protection of the Castle. She was afterwards obliged to proceed to Rio de Janeiro to repair some damage which she had sustained. She returned to Sierra Leone in the month of March last, and is again gone down to Cape Coast to assist in the defence made there against the Ashantees.

His Majesty's Ship Bann also left Sierra Leone in the month of March, 1823, and proceeded to the Island of Ascension; she was, soon after her arrival at that Island, driven out of the African seas by a severe sickness which spread itself amongst her Crew, and caused considerable mortality amongst them. She was obliged to proceed to the Brazils, from whence she returned to Cape Coast in the month of September. At Cape Coast she remained a considerable time to assist in the defence of the Castle. At the close of January last she cruized in the Bights of Benin and Biafra. Off the River Lagos, in the Bight of Benin, she took three Brazilian Slave Vessels, the " Minerva," the Cerqueira," and the "Creola ;" and afterwards, near the Island of Saint Thomas, she took the Brazilian brig « Bom Caminho."

His Majesty's Ship Cyrene proceeded from hence to Cape Coast in March, 1823, for the purpose of bringing the late Governor Sir Charles McCarthy to Sierra Leone. She returned hither with Sir Charles McCarthy in July; proceeded afterwards to the Cape de Verd Islands, and came back to Sierra Leone in September. From Sierra Leone the Cyrene proceeded to Cape Coast, and from thence to England. We did not hear that the Cyrene met with any Slave Ship in her passages to and from the different Places which we have mentioned. We have not heard that His Majesty's Ships Victor and Swinger have taken any Slave Ship since their late arrival on the Coast.

We have not, since the date of the Report of the 29th of April, 1823, had proof that the Slave Trade has been carried on betwixt Princes Island and the African Rivers in its neighbourhood; but we have been informed that the Trade is still kept up by small boats belonging to Princes Island. It will be as difficult to put a stop to this Traffic betwixt those two Places, as it will be to stop the trade that is carried on in Slaves betwixt Bissao and the Cape de Verd Islands. The effectual remedy for the evil in both Places will only be produced by a change of sentiment in regard to the trade on the part of the Governors of those Places.

We are not enabled to give any particular information of the state of the legitimate commerce on the Gold Coast, but we apprehend that it cannot have been promising of late on account of the Ashantee war which prevails there. The Ashantees have stopped the direct trade with the interior Country. Below the Gold Coast we hope that legitimate commerce improved during the past year in proportion as the Slave Trade declined in that period.

From the foregoing Statements it will appear that, since the date

of the last Report of the Commissioners, the Slave Trade has only existed at the Cape de Verd Islands, and at Bissao and Cacheo, to the Northward of Sierra Leone. That betwixt Sierra Leone and Cape Coast, the Trade has only been carried on at the Gallinas, and at some places in its vicinity. And that to the Southward of Cape Coast a decrease of the Trade has occurred.

The recent addition to the Slave Trade Restriction Treaty with The Netherlands, declaring the condemnation of Ships if fitted out for the Slave Trade, must be beneficial to the cause of the abolition of that Trade. When the same addition shall be made to the Treaties with Spain and Portugal, we shall hope to see the Spanish and Portuguese Slave Traders swept from the Coast, but not till then.

We have the honour to be, &c.

E. GREGORY.

D. M. HAMILTON.

P.S. May 28th, 1824. We have been informed by a Person who is established in trade at the Isles de Los, that when he was in the Rio Nunez a short time since, he was positively informed that two Vessels were, in the month of January last, at Bissao waiting for a Cargo of Slaves. We have been also informed by the same person, that parties of Negroes from Bissao have lately actually been in the Rio Nunez to carry off such of its Natives as they could seize. A pretence is set up that these kidnapping excursions are made in retaliation for injuries received; but we are persuaded, as is also our informant, that they would not take place if Slaves ceased to be exported from Bissao.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

E. G.

D. M. H.

No. 4.-E. Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.—(Rec. Oct. 2.)
SIR,
Sierra Leone, August 4, 1824.

MR. HAMILTON and myself had the honour to receive, on the 19th of June, your Despatch of the 8th April, 1824, acquainting us, in reference to the subject of our Despatch of the 5th of January last, that it appeared to be expedient that we should, in the absence of Spanish Commissioners, pay into the Military Chest the Spanish moiety of the nett Proceeds of the Sales of Prizes, and that we should continue to pay into the same Chest the British moiety of the net Proceeds of the Sales of Prizes.

We shall, Sir, conform to these instructions, as well as to the instructions that you are pleased to give us at the same time, that we should send the Accounts of the Sales of Prizes in duplicate to His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

I have the honour to be, &c.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

E. GREGORY.

SIR,

No.5.-Edward Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.-(Rec. Oct. 2.) Sierra Leone, August 4, 1824. MR. HAMILTON and myself were honoured, on the 1st ultimo, with your Despatch, acquainting us that Mr. W. P. Worrall, Mr. S. M. Magnus, and Mr. Samuel Bidwell, had been selected by you, Sir, for the situation of Clerks under the Commission, the two first Gentlemen, to assist His Majesty's Commissioners in the despatch of their Correspondence with His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the third Gentleman to take the place of Mr. Hodder, in the Registry Office of the Mixed Commissions.

The Instructions which you have been pleased to give us in regard to these Gentlemen will be obeyed.

Mr. Hamilton and myself beg leave, Sir, to express to you our grateful sense of your attention in this instance: and we trust, Sir, that the particular part of our duty in which these Gentlemen are to render their assistance, will be executed with as much satisfaction to yourself as it will be with pleasure to us.

I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning.

E. GREGORY.

No. 6.-Edward Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.-(Rec. Oct. 2.) SIR, Sierra Leone, August 4, 1824. MR. HAMILTON and myself had the honour to receive, on the 1st ultimo, your Despatch, of the 7th of May, 1824, furnishing us, for our information, with the Copy of an Instruction which had been given to Mr. I. P. Clarke on proceeding to his post, as His Majesty's ConsulGeneral at the Cape de Verd Isles, directing him to collect and transmit to His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to the Commanders of His Majesty's Ships upon the Coast, and to His Majesty's Commissioners, whatever intelligence he might be able to procure for facilitating the execution of the Treaties and Acts of Parliament, and of His Majesty's Instructions thereupon, respecting the Slave Trade. I have the honour to be, &c.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

E. GREGORY.

No. 7.-Edward Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.-(Rec. Nov. 11.) Sierra Leone, August 31, 1824.

SIR, His Majesty's Commissioners had the honour to receive, on the 19th inst. your Despatch, of the 7th of May, 1824, furnishing them for their information, with the Copy of a Letter addressed, under your directions, by Mr. Planta to the Secretary to the Admiralty, recommending the adoption of the suggestion which the Commissioners had made, that His Majesty's Naval Officers might be specially instructed upon points, having for their object the obtaining of evidence as to the number

of Slaves who may be on board of Slave-trading Vessels at the time of their detention.

His Majesty's Commissioners had also the honour to receive, at the same time, your Despatch of the 9th of June, 1824, enclosing a Copy of the Answer of the Secretary to the Admiralty, to Mr. Planta's Letter to him of the 7th of May.

Mr. Hamilton and myself beg leave, Sir, respectfully to express to you our acknowledgments for these Communications, and I have the honour to remain, &c. E. GREGORY.

The Right Hon. George Canning

No. 8.-Edward Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.-(Rec. Nov. 11.) (Extract.) Sierra Leone, August 31, 1824.

His Majesty's Commissioners had the honour to receive, on the 19th instant, your Despatch, of the 19th of June, 1824, with Copies of Papers marked A. and B., relative to the Slave Trade, which had been presented to both Houses of Parliament by His Majesty's Command, in the course of this year's Session. The Right Hon. George Canning.

E. GREGORY.

No. 9.—Mr. Secy. Canning to His Majesty's Commissioners. GENTLEMEN, Foreign Office, Nov. 20, 1824.

I SEND to you, for your information and guidance, 3 Copies of the Act passed in the last Session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, (Cap. 113.) for amending and consolidating the Laws of this Country, relating to the Abolition of the Slave Trade; and, for your further information and guidance, in respect to the 75th Clause of that Act, I send to you the Copies of a Correspondence which has passed between this Office and His Majesty's Treasury, upon the subject of the enactment therein contained for the transmission of certain Lists and Returns to His Majesty's Treasury.

His Majesty's Commissioners.

I am, &c.

GEORGE CANNING.

(Enclosure 1.)-George Harrison, Esq. to Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. SIR, Treasury Chambers, July 1, 1824. THE Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury having had under their consideration the Act recently passed for amending and consolidating the Laws relating to the abolition of the Slave Trade, I have it in command to acquaint you, that they have directed Copies thereof to be transmitted to the Judges and Registrars of the respective Vice-Admiralty Courts abroad, for their information and guidance; and I am at the same time to request that you will submit to the consideration of Mr. Secretary Canning, whether he would not deem it expedient to direct that Copies of the said Act should also be trans

G

mitted to the Commissary Judges, Commissioners of Arbitration, and Secretaries or Registrars of the several Mixed Commission Courts abroad, for their information and guidance, respectively.

I am, &c.

Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq

GEO. HARRISON.

(Enclosure 2.)-Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to the Secy. to the Treasury. SIR, Foreign Office, October 22, 1824. HAVING laid before Mr. Secretary Canning your Letter of the 1st of July last, I am directed by Mr. Canning to acquaint you, that, concurring in the recommendation of the Lords of His Majesty's Treasury, he has directed that Copies of the Act for consolidating the Laws respecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, should be transmitted to His Majesty's Commissioners in the several Mixed Commissions abroad, instituted under the Treaties with Foreign Powers, upon this subject.

Mr. Canning, however, previously to the transmission of this Document, directs me to state to you, that he observes, in the 75th Clause of the Act, that the Commissary Judges and Commissioners of Arbitration are to transmit, from time to time, to the Lords of His Majesty's Treasury, a List or Return of all Cases which shall have been adjudged in their Courts, together with the Names of the Seizors, the Dates of the Seizures and Sentences, and an Account of the state of the Property.

On this point, Mr. Canning directs me to request you to call the attention of their Lordships to that part of my Letter to you, of the 17th of November, 1823, suggesting that the information upon these Cases which their Lordships should wish to possess, should be transmitted through the Department of His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with whom alone the Commissioners had been directed to correspond on the subject of their official duties.

I am also to refer you to the Letter marked No. 24, (Class B.) in the Slave Trade Papers laid before Parliament in the course of the last Session, containing an Instruction to the Commissioners to send the Accounts of Sales, in duplicate, to His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who would transmit to His Majesty's Treasury such Papers as it might be necessary to furnish to that Department upon the subject.

As it is understood, that the Act of Parliament referred to was drawn up on communication with His Majesty's Treasury,-Mr. Canning desires me to request that their Lordships will be pleased to acquaint him, whether the Clause in question was meant to convey an Instruction to the Commissioners to send direct to His Majesty's Treasury the information there detailed, or whether the purport of the Clause would not be answered, and the objects of His Majesty's Treasury accomplished,