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he is liable to the grossest insults from a set of sea with a cargo of slaves on board; and as their wretches, engaged in this most inhuman and in. lordships must be fully aware, that the mere famous traffic, who know and feel they are pro- hoisting of a white ensign cannot satisfy a Bri. tected and encouraged by their government. tish officer as to the nation of that vessel, but From what I have seen and heard, I think I may that it becomes his bounden duty to have more safely pronounce, that the whole of the slave- certain and positive proof that no fraud has been trade in the Bight of Biafra (considered its committed, taking care always to conduct the greatest nursery), carried on under the French examination in the most mild and gentle manflag and in French vessels, is incalculable. Un- ner, to prevent the possibility of a complaint of a less a mutual right of search is agreed on, or breach of the good harmony subsisting between some effectual measures taken to preclude the friendly nations, their lordships must perceive French vessels from openly, and to appearance how very delicately I am situated; and I have legally, participating in the slave-trade, it must therefore presumed to suggest for their attention most positively increase to an alarming extent, and consideration, whether some mode may not as they have no enemy whatever to fear, and em- be adopted to check this daring and growing bark their slaves boldly and openly, confident in evil, and whether there appears to them the their security; and it is natural to expect, that, slightest probability of the French nation being aware of these circumstances, the other nations brought to permit of our seizing such vessels, so will no longer run a risk under their own co- boarded under suspicious circumstances, and lours, but employ the French vessels as carriers. found with a cargo of slaves actually on board, The captains of the English palm-oil ships state, and intended for trade, and sending them with that, to their knowledge, the slave-trade was the whole of their crews and cargoes untouched never so briskly and extensively carried on as to Goree for trial; the said capture not to enat present; thus the efforts of his majesty's go- title the captor to any reward. What has more vernment to destroy and abolish this nefarious particularly influenced me in this proposition, is traffic are rendered null and void; and all the fact, that I have neither seen nor heard of the treaties and conventions entered into with any French man of war being on this coast, the other powers, at a great expense and sacri- since my arrival. fice, fruitless and of no avail. As my instructions positively forbid my interfering with vessels under the French flag, even should I meet them at

J. W. Croker, esq.

&c. &c. &c.

(Signed)

C. BULLEX.

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Second Enclosure.

RETURN of French Vessels boarded by H. M. S. Maidstone between 5th June, 1824, and 20th July, 1824.

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Third Enclosure.

(Signed)

Do.

CHARLES BULLEN, Commodore.

RETURN of French Vessels boarded by the Boats of H. M. S. Maidstone, during their absence from that Ship, between 15th and 26th June, 1824.

{Santiago de

Intended to call at the Bonny for water and refreshments.

Do.

Do.

CHARLES MORTON, Lieut. H. M. S. Maidstone, in charge of the boats.

On the 20th of November, 1824, viscount Gran- majesty's government will never allow to remain ville addressed to the French minister for foreign unpunished a conduct so opposite to the huaffairs a note on the subject of the above-men- mane principles by which it is guided: and I tioned transactions; to which his lordship received feel confident, that the communication of these an answer from the baron de Damas on the 23d. facts by your excellency will lead to a strict His excellency expresses therein the deep interest inquiry into the circumstances of this atrocious which the government of France takes in the case, and a severe punishment of the offenders. entire abolition of this odious traffic, and of their I am, &c. determination to abide by the regulations for its

(Signed) GEORge Canning.

destruction, proofs of which are to be found in His excellency viscount Granville, &c. &c.

(Enclosure.)

Commodore Bullen to J. W. Croker, esq.

His majesty's ship Maidstone, Port Antonio,
Prince's Island, 3d October, 1824.

(Extract.)

the sentences that have lately been awarded by the different tribunals when the facts have been proved, and in the activity of the prosecutions instituted against this species of speculation. And although it has happened more than once that the information transmitted upon this subject has not been exempt from exaggeration, still his excellency will not listen with less interest to the communications which may be made to him upon this subject, and will receive with readiness any thing which upon so im-enabled personally to express to him my sincere portant an object shall tend to insure the ends of justice.

In January 1825, viscount Granville received from the baron de Damas a note in consequence of the one that lord Granville addressed to him, on the 20th November, 1824, on the subject of the slave-trade still carried on under the French flag, on the coast of Africa. His excellency remarks, that the different accounts he had received confirmed the opinion which he formerly expressed, that these reports were seldom unaccompanied by exaggeration; but at the same time says, that from the inquiries which had been made at the French admiralty, it had been ascertained, that of the vessels mentioned, some had been taken and condemned; and that orders had been given to watch the return of the remainder, which were not yet arrived in the French ports.

On the 24th January, 1825, the following letter and the subjoined enclosure were sent by Mr. Secretary Canning to viscount Granville:

My Lord,

In reference to the subject of my despatch to Mr. Percy of the 13th of November, 1824, marked "slave-trade," I transmit to your excellency the extract of a communication from the admiralty, stating, that in the case of the French slave vessel, Le Louis, L'Oiseau master, her cargo of human beings were stowed for one whole night between decks, with a height of hardly three feet, and that not less than fifty of them were found next morning to have perished. I request that your excellency will communicate to the government of his most Christian majesty these revolting particulars of the conduct of French subjects engaged in the slave-trade, with the horrible result of which they themselves seem not to have been at all affected; for it appears they did but throw the dead bodies in the sea, and instantaneously proceed on shore, in search of more victims. His most Christian

Finding the James here, commanded by captain Pince, who conducted himself so humanely, and shewed such attention to the crews of my boats, on their arrival in a distressed condition in the Bonny in June last, I was happy in being

thanks for his praiseworthy conduct on that occasion. From him I learn that the French slave-trade has lately most considerably increased in the rivers Bonny and Old Calabar. Several new vessels have arrived, and many laden with full cargoes of human victims have left, under the white flag, and manned by Frenchmen, although the capital embarked is ostensibly Spanish. That their lordships may have full and complete information respecting the degrees of barbarity and want of feeling, evinced by these subjects of an enlightened nation, which publicly disavows such horrible and infamous conduct, I beg leave to acquaint them, that Le Louis, commanded by Oiseau, who was so insolent to my officers on their visiting him in June last, on completing her cargo of slaves in the Old Calabar, without the slightest spark of humanity in him, thrust the whole of these unfortunate beings between decks (a height of nearly three feet) and closed the hatches for the night; when morning made its appearance, fifty of the poor sufferers had paid the debt of nature, owing to the confined, diseased, and putrid atmosphere they were con demned to respire. The wretch coolly ordered the bodies of these miserable victims of his total want of human feeling to be thrown into the river, and immediately proceeded on shore, to complete his execrable cargo, by a fresh purchase of his fellow-creatures. To detail all the enor mities committed by these dealers in human flesh, who feel they are protected by the nation they claim, and the flag they hoist, would trespass too much on their lordships' time; suffice it to say, they are heart-rending, and would dis grace the most unenlightened savage, and most refined cruelty.

(Signed) CHARLES BULLEN.

To a communication which viscount Granville, made on the 29th of January, 1825, to the baron de Damas of the above transactions, then baron returned the following answer :

Sir,

Paris, 1st February, 1825.

"Stuart, in his note to M. de Chateaubriand, "of the 4th of January, 1824, as being a vessel I hasten to transmit to the minister of ma- about to sail from Nantes, equipped for slaverine the documents enclosed in the letter which" trade; and that sir Charles Stuart gave a your excellency did me the honour to address to "description of the vessels fitting out at that me on the 29th of last month. The dreadful" port, and their equipment, and called upon acts attributed to captain Oiseau, commanding "the French ministry to take measures for the French vessel, Le Louis, will be the "preventing the voyage. The French minister, subject of a prompt and severe investigation:" in answer to this representation, gave assurthis government joins in the indignation which "ances in his note of the 10th January to sir such atrocious conduct cannot fail to excite, and" Charles Stuart, that the government of the will not hesitate to make such an example as "king of France' did not feel an interest less shall prevent its repetition. I cannot but thank" your excellency for this communication.

(Signed) THE BARON DE Damas.

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deep than that which was felt by the British government, in the suppression of this odious "traffic, and would not neglect any means in On the 8th of March, 1825, Mr. secretary "their power, permitted by the laws, for efCanning, in a despatch to viscount Granville,fecting the object.' The French laws on details the circumstances attendant on the "this subject are, therefore, either not effective detection by H. M. S. Primrose, off the western" or not enforced."

coast of St. Domingo, of a slave ship, laden with In pursuance of the instructions which he
460 negroes; and of her subsequent liberation
on its being ascertained that she was a French
vessel called Les deux Nantois, of Nantes.

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Mr. Canning proceeds to observe, "I cannot "conclude this account, which I beg that your "excellency will communicate to the government of his most Christian majesty, without "desiring you at the same time to recall their “attention to the wishes so often expressed on "the part of his majesty, and the hopes held "out by the government of France, that measures would be taken effectually to check a "trade, which France has abandoned by treaty “and abolished by law, but which yet continues "to be covered by her flag. Your excellency “will remark, that Les deur Nantois is one "of the vessels to which the attention of the "French government was drawn by sir Charles

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had received, viscount Granville addressed a
note to the baron de Damas on the subject, and
received an answer, in which the baron acknow.
ledges, that Les deux Nantois was one of the
vessels which had been described to the French
government by sir C. Stuart; but observes,
that when inquiries were made respecting her,
it was found that she had sailed: no opportunity
for any steps to be taken could occur until her
return to France, or until her arrival at any of
the French colonial ports might enable the au-
thorities to ascertain the nature of her expe-
dition. The baron expresses the confidence of
the French government, that the orders which
it had given on this occasion to the colonial
authorities had been or would be punctually
obeyed.

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