how much the less, then, can it be a sufficient Authority for a Brazilian Vessel to engage in the Slave-trade, between Portuguese Africa and Brazil, in contradiction to the express Stipulations of an existing Treaty ? Your Excellency will, I hope, pardon my having ventured to offer these remarks. I have been induced to do so, in order to prepare your Excellency for those of my Government, when they learn that the informal, if not illicit, conduct of the Master and Owner of the Amizade de Santos, which conduct, to say the least of it, is at variance with the Engagements between the two Countries, has apparently neither attracted the notice, nor called forth the disapprobation of the Brazilian Government; but that, the Law being allowed to sleep, their protection is exerted in his favour to the same extent as if he had done nothing wrong, and had not committed an infraction of a Treaty. I profit, &c. H. E. the Viscount de Inhambupe. H. CHAMBERLAIN. No. 35.-Mr. Sec". Canning to Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. SIR, Foreign Office, June 14, 1826. THE circumstances relating to the detention of the Amizade de Santos, by the British Transport Thetis, and to the irregularity of the Voyage of the first-mentioned Vessel, as detailed in your Despatch of the 13th of February, of this Series, have been referred to His Majesty's Advocate-General, who has reported it to be his opinion, that the act of the Thetis was unjustifiable, and contrary to the Provisions of the Convention. The defects that were discovered in the Papers of the Brazilian Vessel were very properly brought, by you, to the notice of the Brazilian Government. As this Vessel had cleared out for Buenos Ayres, it does not appear certain that the Brazilian Government was privy to these irregularities ; and, under the particular circumstances of the case, it would not now be advisable to remonstrate further on the discovery made in consequence of the seizure of the Vessel. I am, &c. Henry Chamberlain, Esq. GEORGE CANNING. No.36.-Mr.Cons.-Gen. Chamberlain to Mr. Sec". Canning.-( Rec. July 8.) Rio de Janeiro, March 21, 1826. SIR, I BEG leave to enclose the Copy of a Letter, and its Enclosure, received from Mr. Consul Pennell, stating the number of African Slaves imported into, and exported from, the Port of Bahia, during the Six Months ended the 31st December, 1825. I have, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. H. CHAMBERLAIN. (Enclosure 1.)-Mr. Consul Pennell to Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. SIR, Bahia, February 3, 1826. I HAVE the honour to enclose two Returns of the number of Slaves imported into, and exported from, the Port of Bahia, from the 1st July, 1825, to the 31st December, 1825. I have, &c. Henry Chamberlain, Esq. W. PENNELL. (Enclosure 2.)-Return of the Number of Slaves Imported into Bahia, from 1st July, 1825, to 31st December, 1825. (Enclosure 3.)-Return of the Number of Slaves Exported from Bahia, from the 1st July, 1825, to 31st December, 1825. No.37.-Mr. Cons.-Gen. Chamberlain to Mr.Sec. Canning.-(Rec.July 8.) I HAVE the honour to transmit, herewith, Copies of a Despatch, and Enclosure, received from Mr. Consul Pennell, communicating the gratifying information that Licenses to touch at the Islands of St. Thomas and Princes, and other Places within the prohibited Districts, will no longer be granted, by the Government at Bahia, to Slave-vessels sailing from thence on the licit Trade to Ports South of the Equator. It will be observed, that the Portaria describes these Licences as "fraudulent," and contrary to the Stipulations with Great Britain respecting the Slave-trade. It is some consolation that the Government have at length been brought to consider them in this light. That they should ever have considered them otherwise, or hesitated, as they have done, during several Years, to yield to the repeated Remonstrances of His Majesty's Government against granting such Licences, is the more extraordinary, as there exists in the Statute Book a Carta Patent, dated the 13th April, 1809, relieving the Slave-ships of Bahia from the legal obliga tion to touch at the Islands of St. Thomas and Princes, because experience had shewn, that the calms and contrary currents of the Seas on their Coasts created great delays, whilst the infectious pestilence of the air produced great mortality amongst the Negroes embarked: inconveniencies and calamities which vanished before the profits of the illicit Trade. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. H. CHAMBERLAIN. (Enclosure 1.)—Mr. Consul Pennell to Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. SIR, Bahia, February 15, 1826. I HAVE the honour to inform you, that I was in expectation of receiving a Statement of some specifick facts, to bring under the consideration of the President of this Province, in support of a Representation against Vessels being permitted to touch at Places North of the Equator, when the Document, of which I have the honour to enclose a Copy, was made publick; being an Order from the Brazilian Government (dated Rio de Janeiro, 8th January, 1826,) not to grant such Permissions (denominated "Escalas dolosas,") in future, as being contrary to Stipulations with the British Government, as regards the Slave-trade. This circumstance will prevent my making the Representation I had contemplated. I have the honour to be, &c. Henry Chamberlain, Esq. W. PENNELL. (Enclosure 2.)-OFFICIAL ARTICLE.-Department for Foreign Affairs. (Translation.) IT having come to the knowledge of the Government of His Majesty The Emperor, that some Merchants, to whom is permitted the licit Slave-trade, trying to deceive the Constituted Authorities, to whom it belongs to watch over the execution of the existing Treaties between this Government and that of His Britannick Majesty, avail themselves of fraudulent Licences to touch at Places (" Escalas dolosas") to pursue the illicit Trade; and it being necessary to provide against the possibility of the renewal of such abuses; I am to inform your Excellency, for your information, and its execution, that the Imperial Government judge proper to order that such Licences shall not be granted; the which is conformable to what is stipulated with the British Government respecting the Slave-trade. God preserve your Excellency. Palace of Rio de Janeiro, January 8, 1826. Snr. Visconde de Queluz. VISCONDE DE SANTO AMARO. No.38.-Mr.Cons.- Gen. Chamberlain to Mr. Sec". Canning.-(Rec.July 8.) Rio de Janeiro, March 28, 1826. SIR, In addition to the Papers I have already had the honour to transmit, respecting the Slave-vessel Amizade de Santos, in my Despatch of the 13th February last, I now beg leave to submit for your perusal the Translation of an Official Article, published in this day's Diario Fluminense, being the Copy of a Letter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Minister of Marine, explaining the reasons why His Excellency had limited himself, in his Note to me of the 7th February, respecting that Vessel's detention by the Thetis, to the mere demand of satisfaction for the insult shewn to the Flag, without demanding any indemnification for damages. In this Letter M. de Inhambupe shows the voyage of the Amizade de Santos to have been wholly illegal and simulated; yet no legal steps have been taken to bring the Owner, Master, or Crew, to justice, and the Vessel has been allowed to sail again upon another voyage to the Coast of Africa. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. H. CHAMBERLAIN. (Enclosure.)—The Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Minister of Marine.-(Translation.) MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST EXCELLENT SIR, In reply to your Excellency's Office of the 15th of the present Month, I have to inform you, that, in consequence of the Offices from your Excellency's Department of the 15th and 20th December of last Year, referred to, in which was transmitted the Representation of Jozé Lopes de Bastos, Owner and Master of the Schooner Amizade de Santos, complaining of the hostile act committed by the Commander of the English Ship Thetis, a Note, of which the Enclosure is a Copy, was addressed to the Consul-General of His Britannick Majesty, to which he replied by the Note which accompanied the former*; this affair having also been transmitted to the Barao de Itabayana, in order to make the necessary Representations, the result of which is not yet known. On perusal of these Notes, your Excellency will see, that this Department has limited itself to requesting satisfaction for the insult that the Commander of the above-mentioned Ship Thetis committed against the National Flag, and not an indemnification for Losses; because, it being requisite that the Master of the said Schooner * Sce Enclosures in No. 34, Pages 314. 320. should present the respective Passport, in order to verify the legality of his voyage, it became known, from that exhibited, that it was a simulated (simulada) voyage, he having cleared out his Ship from this Port for Buenos Ayres, and not for the Coast of Africa; from whence, however, he came with a Cargo of Slaves, when he was unduly boarded by the said English Ship: all which I communicate to your Excellency for your Government; apprizing you, that so soon as a Decision on this Affair arrives from London, I shall hasten to convey it to the knowledge of your Excellency. God preserve your Excellency. Palace, March 17, 1826. Snr. Visconde de Paranagua. VISCONDE DE INHAMBUPE. No. 39.-Mr. Consul-General Chamberlain to Mr. Sec". Canning.— (Rec. Aug. 27.) SIR, Rio de Janeiro, June 17, 1826. I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the Slavetrade Series, dated the 6th of May, accompanied by a Copy of the Papers, marked A and B, relative to the Slave-trade, which have been presented to both Houses of Parliament by His Majesty's Command, in the course of the present Session. I have, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. H. CHAMBERLAIN. No. 40.-Mr. Consul-General Chamberlain to Mr. Sec". Canning.— (Rec. Aug. 27.) SIR, Rio de Janeiro, June 19, 1826. In the Sitting of the Chamber of Deputies of the 15th instant, a Report from the Committee of Legislation was read, proposing the term of 14 Years for the abolition of the Slave-trade; to which Sr. Clemente Pereira proposed, as an Amendment, to substitute 6 Years instead of 14. The Report and Amendment were ordered to be printed. One Member, Sr. Malaquias, declared, that he was ready to vote for an immediate Abolition; but no Motion of this sort was made. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. H. CHAMBERLAIN. No. 41.-Mr.Cons.-Gen. Chamberlain to Mr. Sec" Canning.-(Rec.Oct. 4.) Rio de Janeiro, July 7, 1826. SIR, I HAVE lately received from Mr. Consul Hesketh, at Maranham, a Despatch, dated the 21st of March of the present Year, accompanied by very voluminous Documents, respecting a Schooner called the Carolina, which had arrived there, and been allowed to land a Cargo of Slaves from Cacheu. I should have brought this fresh and palpable breach of the existing Treaty for checking the illicit Trade in Slaves, and of the Alvará of the 26th of January, 1818, at once before the Government, but for the expectation that I may perhaps be speedily honoured by the receipt of |