No. 31.-D. M. Hamilton, Esq. to Mr. Sec". Canning.-(Rec. Oct. 17.) (Extract.) Sierra Leone, August 7, 1826. MR. WILLIAMS being yet very ill, it therefore becomes my duty to enclose, for your information, the Report of the Case of the Spanish Schooner Nicanor, whereof Jozé Le Grand was Master, captured by a Boat of His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, on the 20th day of May last, off Whydah, having on board 174 Slaves, one of whom jumped overboard and was drowned prior to her arrival in this Harbour. She was bound, at the time of capture, from Little Popoe to The Havannah. The proof of illicit Slave-trade being very clear and unequivocal, the Court pronounced Sentence of Condemnation of the Vessel, and Emancipation of the Slaves on the 1st of July last.

Mr. Williams and myself think it our duty in this Case to call your attention to the fact of the Capture having been made by a Schooner acting as a Tender to His Majesty's Ship Maidstone; and we beg your Instructions for our guidance in similar Cases. The Right Hon. George Canning.

D. M. HAMILTON.

(Enclosure.)-Report of the Case of the Spanish Schooner called the Nicanor, whereof Jozé Le Grand was Master.

THIS Vessel, with 173 Slaves, all in good health, arrived in this Harbour on the 12th of June last. On the day following, the Papers, with the Affidavit of Mr. Samuel Richardson, Admiralty Mate of His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, commanded by Commodore Bullen, were brought into Court, together with the Declaration of Lieutenant Wm. Tucker, of that Ship, in which he certifies that being in the command of a boat belonging to the said ship, detached to cruise for the prevention of the illicit Traffick in Slaves, on the 20th day of May, 1826, being off Whydah, he detained the Schooner named the Nicanor, sailing under Spanish Colours, armed with one gun (12-pounder) commanded by José Le Grand, who declared her to be bound from Little Popoe to The Havannah, with a Crew consisting of 19 men and 1 boy, and having on board 174 Slaves, all healthy: viz. 58 men, 57 women, 36 boys, 22 girls, and 1 infant." He further certifies, "that the said Schooner appeared to be sea-worthy, and was supplied with a sufficient stock of water and provisions for the support of the said Negroes and Crew on their destined voyage to The Havannah." And he certifies the same to be "given under his hand on board the Boat of His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, the 20th day of May, 1826." Mr. Richardson, the Admiralty-mate, in his Affidavit aforesaid, maketh oath, "That, on the 20th day of the month of May last, being off Whydah, in a Boat of His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, they seized and detained the Ship or Vessel called the Nicanor, whereof José Le Grand was Master, by reason that the said Schooner was employed in the illicit Traffick in Slaves, contrary to the existing Treaties entered into

with His Britannick Majesty and His Catholick Majesty the King of Spain.

By the Nicanor's Papers, consisting of a Spanish Royal Passport, (by which it appears she cleared out for legitimate Traffick only, at the Islands of Princes and St. Thomas on the Coast of Africa,) a Mediterranean Pass, Role d'Equipage, and another Document, it appears from the endorsements on them, that, prior to her capture on the 20th of May, she was visited by His Majesty's Ship Brazen, Captain Willes, off Cape St. Paul, on the 18th April last, and again by the same Ship off Ningo, on the 26th of the same month.

On the 20th of June, the usual Monition was prayed for and granted, calling upon all Persons, having or pretending to have, any right, title, or interest in the said Schooner and Slaves, to appear and make claim, &c. which was afterwards returned certified to have been duly served, and on the 22d day of the same month, after the examition of the aforesaid Jozé Le Grand had been taken on the General Interrogatories, an Order of Court was made on the Petition of the Captors, stating their apprehension of the Slaves becoming sickly, by reason of the badness of the weather, and the smallness of the Vessel for the landing of them, 173 in number,-1 having jumped overboard, and having been thereby drowned, on her passage to this Place since the capture. The Depositions of the Master and Cook, both clearly and unequivocally establishing the fact of illicit Slave-trading, the Court, on the 1st of July, pronounced Condemnation of the Vessel and Emancipation of the Slaves.

Prior to the Judgment being given in this Case, the Commissioners, on enquiring of Mr. Richardson, the Admiralty-mate of His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, ascertained that the Boat of the Maidstone, said to have made this capture, was one of the Boats of that Ship attached to a decked Vessel, a Schooner, called the Hope, and a Tender to the Maidstone, Frigate, and which Mr. Richardson believes to be the property of Commodore Bullen; her Crew consists entirely of persons belonging to His Majesty's Ship Maidstone, and she has been cruizing alone after Slave-vessels. She chased the Nicanor several hours prior to her being boarded by the Maidstone's Boat. She is commanded by Lieutenant Tucker, and parted company with the Maidstone off the Island of St. Thomas in the beginning of May last.

D. M. HAMILTON.

No. 32. Mr. Secretary Canning to His Majesty's Commissioners. GENTLEMEN, Foreign Office, November 29, 1826.

I HAVE received your Despatch of this Series, marked Spain, of the 7th of August last, in which you call my attention to the Case of the Nicanor, captured and condemned for illegal Slave-trade.

The peculiarity of this Case was, that the Slave-trader was cap

tured by a Vessel acting under the command of Lieut. Tucker, as a Tender to His Majesty's Ship Maidstone.

On this point I have to acquaint you, that, by a Communication from the Admiralty, it appears that it would be contrary to all the Regulations of His Majesty's Naval Service, to consider the Tenders as in any way distinct from the Ships to which they belong; and I have further to state to you, that it is the opinion of His Majesty's Law Officer, that you have acted properly in the Case referred to, and that you should continue to act on the same principle in future Cases.

I have also to acquaint you, that, for the more fully carrying of this principle into effect, the Lords of the Admiralty have given orders that the respective Officers commanding the Tenders in question, should each be furnished with the signed Instructions required by the Treaties for the repression of the Slave-trade. I am, &c. His Majesty's Commissioners. GEORGE CANNING.

SIERRA LEONE.-(Portugal and Brazil.)

No. 33. George Rendall, Esq. to Mr. Secretary Canning.(Received June 2, 1826.)

SIR,

Sierra Leone, November 21, 1825.

I HAVE the honour to enclose for your information, the Report of the Case of the Brazilian Sumacca, Bom Jesus dos Navigantes, whereof Joao Pereiro was Master, captured on the 17th of July last, by His Majesty's Ship Esk, W. J. Purchas, Esq. Commander, with 280 Slaves (being 73 more than allowed by Passport,) on board.

The British and Portuguese Commissary Judges, agreeing perfectly in opinion, that this Vessel had taken on board the Slaves to the Northward of the Line, passed Sentence of Condemnation, and decreed the Emancipation of the Slaves, on the 14th of September last. I have the honour to be, &c.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

GEO. RENDALL.

(Enclosure.)-Report of the Case of the Brazilian Sumacca, Bom Jesus

dos Navigantes, Joao Pereiro, Master.

THIS Vessel arrived in the Port of Freetown, on the 13th of August 1825, with 267 Slaves on board, consisting of 106 men, 78 women, 40 boys, 27 girls, and 7 infants.

On the same day, the Papers, duly authenticated, with the Declaration of the Captor, Captain Purchas, of His Majesty's Ship Esk, were brought into Court, and proceedings commenced by the issue of a Monition, calling upon all Persons having any right, or pretended right,

E

to the Vessel and Cargo, to appear and make claim, which was afterwards returned, certified as duly served.

It is stated in the Royal Passport, given at Bahia the 21st day of January, 1825, that this Vessel is 82 tons, and carrying 22 men; that Antonio Narciso is the Owner; that she was bound to the Ports of Molembo, with the intention to call at Costa da Mina, and back to any Ports in the Brazilian Empire; and that any number of Slaves, not exceeding 206, are permitted at one time to be on board of her.

Captain Purchas's Declaration states, that he detained the Bom Jesus dos Navigantes on the 17th day of July last, in or about Latitude 4. 0. North, and Longitude 4. 4. East; that she was sailing under Brazilian or Insurgent Portuguese Colours, with a Crew of 20 men and boys, 1 supercargo, and 7 passengers, and having on board 280 Slaves (being 73 more than allowed by Passport); that these Slaves consisted of 114 men, 80 women, 54 boys, 30 girls, and 7 infants.

Joao Pereiro, the Master, in answer to the Standing Interrogatories, deposed, that he took on board the whole of the present Cargo of Slaves at Molembo; that he touched at Piccaniny, Elmina, Popoe, and Lagos, for the purpose of purchasing provisions and a canoe; that he does not understand Navigation. In answer to Special Interrogatories, he states that Molembo and Onim are different places; thinks Molembo is close to Benin; does not know the Latitude North or South, or Longitude, where he took the Slaves on board; Slaves had been embarked 15 days when the Vessel was captured; had been 3 days from Onim when captured; a Spanish Schooner took all his corn and beans, which obliged him to go to Onim, having no money at any other Port; left his outward Cargo there; Spaniard boarded them close to the land, when he was going to Molembo from Onim, but did not know the Latitude or Longitude; did not know the day he arrived at, or sailed from, Molembo; left Onim for Molembo on the 28th of May; was 8 days on the passage; never purchased a Slave at Onim, or in the Bight of Benin.

Gregorio Narciso, Cooper on board this Vessel, in answer to the Standing Interrogatories, stated, that the Vessel went direct from Bahia to Molembo, and touched at no other port; that the Slaves and the Canoe were purchased there. To the Special Interrogatories,-Molembo and Onim are different places; does not know if Molembo is in the Bight of Benin, or the Latitude North or South where the Slaves were taken on board, or how many days the Slaves had been embarked, or had been at Sea, previous to capture; could not tell why they were so far to the Northward; stated that a Spanish Vessel took from them a part of their beans, corn, and farinha; went straight to Molembo; did not purchase provisions there, but after leaving Molembo they came close to the Bight of Benin to purchase beans, &c. there being none at Molembo.

Louis Ferrara, a seaman belonging to this Vessel, in his examination, stated, that the Vessel touched at Elmina for water, at Popoe for wood, at Onim to land the whole of the tobacco, and at Molembo to deliver the remainder of the cargo; that the whole of the Slaves were taken on board at Molembo.

An Affidavit of 3 of the Slaves, found on board of this Vessel, was produced on the part of the Captors, (the men having been sworn before the Registrar, according to the custom of their Country, to speak the truth,) which stated, that they were all sold at a Place called Aco to the Master of the Bom Jesus dos Navigantes; that Aco is a Town in the middle of a large Lake, fresh in the rainy season, and salt in the dry season; that they were first put into Coromantin or Fantee Canoes, manned by Fantee men, then into a Sloop Boat, which carried them across the bar, where the surf was great and the water broke very heavy, to the Bom Jesus dos Navigantes; that they never saw land from the time the Vessel sailed until after she was captured, and that they were only 5 days on board before the capture took place.

Six more of the Slaves were examined upon Special Interrogatories put by order of the Court; they all state that they were embarked at a Place called Aco, and that they were only 5 days on board previous to the capture of the Vessel.

The Court having duly considered the fact of this Vessel being found so far to the Northward of the Equator, the prevaricating testimony of the Master and two other Witnesses, with the pretence of not knowing the Latitude of Molembo, from whence the Slaves were taken on board, the proof afforded by the Log-books, and the concurring testimony of the Slaves, did not hesitate to pass Sentence of Condemnation of the Vessel, and decree the Emancipation of the Slaves, on the 14th of September, 1825. GEO. RENDALL.

No. 34.-George Rendall, Esq. to Mr. Secretary Canning.— (Received June 2, 1826.)

SIR,

Sierra Leone, November 21, 1825.

I HAVE the honour to enclose, for your information, the Report of the Case of the Brazilian Schooner Uniao, Jozé Ramos Gomis, Master, sent into this Harbour for Adjudication on the 21st of October last, having been detained on the 9th of the previous month by His Majesty's Ship Atholl, commanded by Captain James Arthur Murray, (His Majesty's Ships Esk and Redwing in Company,) having on board 361 Slaves, all of whom were stated by the Master and Mate to have been taken on board from the River Lagos, and 112 of whom died on their passage up to this place.

The proof of illicit Slave-trade being so clear, (Lagos lying in about Latitude 6. 10. North,) the Court passed Sentence of Condem