les punir, et à les empêcher, et non pas en employant, comme il me semble que Sir George Collier l'a fait, l'injustice et la violence. J'espère que votre Excellence me connait assez pour être persuadé que dans les observations que je me suis permis, il n'entre aucune espèce d'aigreur, mais seulement le désir d'éviter tout malentendu, et de rétrécir, autant qu'il peut dépendre de moi, les liens d'amitié qui unissent nos deux Pays. Je puis sans doute me tromper, mais j'ose croire que votre Excellence ne doutera pas de la loyauté et de la sincérité de mes intentions. S. E. Le Vicomte Castlereagh. LE COMTE DE PALMELLA. No. 83.-The Earl of Clancarty to Visct. Castlereagh.-(Rec.1 Jan. 1820.) MY LORD, The Hague, 28th December, 1819. REFERRING to your Lordship's Dispatch of the 21st instant, and to mine with its Inclosure of the 24th of the same month; I have now the honour to transmit a Copy of His Excellency M. le Baron de Nagell's Official Note addressed to me on the 25th instant, in which he acknowledges the receipt of the Notification I was directed to make to his Government, of the issue of the Instructions annexed to the Treaty of the 4th of May, 1818, by His Majesty's Government, to Sir George Ralph Collier, of His Majesty's Ship Tartar of 42 guns. Viscount Castlereagh, K. G. I am, &c. CLANCARTY. (Inclosure)-Baron de Nagell to The Earl of Clancarty. LE Soussigné, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères, a l'honneur d'accuser à Son Excellence le Comte de Clancarty, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire de Sa Majesté Britannique, la réception de sa Note du 24me de Décembre dernier, par laquelle le Soussigné est informé, d'après la teneur de l'Article III du Traité entre les Royaumes de la Grande Bretagne et des Pays Bas, en date du 4me Maï 1818, pour prévenir et empêcher le Commerce des Esclaves, que le Vaisseau de Sa Majesté le Roi de la Grande Bretagne Tartar, portant 42 pièces de canon, et commandé par Sir George Ralph Collier, a reçu les instructions requises par le Traité susmentionné. Le Soussigné, en remerciant M. l'Ambassadeur de cette information Officielle, s'est empressé de la communiquer aux Départemens de la Marine et des Colonies, et saisit, &c. S. E. Le Comte de Clancarty. A. W. C. DE NAGELL. No. 84.-The Count de Palmella to Viscount Castlereagh. Londres, ce 27 Janvier, 1820. LE Soussigné, Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire de Sa Majesté Très Fidelle, a la satisfaction d'annoncer à Son Excel lence Milord Castlereagh, que Messieurs les Gouverneurs du Royaume de Portugal, conformément à l'autorisation que, pour cet effet, ils avoient reçue de Sa Majesté Très Fidelle, ont nommé Messieurs Joa Jacomo Altavilla et Joaquim Cezar de la Figanière, pour former de la part de Sa susdite Majesté, la Commission Mixte, établie à Sierra Leone; le premier en qualité de Commissaire Juge, et le second en celle de Commissaire Arbitre. Le Soussigné, persuadé qu'il est de l'intention et de l'intérêt des deux Gouvernemens, que cette Commission soit complette le plutôt possible, prend la liberté de suggérer à Son Excellence Milord Castlereagh, comme un moyen d'y parvenir, que le premier batiment Britannique que le Gouvernement fera partir pour Sierra Leone, touche à son passage à Lisbonne, et y prenne à son bord les susdits Commissaires Portugais. Si Son Excellence approuve ce projet, le Soussigné la prie de lui faire savoir le plutôt possible, afin qu'il puisse en instruire sans délai Messieurs les Gouverneurs du Royaume de Portugal. En attendant il croit devoir joindre, comme il fait ici, la Copie des lettres patentes par lesquelles Leurs Excellences ont procédé à la nomination des susdits Commissaires. Le Soussigné profite de cette occasion, &c. Le Vicomte Castlereagh, K. G. LE COMTE DE PALMELLA. No. 85.-The Earl of Clancarty to Visct. Castlereagh.—(Rec. 1st Feb.) REFERRING to your Lordship's Dispatch of the 13th October last, upon the subject of the proposed "Regulations for the guidance of the Commissioners appointed for carrying into effect the Treaties for the Abolition of the Slave-trade;" and also to the Official Note which, in obedience to your Instructions, I presented to this Court thereon, a Copy of which was transmitted for your Lordship's information by my Dispatch of the 5th November last; I have now the honour to inclose herewith a Copy of M. le Baron de Nagell's Note upon the subject of those Regulations. Though this paper expresses the approbation of this Court of the regulations, as applicable to the Mixed Commission at Sierra Leone,consents to their adoption, and moreover aunounces, generally, approval and adoption of the 3 first forms applicable to the Commanders of Vessels, yet I must nevertheless own myself to have been somewhat surprized, as well as disappointed, at its remaining substance; because, notwithstanding the desire expressed by me on the part of my Government in my Note of the 3d November, that as little time as possible should be lost in the final decision of this matter, now, at the end of nearly 3 months (as far as relates to this Mixed Commission at Surinam,) the whole of this business is still to be begun: I therefore waited upon M. de Nagell to converse with him upon this subject. He stated that the delay which had occurred, arose from the King's having been very considerably engaged in other Affairs; and assured me, that every endeavour should be used on his part to have the matter now brought to an early termination; in the mean time, however, he stated that the King had not been insensible to the inconvenience which might arise from the inactivity of the Mixed Commission at Surinam, from the want of proper authority to act in unison; and pointed particularly to that part of his Note to me, wherein, till the ultimate instructions shall be issued, the Mixed Commission is authorised by this Government to employ, pro re natâ, such forins as may appear most analogous to the Treaty, and most exp dient for the proceedings. Though I should much doubt that the temporary expedient, thus pointed at, can be rendered at all available, its suggestion at least evinces a desire to avoid delay; and M. le Baron de Nagell assures me he will use his best efforts for this purpose Viscount Castlereagh, K. G. I have, &c. (Inclosure.)-Baron de Nagell to the Earl of Clancarty. La Haye, ce 5 Janvier, 1820. Le Roi, appréciant combien il importe que les Commissaires, établis en vertu du Traité du 4 Mai 1818, pour l'Abolition de la Traite des Nègres, soient munis d'Instructions consonantes, a fait examiner, dans cet esprit, les formulaires transmis le 3 Novembre dernier, par Son Excellence Lord Clancarty, &c. Le Soussigné, &c. a été chargé de faire connâitre, que pour autant que ces formulaires concernent le Tribunal Mixte de Sierra Leone, Sa Majesté ne fait aucune difficulté à leur adoption. Mais par rapport au Tribunal Mixte de Surinam, où les jugemens devront être prononcés au nom de Sa Majesté, il sera nécessaire de suivre un ordre de procédure et des formulaires plus conformes à ceux en usage dans les Colonies des Pays Bas. En conséquence les dispositions réquises viennent d'être prescrites, pour que ce dernier Tribunal fasse dresser des formulaires de ce genre en Hollandais, tout en lui laissant dans l'entrefait, la liberté d'employer, pro re natâ, les formulaires qui lui paraitront les plus analogues au Traité précité, et les plus expédiens pour l'instruction des procès. Quant aux trois premiers formulaires remis par Son Excellence Lord Clancarty, destinés uniquement aux Commandans des Vaisseaux autorisés à la saisie des Négriers, ils ont été homologués par le Roi, et remis au Ministre de la Marine, aux fins de les faire traduire en Hol landais, pour en munir les Officiers des Vaisseaux autorisés à faire les récherches sur la Traite des Nègres, et leur servir de règle et d'instruction. Le Soussigné à l'honneur, &c. S. E. Le Comte de Clancarty. A. W. C. DE NAGELL. No. 86. His Majesty's Comm". at Surinam to Viscount Castlereagh. (Received 2nd February, 1820.) MY LORD, Surinam, 23rd November, 1819. IN obedience to the Commands of H. R. H. the Prince Regent, communicated to us by your Lordship, that we should from time to time report the proceedings of the Court of which we are appointed Members, for the information of His Royal Highness's Government; we have the honour to inform your Lordship, that no case has yet occurred which would admit of the interposition of the Court; at the same time we feel it our duty to communicate to your Lordship, that under the Vth and VIth Articles of a Decree issued by The Netherland Government, an official Copy of which we have the honour to inclose, a Trade in Slaves with the West Indian Islands does exist; that 2 Vessels, 1 from Guadaloupe, the other from Martinique, under the French Flag, but consigned to Inhabitants of this Colony, are at the present time discharging their Cargoes of Slaves in the River Surinam; and that a Ship under The Netherland Colours has sailed from hence for the purpose of purchasing Slaves at Pernambuco. We have the honour to be, &c. CHRISTOPHER EDWARD LEFROY. Viscount Castlereagh, K. G. (Inclosure.)—Proclamation respecting the Slave Trade.-(Translation.) Surinam Courant, 12th January, 1819. PARAMARIBO. WE, Cornelius Rynhard Vaillant, Knight of the Order of The Netherland Lion, Governor-General, ad interim, of the Colony of Surinam, and Commander in Chief of the Land and Sea Forces in the same, &c. &c. &c. To all who shall see these presents, or shall hear them read, greeting. We notify, that we have received from his Excellency the Minister for Publick Instruction, National Industry, and the Colonies, a Dispatch, No. 1190, dated September 26, inclosing a Decree of His Majesty, given at Loo, September 17, 1818, of the following tenour: We, William, by the Grace of God, King of The Netherlands, Prince of Orange Nassau, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, &c. &c. &c. Having considered our Decree of June 15, 1814; likewise Article VIII of the Treaty concluded August 13, 1814, between our Kingdom and that of Great Britain; as also Article I. of the Treaty dated the 4th of May, of the same Year, all relative to the Abolition of the Slave-trade; and Article LX of the Fundamental Law: and being solicitous to prevent a Traffick so disgraceful to humanity, We, on the proposal of our Minister for Justice and Foreign Affairs, and after hearing the Council of State, have decreed and do decree : : ART. I. No one, of whatever description, in our West India Colonies and Settlements, or on the coast of Guinea, shall be permitted to carry on the Slave-trade, or to be directly or indirectly connected with that Traffick, whether by fitting out Ships or Vessels for that purpose, or by having an interest in the fitting out, to that end, of national or other Ships and Vessels, and by designedly letting them by contract for such object, or by shipping, buying, selling, bartering, and openly or surreptitiously importing, or causing to be imported, Negroes, as Slaves, into any Netherland or Foreign Colony or Settlement out of Europe, on pain to transgressors and their accomplices, of incurring a penalty of 5,000 florins, besides being declared infamous, and imprisoned for the period of 5 years. II. To the same punishment shall be liable all Foreigners, who, subsequently to April 1, 1819, shall have carried to, or imported, er attempted to import, into our above-mentioned Colonies and Settlements 1 or more Negroes, and who shall be apprehended in our said Colonies and Settlements: and any Ships and Vessels, laden with Negroes, which, previous to that period, may put into any of The Netherland Harbours in those parts of the world, shall immediately be warned off. III. Penalties similar to those specified in Article I. shall be inflicted upon all Masters of Vessels, Steersmen, and Supercargoes, whether Netherland or Foreign, who shall have lent their assistance towards the carrying on of the prohibited Traffick in Slaves, and shall in consequence, after the above period, have carried to, or imported into, or attempted to carry to or import into, the said Colonies or Settlements, any Cargo of Negroes. IV. Sailors, and other Seafaring Men, who shall be apprehended in our Colonies on a charge of having deliberately entered into the service of Ships or Vessels, knowing them to be engaged in the Slave-trade in general, or in the Importation of Slaves into our above-mentioned Colonies and Settlements, shall, by way of punishment, be imprisoned for 2 Years; and those who discover it afterwards, shall immediately stand discharged from their service, and take the first opportunity, unattended with danger to themselves, to quit the same, on pain, in the contrary case, of incurring the punishment alluded to. V. The above denunciations of punishment, however, shall no way apply to Slaves now existing in the Colonies, or to their Children, whether born, or that may be born, respectively, who shall be trans |