FOREIGN RELATIONS. SLAVE TRADE. Substance of Correspondence with Foreign Powers, relating to the Slave Trade, 1824-25. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of his Majesty, 1825. SPAIN. "in 1817, for abolishing the African slave "trade. Information from Cuba shews, that "forty-four vessels, conveying (upon a fair cal"culation) above 16,000 slaves from Africa, "arrived at the Havannah in the course of the "last year, having landed their cargoes in that “island. The authorities of the colony take IN consequence of instructions from Mr. Se-"no notice of these arrivals, and their negli cretary Canning, founded on communications "< gence is seconded by the connivance of the made by Mr. Kilbee, his majesty's commissary" naval officers, and by the apathy of the gojudge at the Havannah, of the prevalence of the "vernment of Spain. The captain-general of slave trade at Cuba; from captain sir Thomas "Cuba declares, that copies of the additional Cochrane, of the active commerce in slaves still" articles to the treaty, which articles were carried on from Porto Rico; and from Mr. concluded so far back as December 1822, Consul Brackenbury, of the fitting out of vessels" have never yet been transmitted to him by at Cadiz, evidently intended for the slave trade;" his government; and he has, accordingly, strong representations were repeatedly made," refused to act upon their stipulations. Vessel during the year 1824, by the British minister" after vessel clears out from Cuba regularly at Madrid to the court of Spain, pointing out "for the coast of Africa, and, after an absence the glaring infraction of the engagements which of the usual period for the voyage, returns his Catholic majesty had solemnly contracted laden with slaves, lands her cargo at the back for the abolition of the slave trade, and urging" of the island, and puts into the Havannali, that fresh and immediate orders should be sent "declaring herself to have returned in ballast. to the domestic and colonial authorities of Spain These declarations are universally admitted to put an end to that inhuman commerce. As-by the local authority, without inquiry, and surances were returned by the Spanish govern- the ship is allowed to enter. The representa ment of their desire to throw every possible❝tions of his majesty's commissary judge at obstruction in the way of the traffic; and an "the Havannah are of no effect; he is either order was made, that in the bond into which answered, that it does not lie within his Spanish merchant vessels were required to enter, "sphere to demand an inquiry, or he is referred on receiving the royal license of navigation, the" from one authority to another, and each auexpress obligation should thenceforward be in-thority declares that it does not feel itself serted, of their not engaging in the said trade. " called upon to interfere in the matter in any No effectual check, however, appearing to have way that can be effectual: when all these been given to it, the following instructions were evasions and excuses are exhausted, his ma transmitted by Mr. Secretary Canning to the jesty's commissary judge is told at times, right honourable Frederick Lamb:"that the question has been referred to Madrid; "Foreign office, April 4, 1825." and the fact, that the articles of December 1822 have not yet been acted upon by the government of Spain, is of itself sufficient to 66 66 ❝ Sir, "In your communications with the govern"ment of Spain, you will take an early oppor- prove how hopeless any reference from the "tunity of adverting to the subject of the "authorities of the Havannah to the court of "abolition of slave trade. You will express “Madrid is become, upon a question of fil"the regret which is experienced by his ma- "filling the treaty for abolishing the save "jesty, and the feeling of disappointment which" trade. In the mean time the trade increases. "has been excited in the parliament and people" The concerns of the traffic are carried on in "of England, by the statements which we con- "shares. The adventurers in these shares do "tinually receive, indicating the open and un- "not conceal their interest in them; and it "controlled activity with which this traffic is" is notorious, that there is scarcely an int still carried on by the subjects of Spain, not "vidual in the department of the local gewern. "only in evasion, but in apparent defiance ofment itself who is not directly or u dower's "the treaty concluded by his Catholic majesty, "concerned in the trade. From the cr ແ "Foreign Office, May 13, 1824. "Sir,-Your despatches on the slave trade, spondence in the archives of the British mis"sion at Madrid, you will learn a detail of "these facts, and also the notice which has" to the 22d of March, have been received, and "been repeatedly given of them to the Spanish" laid before the king. I have considered with 66 government by his majesty's representative" the attention which they deserve the importat that court. I forward to you, herewith," ant expressions which you report the mar"copies of some further communications which" quis of Palmella to have used when urged "have recently been received from Mr. Kilbee, upon the subject of the trifling expenses of " and also a communication from the admiralty," the mixed commission at Sierra Leone,—‘ that "dated March 19th, in corroboration of the" in the uncertainty of the future relations "statements which form the ground of this" with Brazil, he did not wish the govern"instruction. I particularly beg your atten"ment of Portugal to agitate any questions "tion to the letter of Messrs. Dutocq, mer- "with respect to the slave trade commissions, "chants at the Havannah, adventurers in" but that, if there were any one point which "this traffic, descriptive of the open manner in" he could be almost willing to except, it "which the trade is carried on, and of the pro"would be that of consenting at once to the "tection of which they state themselves to be "total abolition of the slave trade, in which "assured from the local authorities in the sup- "Portugal could have no interest in case of port of their lawless enterprises. I have his "the independence of the Brazils, and the "majesty's especial commands to desire that" cessation of which might enable her to turn 66 "her colonies to some other account.' His "majesty's government cannot pass by without "notice so fair an opening as is thus presented 66 you will, referring to the several points upon "this subject of deep and general interest on "which the Spanish government have already "been addressed, ineffectually, on the part of" for an overture towards the abolition of the "his majesty, frame a strong remonstrance to "the government of Spain, calling upon his "Catholic majesty to carry into effect with" "good faith the engagements into which he solemnly entered for the abolition of the" "traffic in slaves. I am, 66 (Signed) &c. "GEORGE CANNING. "The Right Hon. Frederick Lamb, 66 66 "slave trade on the part of Portugal; and his “majesty commands me to instruct you to avail yourself of these expressions of the Portuguese minister for that purpose. Portugal has thus unequivocally declared that she is in no way interested in the continuance of the "slave trade, and his majesty is willing to ac"cept any motive as a plea on the part of his "ancient ally for proceeding in that line of "humane policy which every other nation in "Europe has already adopted, and which is Communications from the late sir George Col- spreading with rapidity throughout the great lier, from capt. Owen, and from lieut.-gen sir" continent of America. Scarcely, however, Lowry Cole (governor of the Mauritius), state," does a month pass in which we do not receive that the slave trade was carrying on to a great" distressing proofs of the prevalence of the extent among the cluster of islands on the western coast of Africa, near the equator, as " &c. &c. &c." PORTUGAL. slave trade under the flag of Portugal; a "trade at all times an unhappy stain upon that well as in the several Portuguese settlements," flag, and now, by the confession of its governbetween Cape Corientes and Mosambique, on 66 ment, no longer beneficial to the Portuguese the eastern coast. In a conference between sir" nation. I furnish you with an extract of a Edward Thornton and the marquis of Palmella, 66 " 66 report, drawn up by the late sir George Colat Lisbon, 5th March, 1824, on the subject of "lier, respecting that cluster of islands on the the payment, withheld notwithstanding re- western coast of Africa, near the equator, of peated representations, of the Portuguese share" which the most considerable are St. Thomas of the expenses of the joint commission at Sierra" and Princes; and a copy of a letter from capLeone for the abolition of the slave trade, the" tain Owen upon the state of the Portuguese marquis observed, that in the uncertainty of the future relations with Brazil, he did not wish the government of Portugal to agitate any questions with respect to the slave trade commissions," but that, if there were any one point which he could almost be willing to except, it would be that of consenting at once to the total abolition of the slave trade, in which Portugal could have no interest in case of the independence of the Brazils, and the cessation of which might enable her to turn her colonies to some other account. settlements on the eastern coast of the same quarter of the globe. Both these documents give ample proof of the existence of the slave trade at those settlements, where now the marquis of Palmella seems to anticipate an extinction of that trade as a means of ren"dering the colonies more serviceable to Por"tugal. Recalling to the recollection of the "marquess of Palinella the sentiments declared on this subject by his most faithful majesty's "plenipotentiaries at Vienna, in the year 1815, 66 On receiving sir Edward Thornton's report of" and expressing the gratification which is felt these observations, Mr. Secretary Canning ad- "by his majesty at the repetition of those sendressed to him the following despatch :timents by M. de Palmella on the present It was not however until September, and after he had been requested by sir E. Thornton to give him answers upon all points which re mained unanswered, and particularly his letter of the 15th of June, that the Portuguese minis ter addressed the following note to the British ambassador : "occasion, you will state the readiness of his " by the latter power. It would be a great "majesty's government to enter into a nego- "gratification personally to me, if your excel"tiation immediately with that of Portugal" lency were enabled to communicate to me the "for the abolition of the slave trade by the" projet of a treaty on this most interesting "latter power: and you will endeavour to ob- subject; and I should regard it as one of the "tain a projêt of a treaty from the marquess of "most auspicious circumstances of my life to "Palmella, which you will transmit without have my name united with that of your ex"delay to your government at home for fur-"cellency in the consummation of this great, "ther consideration. Earnestly, however, as "work." 66 we desire to have the general abolition of the "slave trade sealed by the concurrence of the 66 crown of Portugal, you must not hold out any expectation that parliament would be induced 66 to purchase that concurrence by pecuniary "sacrifices. The government of his most faith"ful majesty being now absolved from the duty "which the interests (or imagined interests) of "Portugal imposed upon them, and admitting "that the cessation of the slave trade would in"flict no detriment upon Portugal, are by their 66 own shewing deprived of any pretence for "that basis for the negotiation. But single (which I have already made known to your 66 among civilised nations as Portugal is in "excellency) have not in any degree varied, "maintaining a practice no longer necessary or yet I must state, in answer to the letter "gainful to her, it may surely be hoped that" which your excellency did me the honour to "from the dictates of humanity alone, and in" address to me under date of the 15th of last consonance to the universal feeling of Europe, June, that at the present moment, and in the "she will seek to purge herself from a stain" state of disturbance in which Brazil now is "at once so gratuitous and so peculiar. 66 (Signed) "I am, &c. "GEORGE CANNING. "The Right Hon. Sir Edward Thornton, "G.C. B. &c. &c. &c." "Foreign Office, 14th Sept., 1824. "Sir,-Although the dispositions of his ma"jesty's government in respect to the abstract "measure of the abolition of the slave trade 66 66 66 "the abolition of the traffic would be ill-timed: "in addition to which, it would have a bad appearance if both the contracting parties were "to discuss in such circumstances so important an affair, and which affects the interests of "Brazil alone. The unhappy schism which In pursuance of the instructions contained in "exists between the two parts of the Portuthe above despatch, sir Edward Thornton, on 66 guese monarchy, preventing every improvethe 15th June, 1824, addressed to the marquisment in Brazil, retards of course the measure of Palmella a letter, in which, after reminding the marquis of the expressions used by him on the 5th of March, he proceeds thus: 66 of the abolition, which could only be effected "by the gradual introduction of such measures "and dispositions as would prevent its having "bad consequences for his majesty's subjects in those dominions. In the hopes of better times enabling the king my master to fulfi "the generous intentions which he has already "I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) "The MARQUESS OF PALMELI A. "His Excellency Sir Edward Thornton, &c.” "I could not fail to communicate to his ma"jesty's government observations thus made by your excellency, so important to the great cause of humanity, and so honourable to the "government of his most faithful majesty," so often manifested, "which thus renewed the declaration already "announced at the congress of Vienna, that it "was actuated by the same generous sentiments "against this odious traffic as were now com66 mon to the whole civilised world, and that if "it had hitherto acted upon them but partially, "it was from the same regard to the interests, "or imagined interests, of a part of his majesty's "subjects as had so long retarded the accom"plishment of this great work of justice and of "humanity in every other European nation "possessing colonies, and engaged on their ac BRAZIL. Various representations were made during the year 1824 to the government of Rio de Janeiro by Mr. Consul-general Chamberlain, upon the subject of the false mode of measuring slave vessels practised at Bahia, by which they were able t obtain royal passports to ship a greater number of negroes than they ought to carry according to their real tonnage. In one case described by Mr. Consul-general Chamberian, four Portuguese or Brazilian ships (adjudged lately by the court of mixed commission at Sierra Leone) formed a bulk, according to certificates for the payment of the contributions “ar the "faroes," of 446] tons, which would have 66 entitled them to load 1106 slaves. But the" the circumstances to me, you were instructed certificates and passports for the trade found on to desire an inquiry into the matter from the board those said ships made the quantity of their" Brazilian government. M. de Carvalho e tonnage amount to 672, and authorised them to "Mello answered to you, that there were two take on board 1677 slaves. This proved an ex- "modes of measuring vessels, one for merchant cess of 225 on 446 tons, and of 561 on 1106“ vessels in general, and one for slave vessels; slaves! The practice was defended by the" by which proceeding, as you remarked, human Brazilian government, upon the ground that" beings could be crammed into a smaller space there were two modes of measuring vessels, the " than that known to be occupied by their one adopted for merchant ships generally, the “ weight in lead. The minister, however, asother for slave ships. On Mr. Consul-general" sured you, that in future a fixed and regular Chamberlain having communicated to Mr. "mode of admeasurement should be employed, Secretary Canning the final answer of M. de" and which would guard against the inconCarvalho e Mello on the subject, Mr. Secretary" veniences of which you had complained. Canning addressed to Mr. Consul-general Cham- | ، M. de Carvalho has finally, and after a long berlain the following letter:"delay, given to you an explanation in detail "of the method used to find the tonnage of "Foreign Office, March 16, 1825. go 66 "Sir, I have received your despatch," vessels employed in the licit slave trade, by "marked Slave Trade, of the 11th December," which method a vessel of about 189 tons real "1824, containing M. de Carvalho's answer on "burthen is allowed to carry 750 slaves, and to "the subject of the over-rating of tonnage of" rate herself at 300 tons. The principle thus "Brazilian vessels employed in the legal slave" avowed by the Brazilian minister, instead of “ trade. When his most faithful majesty was “ remedying, justifies the evil, by the extraor"was first urged by his majesty's representative" dinary process of allowing a fictitious tonnage ، at Rio de Janeiro to put an end to the slave | “ to a slave vessel. You will make urgent re"trade from Africa, it was answered, that the" presentation to the Brazilian government upon "trade should be abolished on the part of Por-"this subject. You will represent to them, that "tugal and Brazil so soon as the step could be" the law, as it now stands, is utterly at variance ، taken without injury to the latter country ; "with the principles of humanity declared in "and that, in the meanwhile, the trade should" the solemn compacts already recited. That "be circumscribed in its limits, and mitigated" it by no means fulfils the promise officially "in the mode of carrying it on. In pursuance "made to you by M. de Carvalho e Mello, in “ of these principles, the treaty of the 19th of “ August 1024, engaging that the evil com"February, 1810, the convention of the 21st of" plained of should be remedied. And that, as “ January, 1815, and that of the 28th of July, “ it does not appear to be at all consonant to the "1817, were severally concluded, and the al-" desire to alleviate the miseries of the slave "varà of the 26th of January, 1818, was, after“ trade, which has so often been reported by "much correspondence on the part of this you as prevailing in the breast of the highest "vernment, promulgated as the law of Portu-" authority in Brazil, his majesty's government "gal and Brazil for carrying into effect the "trust that this most unjustifiable decision will "stipulations of these compacts. One point in" be reconsidered, and that a decree will be "the mode of carrying on the traffic calling" immediately issued which shall do away one "particularly for amendment, had been the "at least among the evils justly complained of "practice of stowing away human beings in as existing in the details of the practice of "slave ships chained together so close that in" slave importations from Africa. ، all cases extreme misery, and in very many "I am, &c. 86 cases madness and death, were the result; "but the 6th article of the alvarà declared," “ that in future ، the number of slaves shall "be regulated according to the tonnage of the "vessel, in the proportion of five to every two "tons, according to the ancient measure.' The "expectations, however, which the British go66 vernment naturally entertained of the effect "of this order have been entirely disappointed; "for upon the investigation by his majesty's "commissioners at Sierra Leone of the cases "of the slave ships,-the Nova Sorte, the Con"ceicao, the Lisboa, and the Commerciante,-it was found that the slaves on board were in "in far greater numbers, in proportion to the "regular and actual admeasurement of the ❝ vessel, than according to the alvarà wêre allowed. The commissioners having reported (Signed) "GEORGE CANNING. Henry Chamberlain, Esq. &c. &c. &c.” By returns from Mr. Vice-consul Tollett, it appears, that in the year 1823, 2,672 slaves were imported into, and 1,863 slaves exported from, Bahia. Several Brazilian slave vessels having been seen on the coast northward of the equator, and in the year 1823, 1833 slaves having been imported into the port of Maranham, chiefly from the Cape de Verds, Bissao, Cacheo, and the neighbourhood, strong representations were made to the Brazilian government on the subject, and a promise obtained that it should be inquired into. In communicating to Mr. Consul-general Chamberlain the following extract of a letter from captain Woolcombe, of his majesty's ship" not had the small-pox, and the chances are, Victor, Mr. Secretary Canning says he is willing" that, even if we had done so, it would not have to believe that the deplorable condition of the" checked it in the others left on board, on unfortunate slaves, as described in that letter, is" whom it had not then made its appearance, as so totally at variance with the instructions and "it was nearly sunset when we got hold of positive orders of the Brazilian government, "her after a chase in the wind's eye from that when the British Consul-general commu67 A. M. We kept her by us all night, and nicates it to them, due inquiry will be made" in the morning gave her as good a cleaning into the transaction; and that, wherever blame" and white-washing as we could, and then may be found to rest, the persons concerned will" sent her off to Sierra Leone, under charge of be visited with such punishment as shall be cal-" Mr. Young, who has been long on the coast, culated to prevent for the future such an aggra- "and having taken up prizes before, perfectly vation of misery as had been entailed on those" understands how to treat the slaves. But I unfortunate beings. (Extract.) "Captain Woolcombe to Commodore Bullen. "H. M. S. Victor, Man of War Bay, Island "of St. Thomas, 20th August, 1824. 66 "must say I have great fear that they will "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 66 as the boat returns from the town, which In a letter from Mr. Consul-general Cham"takes this up and lands some Portuguese. berlain to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated "Rio I have been so fortunate as to seize a Bra-" de Janeiro, 4th January, 1825," and con"zilian brigantine, named Diana, with 143 taining a detailed account of the number of "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 66 one almost immediately after our first boat "got alongside. In consulting the surgeon, I 66 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 A Comparative Statement of the Number of Slaves imported into Rio de Janeiro during the negroes brought into the port of Rio de Janeiro during the year 1824, and the subjoined comparative statement of the importations during the years 1823 and 1824, Mr. Chamberlain observes, that on the eastern coast of Africa there appeared to have been a small diminution in the numbers embarked, with a vast increase of mortality during the voyage; whilst on the western, the trade had flourished eminently, the numbers embarked having risen from about 12,000 to near 22,000, an excess of 9,690 over the number embarked during the preceding year. He also remarks that the mortality exceeded the average ratio of that year. |