of nearly 100, was removed to the booms of the Tartar; and though there seemed, and assuredly was, extreme risk in doing so, yet by the precautions taken, and by the active and indeed never-ceasing attention of those valuable medical Officers, the only Person attacked with fever in the Tartar was the Surgeon's Assistant, but he recovered.

Several of the Slaves died nothwithstanding our best efforts, and I am fully persuaded few of those captured would have lived, had I suffered those in fever to remain in the filthy and putrid dungeons of the Slave-vessels.

I will presume to add one other circumstance, that I ventured to order the shackles of every Slave to be removed as soon after their Capture as possible; when the alarm of the Slave-masters became ridiculous, these men assuring me, that the life of no white person would be secure; but generally so sensible were the poor Beings who had been relieved, of their improved situation, that, by all the means they could express themselves, they showed the utmost gratitude and thankfulness.

I speak of these circumstances with no view to personal merit, for I did what humanity, and therefore what my duty, only required, and I am satisfied that every British Officer on the Coast of Africa would have done as much; but I state them merely to show how frightful the situation of the Slaves is, when in charge of the Spanish and Portuguese Slave-masters and their Crews, and with what merciless indifference their miseries are viewed by these Persons.

In concluding this Report, the last I shall probably have the honour of presenting on the Slave-trade, I hope I may be permitted to observe, that by their Lordships favour I was placed in Command of His Majesty's Naval Force on the Coast of Africa, that during the 3 years I have held it I have endeavoured to perform with zeal, and to the best of my ability, the very varied, and not unfrequently, distressing duties arising out of it; and I hope, that whenever I may have failed in any wish of their Lordships, good intention on my part has never been thought wanting.

If the progress of the Ship be traced, it will appear she was seldom inactive, and I can confidently observe, that in a Climate where care of health is generally thought so necessary, the consideration never dwelt one moment on my mind, where publick duty was to be performed; and I think it will be found, that I left as little as possible to the report of others.

From their Lordships, during my late command, I received many marks of indulgence and favour, and these I beg permission very humbly to acknowledge; and if, upon the whole, I shall be considered to have conducted the Service confided to me satisfactorily, I beg very respectfully to assure their Lordships I have not another desire. The Lords Comm". of the Admiralty. GEO. R. COLLIER.

No. 18.-Captain Kelly to J. W. Croker, Esq.

(Extract.) H. M. S. Pheasant, Sierra Leone River, 4th Jan. 1822. I HAVE the honour to report, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that in consequence of a communication from Governor Sir Charles M'Carthy, that intelligence had reached him of a Portuguese Schooner being in the Rio Pongas taking in Slaves, I directed Lieutenant Knight, of the Snapper, to proceed on the 19th ultimo with that Brig and the Thistle, taking with him the Boats of this Ship and Myrmidon, for the entrance of that River; there to anchor the Brigs, and then push up, with all the Boats under his personal direction, and examine every creek and usual place of Slavedealing in it; and if he should there find any Vessels acting in contravention to existing Treaties or orders, to bring them to this place for adjudication.

On the 28th the Expedition returned, and Lieutenant Knight reports that, after a thorough search, he only found 1 Vessel, viz. the Spanish Schooner Rosalia, from The Havannah, with a Cargo of rum and tobacco; part of which was landed at Ormond's Town, who, together with a British Subject, by the name of Lightburne, residing in the River, had undertaken to furnish him with 200 Slaves in exchange; but as they were not embarked, and in short could not be found, no steps could be taken for the detention of the Vessel.

I am happy to report that, from all the information Lieutenant Knight could obtain, only one Vessel (containing 100 Slaves) had left that River for more than 6 months

In order to prevent if possible the escape of the Schooner now there, I have ordered the Thistle to Cruize before the mouths of it, to interrupt her should she attempt to put to Sea with Slaves on board. J. W. Croker, Esq. B. M. KELLY.

SIR,

No. 19.-Captain Kelly to J. W. Croker, Esq.

H. M. S. Pheasant, Sierra Leone River, 16th Jan. 1822. I HAVE the honour to report, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the arrival at this anchorage of His Majesty's Gun-Brig Thistle, from the service on which I had ordered her, as communicated to you in my Letter of the 4th instant, bringing with her the Spanish Schooner Rosalia, captured in the Rio Pongas, with 60 Slaves on board, the same Vessel as was boarded by the Boats of the Squadron under the orders of Lieutenant Knight, of the Snapper, on the 24th ultimo.

I beg leave to inclose a Copy of Lieutenant Hagan's Letter, detailing the particulars of her Capture, the result of the prompt and decisive measures adopted by that Officer.

As I am directed by my orders to be near this anchorage on the arrival of the succeeding Commodore, which Sir George Collier com

municated to me as likely to have taken place in November last, and which has necessarily of late withdrawn my attention from those places to leeward of the St. Ann's Shoals, as far as Cape Palmas; it is with peculiar satisfaction I have to communicate, that from all the Reports brought by Canoe Men, which are frequently coming from thence, I have not learned that there has been any arrival of Slave-vessels on these parts of the Coast since those French ones reported in my Letter of the 3d ultimo. I am, &c.

J. W. Croker, Esq.

SIR,

B. MARWOOD KELLY.

(Inclosure.)—Lieutenant Hagan to Captain Kelly.

H. M. B. Thistle, off Rio Pongas, 13th Jan. 1822. I HAVE the honour to report, that in obedience to your orders I arrived off this River to watch the Spanish Slave-vessel lately examined in it; and having anchored off the sand Bar, I proceeded up in the Boats to ascertain if she still remained.

I found she had dropped down some miles, and appeared to be making rapid progress in her equipment, and having learnt that many of her Slaves were in irons on shore ready for embarkation, I considered it my duty to effect if possible their release.

For this purpose I called a Meeting of the Traders and Chiefs, I represented to them that the British had made large sacrifices to the Spanish and other Governments to induce them to abolish the Trade in Slaves, and that, in consequence, Treaties the most solemn and binding had been made, not only for that purpose, but to give to the Ships of War of either Power a mutual right of Police over the Vessels of their respective Subjects, and that by virtue of that Power I claimed, on the part of their Britannick and Catholick Majesties, a release of the Slaves then ready for embarkation in the Schooner.

I have much pleasure in stating, that measures were promptly adopted, and they, with the consent of the Acting Commander, Francisco, caused 60 to be embarked, when she was taken possession of; she proves to be the Rosalia, the property of Don Joseph Sole, of The Havannah: sailed from thence under the command of Francisco de Hornes, who, with 7 of the Crew, fell a sacrifice to the Climate during her stay of 5 weeks in the River.

I shall proceed without loss of time with the Schooner to Sierra Leone, which I hope will meet with your approbation.

Captain Kelly.

I am, &c.

R. HAGAN.

(B.) INSTRUCTIONS TO NAVAL OFFICERS.

LIST OF PAPERS.

No.

1821. Page

1. John Barrow, Esq. to Commodore Sir G.R.Collier.Admiralty Office..24th May 219 2. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Commodore Sir Robert Mends....

Admiralty Office..31st Oct. 220

1822.

3. John Barrow, Esq. to Captain Phillips........Admiralty Office..15th Mar. 223 4. Instructions to the Commanders of all such of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels as have been ordered, from the 6th of February, 1821, to the 21st of March, 1822, to proceed to either of the following Stations: viz. Jamaica, Leeward Islands, South America, Cape of Good Hope, and East Indies....

223

No. 1.-John Barrow, Esq. to Commodore Sir George R. Collier. SIR, Admiralty Office, 24th May, 1821.

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you a Copy of a Letter from Lord Castlereagh, conveying to their Lordships His Majesty's pleasure, that the Commanders of His Majesty's Vessels employed in the suppression of the Slave-trade, should be instructed to use their best endeavours to co-operate, as far as may be in their power, with such Ships of The United States of America as may be placed on the Coast of Africa for the same purpose; with a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Mr. Planta, stating more particularly the meaning attached by his Lordship to the expression "to co-operate," as used in the first-mentioned Letter; and I am to signify to you their Lordships' direction, that you govern yourself according to the tenor of these Letters, and that you make the same known to the Commanders of His Majesty's Vessels under your Orders. I am, &c.

Commodore Sir G. R. Collier,

or the Senior Officer on the Coast of Africa.

JOHN BARROW.

(Inclosure A.)—Viscount Castlereagh to the Lords of the Admiralty. MY LORDS, Foreign Office, 13th March, 1821.

Ir appearing by a Dispatch recently received from Mr. Stratford Canning, His Majesty's Minister in The United States, that, with a view to the more effectual prevention of the Slave-trade on the Coast of Africa, the American Government are anxious to give Instructions to their Vessels cruizing upon that Coast, as similar as circumstances will allow, to those under which our Vessels are at present acting; I have to acquaint your Lordships that I have transmitted Copies of these Instructions to Mr. Canning for the above purpose, and that it is His Majesty's pleasure that an Additional Instruction be forthwith addressed to the respective Commanders of His Majesty's Vessels employed in the suppression of the Slave-trade, to use their best endea

vours to co-operate, as far as may be in their power, with such American Ships as may be placed on the Coast of Africa for the same purpose. I have, &c.

The Lords Comm". of the Admiralty.

SIR,

CASTLEREAGH.

(Inclosure B.)—Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to John Barrow, Esq. Foreign Office, 12th May, 1821. In reply to your Letter of the 6th ultimo, requesting, by direction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to be acquainted with the precise meaning which His Majesty's Government may be pleased to affix to the term " to co-operate," in the Instructions proposed to be sent to the Vessels now cruising upon the Coast of Africa, for the prevention of the Slave-trade, in the event of their meeting with any Cruizers of The United States having the same object; I am directed by Lord Londonderry to state to you, for the information of their Lordships, that the meaning which his Lordship attached to that expression was, that the American Government having refused to enter into any more intimate concert with the British Government for the suppression of the illicit Slave-trade upon the Coast of Africa, British Vessels should, notwithstanding, be instructed to give such general assistance to any Ships of War of The United States as might appear on the Coast of Africa, towards the attainment of this common object, as was consistent with the existing Treaties and Rights of both Nations, and with the friendly relations and perfect amity subsisting between them. I am, &c.

John Barrow, Esq.

JOSEPH PLANTA, JUN.

No. 2.-The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Commodore Sir Robert Mends.

(Extract.)

Admiralty Office, 31st October, 1821 You are hereby required and directed to put to Sea in the Ship you command, as soon as she shall be in every respect ready, and to proceed with all convenient expedition to the Coast of Africa, where you are to employ yourself in affording such countenance and assistance to the British Settlements, and such protection to the British Commerce, as may be found requisite, and in preventing to the utmost of your power, any illicit traffick in Slaves by His Majesty's Subjects, or by the Subjects of the Kings of Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands, with whom Treaties, as hereinafter-mentioned, have been concluded by this Country respecting that traffick; taking under your Orders, and employing upon the said Services, the Sloops and Gun-brigs named in the margin, which are now on the African Station, and whose Commanders are directed by the Orders which we herewith inclose to you to place themselves under your command.

* Pheasant, Myrmidon, Morviana, Snavver (G. B.), Thistle