by which branch of the river they pass out into the open sea, or whether they remain concealed at some secret rendezvous, from whence their cargoes are conveyed to other vessels. Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. I have, &c. G. W. CROWE. (Inclosure.)-Dr. Barth to Consul-General Crowe. (Extract.) Gummel, March 15, 1851. PERHAPS you will have heard occasionally of the Americans at present visiting annually Nyffee (Nufi), and buying there slaves. It was already in Ghat that we heard these news, and every caravan that we met on the road confirmed them, though we could scarcely believe at first how the English cruizers should allow them to go up the Niger. In Kano I heard more about it. As soon as the rains, which set in in about 2 months and a-half, are swelling the waters of the so-called Niger or Kawara, these slave-dealers go up the river with large boats, sometimes even with small steamers, and buy a great number of slaves, at the price of from 60,000 to 80,000 cowries (60 to 80 dollars) each, partly with dollars, partly by exchanging them against their merchandize, which particularly consists in calico, beads, rum, gunpowder, and guns. This trade is going on quite regularly, and does not seem to be disturbed in any way; which can only be accounted for by the thick fog which sometimes is said to cover the whole country at the mouth of the Niger. The market of Kano, which entirely is supplied by the long road from the northern coast, is suffering greatly by this market of Nyffee, which, if it were confined to proper merchandize, would be a great satisfaction for everyone, as the Niger is the shortest and the natural way into the heart of Central Africa. Besides slaves, there is sold a great deal of natron in Nyffee, which is brought there in great quantity from Bornou, where there is plenty of natron, 2 days east from Mingo, on the road from here to Kuka; natron constituting a most important branch of trade in this country. G. W. Crowe, Esq. H. BARTH. No.645.-Consul-General Crowe to Visc. Palmerston.-(Rec. Mar.22.) I HAVE the satisfaction to state that during the last year the number of slaves embarked from this port for the Levant, was only 423, and it will be seen by the inclosed return, that there were exported from Bengazi, within the same period, 409, amounting together to 832; while, in the preceding year no less than 2,733 were shipped from these ports. This great reduction is to be attributed chiefly to the extraordinary increase in the employment of ivory as the principal article of exchange for European produce imported by Soudan, Bornou, and Wady. The quantity of ivory exported from this port alone having been upwards of 900 cwt., the value of which was about 19,0001. A large quantity was also exported from Bengazi. I fear, however, that this year the slave-dealers will have more numerous victims; many poor boys and girls are already arrived, and many more are on the road. The sufferings of these unhappy children on their long and painful journey across the Desert, are frightful. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, and cruel treatment often destroy one-fifth of their number. In a letter which I lately received from Vice-Consul Dickson, he states the melancholy fact that "The number of slaves that have perished this year during the journey between Ghat and this place (Ghadames), amounts to 17; and the aggregate from Soudan to about 80; being 20 per cent. I may also state that a Ghadamese merchant, by name Mahomed Boubekr, lost at Kano, within a few. days, as many as 130 slaves, who had recently arrived from Adamawa. The cause of death is attributed to their having eaten salt, an article to which it would appear they were wholly unaccustomed." Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. I have, &c. G. W. CROWE. (Inclosure.)-Return of the Negro Slaves exported from Bengazi No. 646. Viscount Palmerston to Sir Stratford Canning. Foreign Office, April 4, 1851. SIR, I HAVE received from Her Majesty's Consul in Albania an account of the proceedings which he took with respect to 11 Arab slaves, who were imported into Prevesa from Candia for sale, in the month of February last; and Her Majesty's Consul at the same time informed me that he had reported all the circumstances of the case to your Excellency. I have signified to Consul Saunders my approval of the proceedings which he took in this matter; and I conclude that your Excellency will have duly represented the case to the Turkish Government, and have urged them to put down these slave-markets at Candia and at Prevesa. H.E. Sir Stratford Canning. I am, &c. PALMERSTON. No. 647.-Sir Stratford Canning to Visc. Palmerston.-(Rec. May 3.) HAVING put Aali Pasha in possession of the correspondence which your Lordship transmitted to me respecting the increased exportation of negro slaves from Tripoli to Turkey, his Excellency assured me that he would bring the subject under the consideration of his colleagues. Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. I have, &c. STRATFORD CANNING. No. 648. Sir Stratford Canning to Visc. Palmerston. - (Rec. June 2.) MY LORD, Constantinople, May 19, 1851. I BEG to draw your Lordship's attention to the accompanying copies of 2 despatches addressed to me respectively by Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroom and Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Trebizond. One of these states that 80 Circassian slaves had been embarked for this capital in a Turkish Government steamer; and the other gives information of 3 Georgian children appropriated after circumcision by the Pasha of Erzeroom. I have communicated these despatches to Fuad Effendi, complaining of so gross a departure from the promise recently given to me in the Sultan's name, that His Majesty's vessels should not be employed in the conveyance of slaves, and directing the animadversion of the Porte against Hamdy Pasha, who, I am happy to say is, for other reasons, not destined to retain the Government of Erzeroom. Fuad Effendi drew a distinction between negroes and white slaves. He talked also of making an inquiry respecting the Georgian children. I have no expectation of redress in either case. I also sent the despatches to M. de Titoff, stating my intention of forwarding them to your Lordship. He expressed his conviction that Hamdy Pasha could not have acted with the connivance of the Russian Consul, and that the traffic in slaves from Circassia could not be prevented under the present social system of Turkey. Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. SIR, I have, &c. STRATFORD CANNING. (Inclosure 1.)-Consul Brant to Sir Stratford Canning. Erzeroom, May 5, 1851. It has only lately come to my knowledge that the Pasha purchased some time since 3 male children stolen in Georgia. It is said that they are Catholics, and have been forcibly circumcised. They are kept in the Pasha's harem with great secrecy; and further particulars I have not been able to learn. His Excellency Hamdy Pasha, in talking with Bidjan Pasha, asked him why he did not buy slaves, as he had such good opportunities in Childir. Bidjan Pasha replied that he had no inclination to bring upon him the complaints of the Russian Consul. Hamdy Pasha replied, that he would guarantee that no complaint should come from that quarter, as he was understood withthe Consul on the point, and that he had himself bought slaves with the connivance of the Consul. Bidjan Pasha reported this to a high Turkish functionary who is worthy of credit, and from him I heard it. I can give no further evidence of the Consul's connivance; but that 3 boys have been bought by Hamdy Pasha, have been circumcised, and are kept secretly in his harem, I have ascertained from many persons, and cannot doubt the fact. H.E. Sir Stratford Canning. SIR, I have, &c. J. BRANT. (Inclosure 2.)-Vice-Consul Stevens to Sir Stratford Canning. Trebizond, May 9, 1851. I HAVE the honour to report to your Excellency that the Turkish steamer Esseri Djedid, on departure to-day [for Constantinople, conveys upwards of 80 Circassian slaves, chiefly females, which recently arrived here from Circassia. These individuals have no passports and are true slaves. H.E. Sir Stratford Canning. I have, &c. F. STEVENS. No. 649.-Sir Stratford Canning to Visc. Palmerston. - (Rec. June 19.) A FEW days ago I received information from Her Majesty's Consul at Trebizond, that 82 Circassian or Georgian slaves had been embarked for Constantinople at that port in a Government steamer. I was also informed by Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroom, that Hamdy Pasha, Governor of that place, had procured 4 Georgian boys, whom he had caused to be circumcised and employed in the service of his harem. Mr. Brant, in conveying this circumstance to my knowledge, expressed his belief that the Pasha had acted on an understanding with the Russian Consul. I communicated both despatches to Fuad Effendi; and I also sent them to the Russian Envoy for his perusal. To the former I complained of so flagrant a departure from that promise which had been given to me in the Sultan's name, on the occasion of a cargo of negroes having been imported from Tripoli in the very same steam-vessel which had brought the Circassians from Trebizond. To the latter I made known my intention of sending the 2 despatches to your Lordship, who would probably communicate them to the Russian Government. Fuad Effendi drew a distinction between black and white slaves, affirming that the Sultan's promise was applicable only to the former class. He assured me, however, that the captain of the vessel in question would be reprimanded. M. de Titoff, in reply to my communication, said that there was no possibility of putting an end to the Circassian Slave Trade; but with respect to the Russian Consul's connivance at Hamdy Pasha's appropriation of the 4 Georgian boys, as stated above, he was convinced that no such thing had taken place, and that Mr. Brant must have laboured under some misapprehension. I agree so far with M. de Titoff as to believe that the difficulty of stopping the traffic in slaves from Circassia is next to an impossibility with respect to the enterprise of traders, and the reception of slaves in this country. But it is not quite so easy to understand why the Russian Government, whose prohibitive system in other points of national intercourse, appears to be so effectual, should allow itself to be puzzled by the difficulty of preventing the forcible exportation of its own subjects, and their sale in the markets of a neighbouring Power, within whose dominions every foreign Representative exercises, under Treaty, an almost complete jurisdiction over the subjects of his Sovereign. Copies of the despatches which I have referred to above are inclosed herewith. Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. I have, &c. STRATFORD CANNING. P.S.-Mr. F. I. Stephens informs me, under date of the 21st instant, that about 30 more Circassian slaves have been embarked at Trebizond in a Turkish steamer for Constantinople. S. C. No. 650.-Viscount Palmerston to Sir Stratford Canning. SIR, Foreign Office, July 11, 1851. HAVING received from Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroom a despatch dated the 5th of May last, in the same terms as that which he addressed to your Excellency on the same day, relative to the alleged purchase of Georgian slaves by Hamdy Pasha, with the connivance of the Russian Consul; and having instructed Her Majesty's Minister at St. Petersburgh to communicate that despatch to Count Nesselrode, I now transmit to your Excellency, for your information, a copy of a despatch which I have received from Lord Bloomfield, stating that Count Nesselrode has promised that inquiry shall be instituted without delay into the matter. Since the receipt of Mr. Brant's despatch I have received your Excellency's despatch dated the 27th of the same month, relative to the same subject; and I have to state to you that Her Majesty's |