"informed Spaniards and Portuguese who "have been brought into this port, the annual importation was (in the beginning of 1810) "considered, at a moderate computation, to be

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40,000 for Brazil, 40,000 for the Havannah "and Cuba."* This estimate is confirmed, in some degree, by the increase that has taken place in the quantity of produce raised in Cuba, which can only be the result of a vast augmentation of the number of Slaves in that Colony." Indeed, in the Seminario Mercantil, a paper published at the Havannah, containing a list of the vessels that arrive, with the manifests of their cargoes, a greater number of Slaves from Africa is reported in a single fortnight, than according to Sir H. Wellesley's account, arrives in all the Spanish Settlements in a whole year. It is also true, that for want of those humane regulations to which British ships were subjected by the British Legislature, the, number of Slaves transported in the Spanish ships, exceeds all due regard to their proper. accommodation; and that the mortality among them, in the middle passage, is dreadful. In every point of view, therefore, the observation of the Commissioners, that the evil has been aggravated instead of being diminished, is incontrovertibly just; and the only consolation we can feel, in the present state of things, is,

Report, p. 3.

'that we have washed our own hands of this iniquity, and have set a good example to the other nations of Europe: for the Slave Trade, instead of being abolished, has only changed hands, and therefore we have hitherto done nothing for the practical advancement of the cause of humanity.

The same observation applies to the civilization and improvement of Africa; and indeed all parties agree, that the entire and universal Abolition of the Slave Trade, is a necessary preliminary to the accomplishment of that great object. This is the opinion of the Directors of the African Institution themselves; for in their eighth Report they state, that

"All that can be effected, in inducing particular states to renounce the traffic in Slaves, however important in itself, will produce but a very partial benefit to Africa, unless on the conclusion of a general peace, that renunciation should become general, and be adopted as a part of the standing policy of the great commonwealth of Europe."

The African Commissioners observe, that

"A general view of the subject will be amply sufficient in the present state of things, until the entire and effectual Abolition of the Slave Trade shall have afforded to the natives of Africa, a fair opportunity of shewing

whether personal security will stimulate them to any exertion for the improvement of their condition; or whether they will persist in submitting to no labour, further than to that small portion necessary for the cultivation of the lowest articles of human existence. This question, we are sorry to say, is still far from being fairly at issue, notwithstanding the enactments of the British and American Legislatures, and the benevolent interference of the Executive Government, and of numerous individuals in the former country. The Slave Trade is at present carried on to a vast extent; and as the continuation or suppression of this inhuman traffic appears to be the great hinge on which the future welfare of Africa turns, we shall begin with stating its present condition, and the obstacles which prevent, and probably will long prevent, its being put an end to."*

From a conviction that the continuance of the Slave Trade by any foreign power, would frustrate every attempt for the improvement and civilization of Africa, the African Institution appear to have devised a plan for putting an end to it at once; probably imagining that if all the vessels actually employed in it, were captured and condemned, others would be deterred from engaging in it, and the traffic be abandoned altogether. That Christianity may be propagated by persecution, has been the doctrine of some of the greatest saints in the Romish calen

→ Report, p. 1.

dar; and that humanity may be promoted by injustice, appears to be the doctrine of some modern zealots, who perhaps consider it laudable, in so good a cause, to act upon the injunc tion of our great dramatic bard:

"To do a great right, do a little wrong,

"And curb these cruel devils of their will."

Whether they were prompted by these pious motives, or acted in pure ignorance, they certainly framed commentaries on the Slave Trade Felony Act, and the treaties between Portugal and this country, which, by their influence with the public departments of Government, were transmitted to the commanding officers of His Majesty's ships of war on the West India and African stations, and to the different Courts of Vice-Admiralty, where they were received as official authorities; and under these new constructions of the law and the treaties, almost every vessel trading to or from the coast of Africa was condemned. The remonstrances of the Portuguese and Spaniards, against the spoliations thus committed upon their commerce, soon became too loud and frequent to be trifled with, and the proceedings of which they complained, were referred to the consideration of the law officers of the crown; when it appeared, that by what Dr. Thorpe calls “the ig"norant and muddy-headed confusion in which

"the institution mixed up the two treaties," they had sent out instructions, which violated every principle of justice and the law of nations. The legal talents of the learned Gentlemen who are members of the African Institution, stand in too high estimation to justify the epithets bestowed upon them by Dr. Thorpe, and render it much more probable that their feelings gave a bias to their judgment, than that they erred from ignoBe that as it may, new instructions, calculated to put a stop to these captures and condemnations, were framed by Lord Castlereagh, dated the 6th of May, 1813, and sent to the Admiralty, to be forwarded for the future government of His Majesty's cruizers.

rance.

The next consequence of this unprecedented act of the African Institution, was, that Lord Castlereagh felt himself under the necessity of concluding a Convention with the Portuguese Government, dated the 21st of January, 1815, by which it was agreed on the part of Great Britain, "that the sum of £300,000 should be paid in "London, to such person as the Prince Regent "of Portugal may appoint to receive the same; "which sum shall constitute a fund, to be employed under such regulations, and in such manner, as the said Prince Regent of Portugal may direct, in discharge of claims for Portuguese ships detained by British cruizers pre