alive to the responsibility accruing to him from the clemency displayed towards the Persons guilty of this glaring infraction of the Treaty.

I have now the satisfaction to state, that, without any further representation from me, His Excellency appears to have felt the seriousness of the Case in question; that I have ascertained satisfactorily, that the Case of the Carolina was delivered over to the competent judicial Tribunal; and that the Law having been thus allowed to take its course, both that Vessel and the Slaves were seized on the 6th instant. Legal proceedings are now instituted, in conformity to the Alvarà of the 26th January, 1818, this Alvarà upholding the Stipulations of the Treaty.

I shall be mindful to transmit a full Report of the pending Legal Proceedings, and of their result.

In the mean time I regret to state, that nearly half of the Slaves are said to be in very bad health, and that some deaths have occurred; but on all these particulars I shall obtain exact information, transmitting it by the first opportunity. I have the honour to be, &c.

The Right Hon. George Canning.

ROBERT

HESKETH.

(Enclosure 1.)—Mr. Consul Hesketh to Mr.Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. Maranham, February 25, 1826.

SIR,

I HAVE to make known, that, on the 25th of January last, a small Schooner, under Brazilian Colours, called the Carolina, Victor Nobre de Brito, Master, arrived at this Port from Cacheo, with 133 Slaves on board, 2 having died during the passage.

The Master reported that he was bound from Cacheo to one of the Cape de Verd Islands, but having been chased by a Cruizer, which he fancied was a Privateer, he made for this Port.

The information I have collected is, that this Schooner sailed from Parà some time ago, bound to Gibraltar, but whether she arrived at the Port of her destination, and afterwards went to Lisbon, as reported to me privately, I cannot ascertain satisfactorily; however, she ultimately arrived at Cacheo, and thence departed with 135 Slaves for the Island of St. Jago, without a regular Passport.

I have also ascertained that the Slaves belong to the Heirs of the late Joao Pereira Barreto, of Cacheo; that they were reported to be domestick Slaves, and that their Consignee in this Port, Antonio Francisco de Azevedo, declared that they were for sale.

On the arrival of the Carolina, she was put under quarantine, owing to the small-pox amongst the Slaves, who were afterwards landed and put into a Lazaretto.

Nothing further was done towards the sale of the Negroes, but, on the 30th of January, the Schooner was regularly entered at the Custom-House; upon which I addressed a Note, on the same day, to His

Excellency the President, an answer to which was returned on the following day; Copies of both which I have the honour to enclose.

An Investigation, or "Devasa," was then ordered by the President, upon the Carolina's voyage; but its only result at present known to me is, an Order His Excellency sent to the Custom-House on the 18th instant, directing that the Slaves should be admitted to entry, on Bond being first given to their value, and that of the Schooner; but no Person has come forward to give the Bond up to this date.

Having been assured by the Consignee, that the Slaves imported by the Carolina were destined for sale, I conceived it my duty again to address His Excellency on the 18th instant, stating that I must report the Case, and asking for Copies of the Carolina's Passports, or any Documents which could justify those proceedings.

I enclose a Copy of that Application, to which no Answer has been yet returned.

I expect that these Documents will be ultimately sent to me, and I shall transmit them by this conveyance if I receive them in time; but I fear that they may be designedly kept back till the departure of the present opportunity, because I perceive a very general disposition to evade the Law which is applicable to this very glaring infraction of the Treaty.

On the receipt of the Documents, I expect to be again called upon to make another representation to the President, founded on clear proof of the illegality of the Carolina's voyage; and I shall do so with the view of inducing His Excellency not to abandon the demand for the Bond, because, though proceedings, founded on the Alvarà of the 26th of January, 1818, are not likely to be commenced, still the required Bond is at least an acknowledgment of irregularity in that Vessel's voyage, and will, I trust, act as an impediment to the sale of the Negroes, until the result of your Representations on this Case at the Court of Rio de Janeiro may be felt here. I have, &c. Henry Chamberlain, Esq. ROBERT HESKETH.

(Enclosure 1, A.)—Mr. Consul Hesketh to the President of the Province of Maranham.

Maranham, January 30, 1826. His Excellency the Most Illustrious Senhor Pedro Josè da Costa Barros, President and Military Governor of the Province of Maranham, &c. is made acquainted by the Undersigned, His Britannick Majesty's Consul at this Port, that a Schooner, called the Carolina, Victor Nobre de Brito, Master, has lately arrived from Cacheo with a Cargo of Slaves, under the most suspicious circumstances as to the legality of the voyage, and that, notwithstanding, the Vessel in question was this morning admitted to entry at the Custom-House.

On these facts reaching His Excellency, the Undersigned feels confident that the requisite steps will be ordained by His Excellency,

in conformity with the existing Treaty for the Abolition of the illicit Traffick in Slaves.

H. E. Pedro Josè da Costa Barros.

ROBERT HESKETH.

(Enclosure 1, B.)-The President of the Province of Maranham to Mr. Consul Hesketh.-(Translation.)

SIR,

Maranham, January 31, 1826.

I HAVE received your Despatch, dated yesterday, to which I answer, that I respect as much the Treaty for the Abolition of the illicit Slave-trade, as you desire to fulfil it; and that, as I am a faithful Administrator of the Laws of my Sovereign, I shall cause them to be administered to their fullest extent. You, Sir, may rest assured, that I shall do you all justice, in the event of the Schooner Carolina, lately arrived at this Port, being found implicated in the said Treaty.

Robert Hesketh, Esq.

God preserve you.

PEDRO JOSE DA COSTA BARROS.

(Enclosure 1, C.)-Mr. Consul Hesketh to the President of the Province of Maranham.

SIR,

Maranham, February 18, 1826. HAVING been informed that your Excellency has allowed to be passed through the Custom-House (preparatory to their sale) the Slaves brought by the Schooner Carolina from Cacheo, on Bond to their value, and that of the Schooner, being first given, it becomes my duty to report this Case to His Britannick Majesty's Government.

For that purpose I have to solicit that your Excellency may be pleased to order that I be furnished with Copies of the Passport or Passports of the Schooner Carolina, as well as of any Licence, or "Avizo," or any other Document with which that Vessel may have been provided, with the object of legalizing this importation of Slaves. I have the honour to be, &c.

H. E. Pedro Josè da Costa Barros.

ROBERT HESKETH.

(Enclosure 2.)-Mr. Consul Hesketh to Mr. Consul-Gen. Chamberlain. SIR, Maranham, February 28, 1826. IN reference to my Despatch, dated the 25th instant, transmitted herewith, I have to make known the Answer His Excellency the President returned to my request for Copies of all the Documents belonging to the Schooner Carolina, enclosing for that purpose a Copy of His Excellency's Note, dated yesterday.

I also beg leave to enclose Copies of the Documents transmitted, being 9 in number, having now barely time cursorily to refer to them. in their order.

From the Certificate, proving that an Avizo was granted in Rio de Janeiro, on the 4th of April, 1817, to João Pereira Barreto, for a very

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clear and specifick purpose, viz.-the removal of his family and domesticks, it appears, that such Licence, or "Avizo," is now taken to bestow an exclusive right (inherited by Barreto's descendants) to export, in the face of all Treaties, any quantity of Slaves from Cacheo, for the purpose of Traffick, so long as they are termed domestick Slaves; this Qualification being applied, although the Slaves are openly declared to be sent solely for the object of Trade; indeed, so much so, that a Bond to produce these domesticks, during even a short period, is not obtainable.

The Carolina sailed from Parà to Gibraltar, as the Copy of her Passport shows, but there is no proof but that that Vessel proceeded, instead, direct to Cacheo; and from what has been reported to me, it is very doubtful whether the true Owner, instead of “ Fernando Josè de Silva," is not a Person resident in Lisbon.

There is no proof but that the Brig Apollo has already performed her voyage from Cacheo to St. Jago, with the 300 Slaves, according to the Passport now shown as an authority for the Carolina. But putting aside that doubt, it appears that even the Passports, like the “Avizo,” are attempted to be generalized, and that every regulation in that particular is totally disregarded in the present case.

From the Copy of the Muster Roll, there appear 21 Persons, including the Master, as the Crew of the Carolina, a Schooner of about 90 tons burthen; but of this Crew 9 are Blacks, which Negroes are no doubt all destined for sale; such practices having existed here when Vessels arrive from that part of Africa with wax, ivory, &c.; and a reference to their ages, and time of being at Sea, will prove this suspicion reasonable.

The Copy of the Protest, said to be made at Sea, shews, firstly, that the Carolina is called a Portuguese Schooner by her Officers, and secondly, that when the Cruizer was seen, the wind was so strong, that the Vessel could not, after a 12 hours' run to leeward, fetch into the Port of her destination. On the first, I have already recorded my doubts as to the Owners of the Vessel; and on the second point, I have to observe, that one of the Crew declared to me, that when the suspicious sail was seen, it was calm, and that the Carolina escaped by sweeping. I never could learn a description of the Cruizer, and therefore think the whole a fabrication.

The Copy of the Manifest merely shews, that these domestick Slaves were reported in the same way as untaught Negroes.

From the Report of the Chief Officer of the Custom-House (Cid,) it will be seen how ignorant and regardless he is of the Stipulations of the Treaty for abolishing the Trade to the Northward of the Line; and what futile arguments he produces to support the interests of those concerned in the Carolina's Voyage, for whose success he moreover evinces some desire.

The Judicial Report is inconclusive, because the Authorities have evaded a proper investigation. I have, &c.

H. Chamberlain, Esq.

ROBERT HESKETH.

(Note.) Since the above Despatch was sent to Rio de Janeiro, I have been informed that the tonnage of the Schooner Carolina is from 60 to 70 tons.

R. H.

(Enclosure 2, A.)-The President of the Province of Maranham to Mr. Consul Hesketh.-(Translation.)

SIR, Maranham, February 27, 1826. In answer to your Despatch of the 18th instant, I transmit Copies of all the Documents relative to the Slaves brought from Cacheu by the Schooner Carolina, belonging to the Widow and Sons of Major John Pereira Barreto. God preserve you.

Robert Hesketh, Esq.

PEDRO JOZE DA COSTA BARROS.

(Enclosure 2, B.)-Certificate of the Secretary of Government of Maranham.-(Translation.)

I, JOAQUIM FERREIRA FRANCA, Civil and Military Secretary of the Province of Maranham, &c. certify, in fulfilment of Orders, that there does not exist, in the Archives of this Secretary, any Royal" Avizo” relative to the defunct Major João Pereira Barreto, but that there is the following Certificate, issued from the Secretary of Government of the General Captainship of Cape de Verd, viz:-I, Jeronimo Martins Salgado, First Lieutenant of the Royal Corps of Engineers, Aide-deCamp and Secretary, ad interim, of the Government of the Captainship of Cape de Verd, &c. certify, that, on examining the Book, No. 22, in which are registered the Avizos sent from the Secretary of State's Office to this Government, there is registered, in page 165, an Avizo relating to the Petitioner, who has prayed for a Copy, and which is of the following tenour: The King our Lord, taking notice of what has been represented by "Sargento Mor," João Pereira Barreto, a Merchant, established in the Port of Cacheu, is pleased to concede unto him permission to go to the City of Maranham to attend to his health, taking with him his Sons, Manoel Francisco Caldas and An-` tonio Pereira Barreto, each of them being allowed to take all the Persons belonging to his family, and respective Slaves; all which I communicate to you, in order that, in conformity therewith, you may issue the requisite orders, so that the execution of this my Royal determination must not meet any obstacle from the necessity of proceeding in any new investigation, on events which recently occurred in that Port, and about which the above-mentioned João Pereira Barreto, his Sons, or any other Person of their respective