80 reply, for the information of Mr. Secretary Canning, that his Lordship has given the necessary directions for confirming Mr. Gregory in his Seat in the Council of Sierra Leone. Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. I have the honour to be, &c. ADAM GORDON. No. 19.-G. Rendall, Esq. to James Bandinel, Esq.—(Rec. Oct. 2.) SIR, Sierra Leone, July 5, 1824. I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith a Copy of the Register of Slaves, emancipated by decree of the Courts of Mixed Commission established at Sierra Leone, for the prevention of illicit Traffic in Slaves, during the period commencing the 5th day of January, and ending the 4th day of July, 1824. James Bandinel, Esq. I have the honour to be, &c. G. RENDALL. MEMORANDUM.-The Enclosure contains the Names and particulars of Emancipation and Registry of Slaves, from No. 3910 to No. 4236, amounting to 327 Slaves. No. 20.-His Majesty's Commrs, to Mr. Secy. Canning.—(Rec. Oct. 2.) SIR, Sierra Leone, July 15, 1824. We had the honour to receive on the 10th instant, your Despatch of the 25th of April 1824, conveying to us His Majesty's gracious approbation of our conduct upon the difficult and doubtful Cases which have come under our investigation. We are deeply impressed with a proper sense of His Majesty's gracious condescension in noticing our conduct with approbation, and we hope that our future proceedings may be deserving of His Majesty's favourable regard. We have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. E. GREGORY. No.21.-E. Gregory, Esq. to Lord Howard de Walden.-(Rec. Jan. 13.) Sierra Leone, November 4, 1824. MY LORD, I BEG leave to acknowledge the receipt, on the 23rd of September last, of your Lordship's Letter of the 6th of August 1824, enclosing the Copies of two Letters which had passed between the Department for Foreign Affairs, and the Colonial Department, relative to the request expressed in my Letter of the 19th of April last, addressed to Mr. Secretary Canning, that I might be confirmed in the Seat in the Council at Sierra Leone to which I had been appointed by the Acting Governor of this Colony. I am duly sensible of this mark of Mr. Secretary Cauning's at tention to the wishes that I ventured to express, in regard to this confirmation of the appointment of the Acting Governor. I have the honour to be, &c. Lord Howard de Walden. E. GREGORY. No. 22.-D. M. Hamilton, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.—( Rec. Jan. 13.) (Extract.) Government House, Sierra Leone, Nov. 1, 1824. Referring you to the Printed Papers presented to Parliament by Command of His Majesty in 1821, relative to the Slave Trade, numbered Ten and Eleven, with Enclosure in No. 11, at pages 48 and 49, you will observe that I brought the Case of the Spanish Ship "Josepha," Llarena, Master, under notice of the Commissary Judges of the British and Spanish Court of Mixed Commission, but that no decision took place in that Case, for the reasons stated in the letter of the British Commissary Judge to the late Viscount Castlereagh. This seizure was sent to me by Captain Willes of His Majesty's Ship « Cherub,” after his leaving the Coast in 1818, and before my appointment to the Office of Registrar to the Mixed Commissions. The Cargo that was delivered to me by the Officer in charge, prior to the sinking of the Vessel, was sold by me, the net proceeds of which, after deducting the expenses incurred on the Vessel in endeavouring to keep her above water, and the amount paid for the passage and stock of four of the Officers of the "Cherub" to England, remain now in my possession, amounting to £1478. 13s. 11d., the principal part of the Accounts of which I rendered Captain Willes, who was at this Place last July, in His Majesty's Ship "Brazen,” and who agreed with me in the propriety of submitting the matter to you, Sir, for your consideration, in the hope you would be pleased to direct in what manner the in question is to be disposed of. The Right Hon. George Canning. SIR, money D. M. HAMILTON. No. 23.-D. M. Hamilton, Esq. to Mr. Secretary Canning. Sierra Leone, November 1, 1824. THE extreme debility I now labour under from the severe fits of illness I have experienced, since unfortunately getting the endemic fever of this Country last July, induces me, though with much reluctance, to solicit the indulgence of leave to return to my native Country, for a limited time, for the restoration of my health. Should you, Sir, have the kindness to grant this my request, an early notification of the same will be an additional favour conferred on me. Mr. Gregory has most kindly authorized me to say that he will relinquish his prior claim to leave of absence, provided no unforeseen event renders his return to England absolutely requisite for his pre servation. I take the liberty of enclosing the Certificate of Mr. Shower, the Colonial Surgeon. The Right Hon. George Canning. No. 24.-Edw. Gregory, Esq. to Mr. Secy. Canning.-(Rec. Jan. 13.) SIR, Sierra Leone, November 13, 1824. MR. HAMILTON has expressed a wish to me to return to England, with leave of absence, on account of the frequent attacks of illness to which he has lately been subjected. I have mentioned to Mr. Hamilton that I have indulged the hope that you would favour me with leave to quit this Colony for England, for a short period; but that if you should favour me thus, I would not avail myself of your leave unless compelled to do so by absolute illhealth. Mr. Hamilton's state of health is very precarious, and I should not excuse myself were I not to give way to his claims to the indulgence of leave of absence. Although I am happy to give way to Mr. Hamilton in this insta: ce, I humbly beg to express my hope to be favoured with your permission to return to England, for a short period, if my health should demand my return; and I beg to say that I will not avail myself of such permission unless in the case of positive ill-health. I have been favoured by a kind Providence in regard to my health during my stay at Sierra Leone, but a continued residence therein of upwards of five years, makes me, in some degree, apprehensive of the future influence of the climate, and solicitous to provide against it. I have the honour, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. E. GREGORY. No. 25.-His Majesty's Comm's, to Mr. Secy. Canning.—(Rec.Jan. 13.) (Extract.) Sierra Leone, November 8, 1824. We have the honour to report to you, that Messrs. Magnus and Bidwell, the first, Writer to His Majesty's Commissioners, the second, Writer in the Courts of Mixed Commission, arrived at Sierra Leone on the 23rd of September last, and immediately entered upon the duties of their Situations. Mr. Worrall, first Writer to His Majesty's Commissioners, it appears from the information of Messrs. Magnus and Bidwell, was prevented by severe illness from proceeding on the Voyage to this Place. E. GREGORY. D. M. HAMILTON. The Right Hon. George Canning. SIR, No. 26. Mr. Secretary Canning to D. M. Hamilton, Esq. Foreign Office, January 18, 1825. I have received your Letter of the 1st November last, soliciting permission to return to Europe for the benefit of your health, and en closing a Certificate of Mr. Shower, the Colonial Surgeon, as to the urgency for this permission. Under these circumstances, His Majesty has been graciously pleased to grant your request. You will, prior to your departure from Sierra Leone, make such provisional arrangements as are compatible with the Instructions and Powers given to you, for rendering your absence of as little inconvenience as possible to the publick Service. D. M. Hamilton, Esq. SIR, I am, &c. GEORGE CANNING. No. 27.-Mr. Secretary Canning to Edward Gregory, Esq. Foreign Office, January 24, 1825. I HAVE received and have considered the subject of your Letter, marked separate, of the 13th of November, 1824; and I have to state to you, that you may consider yourself to have permission to return to England for a short period, if your health should imperiously demand your absence from Sierra Leone:-At the same time I trust in your declaration, that you will not leave the Colony under this permission, unless there should be an absolute necessity for your doing so. I am, &c. Edward Gregory, Esq. GEORGE CANNING. No. 28.-Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to D. M. Hamilton, Esq. SIR, Foreign Office, March 4, 1825. YOUR Letter of the 1st of November, 1824, to Mr. Secretary Canning, respecting the Proceeds of the Spanish Vessel the Josepha, captured in the year 1818, by H. M. S. Cherub, Captain Willes, has been referred to the Admiralty, and to His Majesty's Advocate-General. I am directed by Mr. Canning to state to you, that it appears, from a reference to the Admiralty, that Captain Willes, at the time of capture, was not furnished with Instructions under the Treaty with Spain for the Suppression of Slave Trade; and I am also to state to you, that His Majesty's Advocate-General is of opinion, that, as the seizure was not made under the Slave Trade Convention, it is not a Case in which Mr. Secretary Canning can be required to give any directions. The King's Advocate is farther of opinion, that, to the Claimants, if any should appear, Captain Willes will be responsible, and that it is Captain Willes who should give directions respecting the Proceeds, which must be considered, in the mean time, to be in his care and custody. If there should be any grounds on which Captain Willes may expect to be exonerated by His Majesty's Government from that responsibility, it is for him to state those grounds, and to bring forward such application to the Admiralty. D. M. Hamilton, Esq. I am, &c. JOSEPH PLANTA, Jun. SIR, No. 29.-Mr. Secretary Canning to William Smith, Esq. Foreign Office, March 21, 1825. His Majesty having been pleased to appoint you to be Registrar to the Mixed Commissions established at Sierra Leone, under the Treaties with Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands, for the repression of illegal Slave Trade, I herewith transmit to you the King's Warrant of Appointment to that effect. You will proceed to Sierra Leone without delay. On your arrival at that Place you will present yourself to His Majesty's Commissioners, and, shewing to them your Appointment, request from them directions for your guidance in entering upon the duties of your situation, in the exercise of which, you will consider the Instructions which were addressed from this Department to the late Registrar, as the rule of your conduct, in the same manner as if they were addressed to yourself. I am, &c. William Smith, Esq. GEORGE CANNING. No. 30.-Mr. Secretary Canning to His Majesty's Commissioners. GENTLEMEN, Foreign Office, March 21, 1825. His Majesty has been pleased to nominate and appoint William Smith, Esq., to be Registrar to the Mixed Commissions established at Sierra Leone, under the Treaties with Foreign Powers for the repression of illegal Slave Trade. Mr. Smith will repair to Sierra Leone in the Vessel by which this Despatch is conveyed. He is instructed to present himself to you upon his arrival at that Place, and to shew to you his Appointment. I have to desire that you will administer to Mr. Smith, in proper form, the Oath prescribed to be taken by him; and that, having introduced him to such of the Foreign Commissioners as may be at Sierra Leone, when this Despatch reaches you, you will instal Mr. Smith in his place as Registrar to the Mixed Commissions, and give him directions to enter upon the exercise of his duties in that situation. His Majesty's Commrs. I am, &c. GEORGE CANNING. No. 31.-J. Reffell, Esq. to Mr. Secretary Canning.—(Rec. March 28.) (Extract.) Secretary's Office, Sierra Leone, January 27, 1825. I DEEM it my duty most respectfully to acquaint you, that Acting Governor Hamilton has acknowledged my claims as Colonial Secretary to the situation, ad interim, vacant in the Courts of Mixed Commission, established in this Colony, and that I have accordingly taken the usual Oath of Commissioner of Arbitration, in conformity to the several Treaties, and entered upon the duties of the said Office. The Right Hon. George Canning. J. REFFELL. |