 89,919 17 6 60,525 2 8 64,793 7 94 41,219 16 56,340 11 64 69,394 0 94 34,291 10 7 035,826 13 5 1810 1811 14,495 11 1812 14,020 0 1813 1814 1815 ... 1816 1817 1818 1819 1820 1821 1822 1823 14,102 0 0 0 In addition to which, the several sums under mentioned have been paid out of the grant of army extraordinaries for dollars forwarded by order of the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury for the service of the colony of Sierra SLAVE TRADE. Correspondence with the British Commissioners of Sierra Leone, the Havannah, Rio de Janeiro, and Surinam, relating to the Slave Trade. SIERRA LEONE. THE Commissioners, in a despatch to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Sierra Leone, May 15, 1824, make their annual report upon the state of the slave-trade on the western coast of Africa. The arrival of a new governor-general from Portugal at the Cape de Verd islands, with a body of European soldiers, about the commencement of 1823, had given hopes that a system of restraint would be commenced in those islands by the government against the illicit traders in slaves. Those hopes had been disappointed. The conveyance of slaves in small vessels from the Portuguese settlements of Bissao and Cacheo, and from the river Caramanza to the islands of the Cape de Verd, still continued to exist. The slaves were kept in depôt until an opportunity occurred for their being taken off the islands by slave-ships; and the practice could not fail of being known to the government. There were reports, which appeared to be well founded, that during the year 1823 vessels had sailed from Bissao with slaves directly to the Brazils. It was matter of great indignation that, in the seventh year after the conclusion of the convention to prevent illicit traffic in slaves, a people owing obedience to the laws of Portugal should pursue the slave-trade in the very worst of its abominable ways. It was con. fidently asserted, that it was the practice of the people at Bissao to send armed boats about the coasts and islands in their vicinity to surprise their inhabitants and to carry them off to supply the wants of the slave-market. Besides the barbarity of the practice, its consequence was that the natives within the reach of such kidnapping expeditions were rendered savage and untractable, and disposed to deal harshly with any Europeans that might fall into their Abstract of Petitions from the Inhabitants of the hands; of which a recent example had been afforded in their treatment of a boat's crew belonging to a Spanish schooner. It was evident that the influence of the Portuguese authorities at Bissao and Cacheo was exerted to encourage, and not to discountenance the trade. In the Rio Nunex, which was formerly frequented by slave-ships from the Havannah and other places, there had not been any slave-ship for a considerable time past; and the natives there were beginning to turn their attention to a better sort of commerce. No slave-ship had 3. A despatch from lieutenant-general sir been in the Rio Pongos since January 1822. G. L. Cole to earl Bathurst, dated Mauritius, Most of the old slave-traders there were now 25th May, 1824, encloses a petition from the employed in collecting the produce of the sur planters to the same effect; and strongly recom-rounding country, to dispose of it to the British 2. Petitions from the inhabitants of Mauritius, in 1817 and 1823, praying to be relieved from the duty existing on the importation of their sugar into Great Britain for consumption, which was ten shillings per hundred weight more than that imposed upon sugars imported from any other British colony. lowed to depart; the adjudication of a brig, under the Brazilian flag, named the Bom Caminho, taken on the 10th of March, 1824, by his majesty's ship Bann, captain Woolcombe, with 334 slaves on board, whilst proceeding on her voyage to Bahia; and the condemnation of a schooner, named the Maria Piguera, with 17 slaves, captured, on the 8th of May, 1824, off Prince's Island (whither she was returning from the river Gaboon) by his majesty's ship Victor, captain John Scott. A letter from G. Rendall, esq., to James Bandinell, esq., dated Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, July 5, 1824, contains the names and particulars of the emancipation and registry of 327 slaves, emancipated by decree of the courts of mixed commission, esta illicit traffic in slaves, during the period commencing 5th January, and ending 4th July, 1824. HAVANNAH. traders of the isles of Los and of Sierra Leone. zilian flag, by his majesty's ship Bann, captain Along the coast from the Rio Pangos to Sierra Courtenay, which vessels were afterwards alLeone the foreign slave-trade had ceased, and the natives were in constant and beneficial intercourse with Sierra Leone; the trade of which colony had increased since the last Report of the commissioners. This increase was attributable to the great influx of native traders from the interior, and to the demand for African timber. The Gallinas river was the only notorious haunt of slave-ships betwixt Sierra Leone and Cape Coast; and it was in vain to expect that that haunt should be destroyed so long as a French character should protect a slave-ship from molestation. French vessels, or vessels well protected by a French mask, were almost the only vessels which frequented that place. During the greater part of the last year very little slave-trade was carried on at the usual slave-haunts in the Bights of Beninblished at Sierra Leone for the prevention of and Biafra. From the date of the last Report, only seven slave-vessels had been taken in those Bights. It was probable that the disturbances in the Brazils, but more particularly at Bahia, had prevented the Brazilians from actively en- Despatches of various dates from H. T. Kilbee, gaging in the trade; for after the surrender of esq., to Mr. Secretary Canning, state the names Bahia to the Brazilian forces, and the restora- of a number of vessels which from time to time tion of tranquillity there, the slave-ships again sailed from the Havannah to the coast of Africa. made their appearance in the Bight of Benin. On the arrival at the Havannah, from the coast There had been no proof, since the date of the of Africa, of French and Spanish vessels, some last Report, that the slave-trade had been car- of which were notoriously engaged in the slaveried on betwixt Prince's Island and the African trade, Mr. Kilbee made strong representations rivers in its neighbourhood; but the commis- to the captain-general as to the importance of sioners were informed that it was still kept their undergoing a strict investigation, but was up by small boats belonging to Prince's Island. constantly told that there existed no circumThe commissioners were not able to give any stances of just suspicion against them. The particular information of the state of the legiti- captain-general, Mr. Kilbee observes, was mate commerce on the Gold Coast; but they placed in a very delicate situation. All who apprehended that it could not have been pro- surrounded him daily represented to him that mising of late, on account of the Ashantee war. the prosperity of the island depended on the conBelow the Gold Coast they hoped that legiti- tinuance of the traffic, and that any attempt to mate commerce had improved during the last suppress it, besides that it would be probably year in proportion as the slave-trade had de- unsuccessful, would bring upon his government clined. From the foregoing statements it would the most general unpopularity and odium, appear, that since the date of the last Report of which ought particularly to be avoided in the the commissioners the slave-trade had existed present critical circumstances and unsettled only at the Cape de Verd islands, and at Bissao state of the Spanish monarchy, the government and Cacheo, to the northward of Sierra Leone; of which too, there was reason to believe, was that betwixt Sierra Leone and Cape Coast the very indifferent about the matter. In conse trade had been carried on only at the Gallinas quence, the increase of illicit slave-trade at the and some places in its vicinity; and that to the Havannah had latterly been very considerable. southward of Cape Coast a decrease of the trade On the 17th June, 1824, the Spanish brig of had occurred. The recent addition to the Slave- war, Marte, brought in to the Havannab a slavetrade Restriction Treaty with the Netherlands, ship, with upwards of 400 negroes on board, declaring the condemnation of ships if fitted called the Maria de la Gloria, which she had out for the slave-trade, must be beneficial to the detained a little to the westward of that port. cause of the abolition of that trade. When the The court of admiralty immediately assumed same addition should be made to the treaties the cognizance of the case, but the mixed com. with Spain and Portugal, the commissioners would mission claimed it, and the question came before hope to see the Spanish and Portuguese slave- the governor. After considerable discussion, traders swept from the coast, and not till then. the governor decided in favour of the mixed Subsequent communications from the com- commission. That court accordingly sat upon missioners announce the detention, on the 30th the case for five days without intermission: January, 1824, of three vessels under the Bra-when it appearing that the Maria de la Gloria was really the property of Portuguese subjects" mixed commission, composed as it now is, of Brazil, and had been captured by the Spanish" fuller powers, and to make it the exclusive privateer Romano before she had been detained" tribunal for hearing all causes connected with by the Spanish brig of war Marte; the court "illicit slave-trade, would, in my opinion, be (not being authorised to try the cases of Portu-"the most effectual remedy; but there are so guese vessels) declared that the detention of the " many insurmountable objections to this arsaid vessel by the Marte was legal; but ab-" rangement, that it would be useless to pursue stained from pronouncing upon any other point" the subject. The Spanish law, of which, lest connected with the case. The resuit, however," you should wish to refer to it, I have the of the decision of the governor respecting the" honour to enclose a printed copy, is now, the powers of the mixed commission was important," trade being entirely abolished, reduced to a as it established that the mixed commission at the "general prohibition of all Spanish subjects to Havannah and the mixed commission at Sierra" purchase negroes on the coast of Africa, under Leone were the only competent tribunals to hear" the penalties of the confiscation of vessel and the causes of Spanish slave-ships, even when" cargo (the negroes being declared free), and detained by vessels of war of their own nation." ten years' hard labour at the public works in On the 18th December, 1824, his majesty's" the Philippine islands to the purchaser, capschooner Lion, lieutenant Liardet, brought into "tain, supercargo, and mate. This law was the Havannah the Spanish schooner Relam-"published when the trade to the south of the pago, which she had detained on the 14th, with" line was permitted; and in the contemplation 159 negroes on board. Proceedings were com- "of such trade, the fifth article declares, that menced without delay in the mixed commission," the foreign vessels which may convey slaves and the case presenting no difficulties whatever," to any port of my dominions, must do so on the 23d, sentence of condemnation was pro-"subject to the rules laid down in this my royal nounced. The slaves were emancipated, and" cedula; and in case of contravention shall be every precaution was taken so to place them" punished with the same penalties herein spethat they should not be again reduced to slavery." cified.' This law, you will perceive, is conThroughout the whole of the proceedings in "ceived in very general and very loose terms. this case the most perfect unanimity prevailed "The prohibition extends only to purchasing amongst the members of the mixed commission;" slaves on the coast of Africa; so that it might and Mr. Kilbee adds, that it was peculiarly gra-" be argued, that to bring them from any other tifying to him to observe, that on the part of" place is permitted. Who the purchaser is his colleagues, as well as on that of the captain-" does not clearly appear; here he is generally general, he met with not merely a disposition to "held to be the person who actually pays the obey the letter of the treaty, but a warm and money for the slaves in Africa, and not the anxious desire to act up to its true spirit. In a "share-holders in such adventures, who consedespatch, dated January 1, 1825, Mr. Kilbee" quently run no danger but that of losing encloses a document, shewing at one view the "their money. The petty officers and sailors progress of illicit slave-trade from the close of" are not liable to any punishment whatever; 1821, when orders were received at the Ha-" and as high wages are given, there is no difvannah from Spain to carry strictly into ef-"ficulty ever found in obtaining men for slavefect the stipulations of the treaty, up to the" ships. The article which applies to foreign moment of his writing, when it had reached" vessels ought certainly to be adapted to the so extraordinary an extent that not less than present circumstances, the trade being totally forty-four vessels had sailed for the coast of" abolished; and it being very likely that, if Africa, and seventeen arrived from thence in many more Spanish slave-vessels are capthe course of the year 1824. "tured by his majesty's cruisers, the traffic “smallest vessels," Mr. Kilbee observes, 66 cost "will be entirely carried on with this island by "in fitting out from twenty to thirty thousand" means of French vessels. That this law, "dollars; and larger ones, of course, much" therefore, should be new-modelled, or rather more. One with another they may be safely" that another should be framed in its stead, "valued at forty thousand dollars each; so that" appears to be a measure absolutely necessary. "the capital employed in the trade last year was "Any opinion of mine respecting the pro"upwards of two millions and a half of dollars." visions of the new law would be presump"These speculations are generally undertaken" tuous, this being a subject which, as regarding “by a number of individuals, who take shares" our own colonies, has been so often under the "of one thousand dollars each; which shares" consideration of his majesty's government. are again not unfrequently subdivided: you "But knowing by experience with what facility may, therefore, imagine the number of persons "laws may be evaded in this country, I would "directly concerned in the traffic. The evil" still venture to urge the expediency of the “having become of such magnitude, and the" adoption of a clause for granting a liberal present system having been found utterly in- " reward to those who shall denounce illicit “effectual for its suppression, some alteration" traffic. But, above all things, it will be newould appear to be unavoidable. To give the “ cessary to correct the public opinion of this 66 66 65 "The very |