LXIII. The Lord Chancellor, with the advice and assistance of the Master of the Rolls, the Lords Justices of the Court of Appeal in Chancery, and the Vice-Chancellors, or any 3 of them, may and they are hereby required from time to time to make General Rules and Orders for carrying the purposes of this Act into effect and for regulating the times and form and mode of procedure, and generally the practice of the said Court, in respect of the matters to which this Act relates, and for regulating the fees and allowances to all officers of the said Court and solicitors thereof in respect to such matters, and, so far as may be found expedient, for altering the course of proceeding hereinbefore prescribed in respect to the matters to which this Act relates, or any of them; and such Rules and Orders may from time to time be rescinded or altered by the like authority; and all such Rules and Orders shall take effect as General Orders of the said Court. LXIV. All General Rules and Orders of the Lord Chancellor, with such advice and assistance as aforesaid, shall immediately after the making and issuing thereof be laid before both Houses of Parliament, if Parliament be then sitting, or if Parliament be not then sitting, within 5 days after the next meeting thereof: provided always, that if either of the Houses of Parliament shall, by any resolution passed within 36 days after such Rules or Orders have been laid before such Houses of Parliament, resolve that the whole or any part of such Rules or Orders ought not to continue in force, in such case the whole, or such part thereof as shall be so included in such resolution, shall, from and after such resolution, cease to be binding. LXV. And whereas the present examiners of the Court have been heretofore appointed for the purpose only of taking the depositions of witnesses in private, and upon written interrogatories prepared by Counsel: and whereas the public examination of witnesses orally, under the provisions of this Act, will materially alter the nature of the duties and increase the responsibility of the said examiners: be it therefore enacted, that it shall be lawful for the Lord Chancellor, and he is hereby empowered, to order and direct a sum to be paid to each of the said examiners, out of the fund intituled "The Suitors' Fee Fund," from and after the 1st of November, 1852, such a sum as shall, together with the sums now payable, make up the annual sum of 1,500l.: provided always, that if either of the present examiners should feel himself unable, or should decline to continue his services in the same office upon the conditions provided under this Act, it shall be lawful for the Lord Chancellor to order to be paid to such examiner retiring an annuity of an amount not exceeding three-fourths of the salary which he has hitherto received. LXVI. In the construction of this Act, the words "Bill of Complaint" shall mean also and include information; the word "Affidavit" shall mean also and include affirmation; the expression "Lord Chancellor" shall mean and include the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, and Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of the United Kingdom for the time being; and the expression "General Order of the Lord Chancellor" shall mean General Order of the Lord Chancellor with such advice and assistance as aforesaid. LXVII. This Act shall commence and take effect from and after the 1st day of November, 1852; provided that it shall be lawful for the Lord Chancellor, with such advice and assistance as aforesaid, to make and issue any such General Rules or Orders as aforesaid, at any time after the passing of this Act, so as the same be not made to take effect before the time appointed for the commencement of this Act. SCHEDULE. Form of Indorsement on Bill of Complaint. VICTORIA R. To the within-named defendant C.D., greeting. We command you ["and every of you," where there is more than one defendant], that within 8 days after service hereof on you, exclusive of the day of such service, you cause an appearance to be entered for you in our High Court of Chancery to the within Bill of Complaint of the within-named A.B., and that you observe what our said Court shall direct. Witness ourself at Westminster, the in the year of our reign. Note. If you fail to comply with the above directions you will be liable to be arrested and imprisoned. day of Appearances are to be entered at the Record and Writ Clerks' Office, Chancery Lane, London. VICTORIA R. Form of Indorsement on Claim. To the within-named defendant C.D., greeting. We command you ["and every of you," where there is more than one defendant], that within 8 days after service hereof on you, exclusive of the day of such service, you cause an appearance to be entered for you in our High Court of Chancery to the within claim of the within-named A.B.; and further, that on the 14th day after the service hereof, or on the seal or motion day then next following, do personally or by Counsel appear in the Court of our Lord Chancellor before the Vice-Chancellor [naming him] [or, in the Court of our Master of the Rolls], at 10 of the clock in the fore you noon, and then and there show cause, if you can, why the said A.B. should not have such relief against you as is within claimed, or why such Order as shall be just with reference to the claim should not be made. Witness ourself at Westminster, the day of in the year of our reign. Note.-Appearances are to be entered at the Record and Writ Clerks' Office, Chancery Lane, London; and if you neglect to enter your appearance, and either personally or by your Counsel to appear in the High Court of Chancery at the place and on the day and hour above mentioned, you will be subject to such Order as the Court may think fit to make against you in your absence, for payment or satisfaction of the said claim, or as the nature and circumstances of the case may require. TREATIES, &c. between Great Britain and Native Chiefs and States on the West Coast of Africa, relative to the Slave Trade, Commerce, &c.-1851, 1852. (1.)-AGREEMENT between the Chiefs of Old Calabar and the Delegates of Slaves of the Qua Plantations.-Duke's Town, February 15, 1851. [Approved January 27, 1852. See Page 297.] At a meeting held this day at the King's House, Duke's Town, Old Calabar, the parties present being-John Beecroft, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty's Consul for the Bights of Benin and Biafra; James Newbergh Strange, Esq., Commander of Her Majesty's steamsloop Archer; Lieutenant Norman B. Bedingfeld, commanding Her 'Majesty's steam-vessel Jackal; the masters and supercargoes of the British merchant-vessels present; Archibong, King of Duke's Town, and his chiefs; and the delegates of the slaves of the Qua Plantations. It is hereby enacted and agreed to: ART. I. That the ancient Egbo Law of the country be strictly respected and adhered to within the jurisdiction of Duke Town. II. That no bodies of armed men come into the town on any pretence whatever. III. That no slave who has a master living shall chop blood* with other slaves (having no master), without special permission of the said master. * Chopping, or taking each other's blood; swearing to stand by each other under all circumstances. The ordeal performed by making a small hole in the skin, and sucking the blood. IV. That in the event of any slave belonging to any person in the town running away to the plantations, he or she shall be given up when demanded. V. That all combinations among slaves for interfering with the correction of any domestic servant by his or her master, be henceforth declared illegal. VI. That the law abolishing human sacrifices be hereby confirmed, and that the said law be not so interpreted as to interfere with the action of the criminal law of the country. VII. That in the event of the infringement of any Article of this Treaty, or of the law for abolishing human sacrifices, application for redress shall be made by the injured party to Her Britannic Majesty's Consul through any British Resident on the spot. Given under our hands, at the King's House, Duke's Town, Old Calabar, this 15th day of February, 1851. JOHN BEECROFT, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul. J. N. STRANGE, Commander, H.M.S. Archer. NORMAN B. BEDINGFELD, Lieutenant, Commanding H.M.S. Jackal. WM. TURNER, Master, Celma. JOHN SMITH, Master and Supercargo, Ambrosine. DAVID F. TODD, Clifton. EDWARD DAVIES, Abeona. JOHN H. KIRTLEY, Majestic. WM. HEARNE, Tapley. KING ARCHIBONG, and 23 others. (2.)-TREATY with the Chiefs of Rio Nunez.-Caniope, March 21, 1851. TREATY between John Francis Smyth, of the colony of Sierra Leone, Colonial Secretary; Robert Armstrong, also of the colony of Sierra Leone, Police Magistrate; and Benjamin Campbell, of the Isles de Los, within the said colony of Sierra Leone, Justice of the Peace, Commissioners duly authorized and empowered by his Excellency Norman Wm. Macdonald, Captain-General and Governor-inchief in and over the colony of Sierra Leone and its dependencies, Vice-Admiral and Chancellor, and Ordinary of the same, for and in behalf of Her Majesty Victoria, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c., and Lamina Towl, Chief of the Nalos, and other his chiefs. ART. I. There shall be peace between the subjects of the Queen of England and the subjects of the said Chief; and should any difference or dispute accidentally arise between them, it shall be referred to the Governor of Sierra Leone, and his decision shall be final and binding on all parties. II. The persons and property of all British subjects shall be inviolate, and no Semo country law or custom shall be put in force against them; neither shall they, if aggrieved, have recourse to any Semo country law or custom; they must lay their grievances before the Governor of Sierra Leone. III. British subjects are strictly prohibited from breaking the country laws, from interfering in any way with the disputes and quarrels of the native chiefs or their subjects, and from aiding, assisting, countenancing, or supporting them, directly or indirectly. IV. No persons whatever, Europeans or others, are to be permitted to establish themselves within the territories of the Chiefs parties thereto, for the purpose of carrying on or engaging in the Slave Trade; and the said Chiefs hereby empower the officers and forces of the Queen of England to expel all persons violating this clause from the territories of the said Chiefs, by force if need be; and to burn or otherwise destroy their barracoons or slave-factories; and to seize all boats, canoes, or vessels of any description found engaged either directly or indirectly in the Slave Trade, or in aiding or abetting that traffic within the waters belonging to the said Chiefs. V. The subjects of the Queen of England are hereby guaranteed the right of free and unrestricted legitimate traffic within the territories of the said Chiefs; and all rights and privileges heretofore enjoyed by them are hereby recognized and confirmed; they may buy or rent lands and houses, which shall not be entered upon without their free will and consent. VI. All privileges conferred upon the subjects of any foreign State or Power shall be considered as being equally granted to British subjects; and no privileges or rights shall be secured to the subjects of a foreign State, without being notified to the Governor of Sierra Leone, in order to such privilege or right being extended to the subjects of Her Majesty. VII. Her Majesty may appoint an Agent to visit or reside in the territories of the Chiefs, for the protection of her subjects, and for securing due adherence to the stipulations of this Treaty; and the person and property of such Agent shall be inviolate, and he shall receive all honour and protection. VIII. All complaints against British subjects must be made to Her Majesty's Agent, if there be one, or to the Governor of Sierra Leone; in either case accompanied by sufficient proof, in order that justice may be impartially done between all parties. IX. The ministers of the Christian religion shall be permitted to reside and exercise their calling within the territories of the said |