SIR,

(Inclosure 1.)-Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to J. W. Croker, Esq. Foreign Office, January 12, 1826. Ir will be seen by the Despatches, marked 48 and 54 of Class B in the Papers on Slave-trade, submitted to Parliament in the year 1825, that a practice has prevailed in Brazil, of inserting in the passports given to Slave-vessels a permission that those Vessels may touch at Princes' Island and St. Thomas's, on their voyage to the Ports where they are yet, by Treaty, allowed to trade in Slaves.

His Majesty's Government having learned that a Slave-trade in places not permitted by Treaty has prevailed with impunity, in consequence of the facilities given by this permission, instructed Mr. Chamberlain to remonstrate against the practice: the Brazilian Government referred Mr. Chamberlain to the Stipulations of the Treaties between this Country and Portugal, as the proper basis whereby a check is to be given to Slave-trade illegally carried on by Brazilian Vessels.

Mr. Chamberlain, in a Despatch, of which I send you herewith a Copy, has therefore called the attention of the Brazilian Government to the Second Article of the Convention of 1817, and to the terms of the License authorized by that Convention; and has formally called upon the Brazilian Government to forbid the issue of Licenses to Slavevessels to touch at any other Ports or Places than those which, according to the existing Treaties, they are yet allowed to enter; namely, the Ports and Places claimed by the Crown of Portugal as her Territory on the Coast of Africa, to the South of the Equator.

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Canning to desire that you will be pleased to lay these Papers before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and move their Lordships to give directions for pointing out, to the attention and for the guidance of His Majesty's Naval Officers, the Stipulations here quoted in the Conventions above mentioned; so that, upon the meeting with any Vessels irregularly licensed, such Vessels may be dealt with according to Treaty, upon that particular point. I am, &c.

To the Secretary to the Admiralty.

JOSEPH PLANTA, JUN.

[For the other Inclosures, see Foreign Office Papers, Class B., Nos. 52 and 53, Pages 226, 228.]

SIR,

No. 6.—John Barrow, Esq. to Commodore Bullen, commanding His Majesty's Ships and Vessels on the Coast of Africa.

Admiralty Office, January 14, 1826.

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a Letter from Mr. Planta, with Copies of the Letters therein referred to, on the subject of Charters which have been offered to English Vessels to proceed

from Bahia to Places in Africa north of the Line, laden with articles usually shipped for the purpose of purchasing Slaves.

Commodore Bullen.

SIR,

(Inclosure.)—Joseph Planta, Jun. Esq. to J. W. Croker, Esq. Foreign Office, January 13, 1826. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Canning to send to you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the accompanying Copies of a Correspondence which has passed between this Department and His Majesty's Consul at Bahia, upon the subject of Charters which have been offered to English Vessels to proceed from that Port to Places in Africa North of the Line, laden with articles usually shipped for the purpose of purchasing Slaves.

To the Secretary to the Admiralty.

I am, &c.

JOSEPH PLANTA, JUN.

[For the other Inclosures, see Foreign Office Papers, Class B. Nos. 35, 37, 39, and 51, Pages 189, 192, 195, and 225.]

No. 7.-John Barrow, Esq. to Commodore Bullen, commanding His Majesty's Ships and Vessels on the Coast of Africa.

SIR,

Admiralty Office, February 25, 1826.

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for your information, an Extract of a Letter from Mr. Pennell, British Consul at Bahia, to His Majesty's Consul General at Rio Janeiro, with a Copy of its Inclosure, respecting a Spanish Schooner, the Carlota, suspected of being intended for the illegal Traffic in Slaves. I am, &c. Commodore Bullen.

JOHN BARROW. [For the Inclosures, See Foreign Office Papers, Class B. Inclosures A. and B. in No. 59, Page 233.]

No. 8.-Letter to the Commanders of all such of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels as have been ordered, from the 8th of April, 1825, to the 16th March, 1826, to proceed to either of the following Stations; viz., West Indies, South America, Cape of Good Hope, and East Indies.

SIR,

Admiralty Office,

182.

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for your information and guidance, a Copy of an Act, 5 Geo. IV. c. 113, intituled "An Act to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to the Abolition of the Slave Trade," and with reference to the Treaties which have been entered into with Spain and Portugal

for the prevention of an illicit Traffic in Slaves, and of which Copies are contained in the said Act. I am also to inclose to you 2 Instructions signed by their Lordships, authorizing you, in conformity with the Treaties, to search Vessels bearing those Flags; in doing which, as well as in the whole of your conduct towards such Vessels, you are to be strictly governed by the said Treaties, and the Instructions attached to them.

The foregoing Letter, with the Documents therein referred to, have been issued between the 8th of April, 1825, and the 16th of March, 1826, to the Commanders of the following Ships and Vessels of His Majesty:

SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Closing of the British Parliament, May 31, 1826.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

His Majesty commands us to inform you, that the state of the public business enabling His Majesty to close the Session at a period of the year the most convenient for a General Election, it is his Majesty's intention to dissolve, without delay, the present Parliament, and to direct the issue of Writs for calling a new one.

His Majesty cannot take leave of you, without commanding us to express His Majesty's deep sense of the zeal and public spirit which you have constantly displayed in the discharge of your several important functions.

His Majesty particularly acknowledges the promptitude and discretion with which you have applied yourselves to the objects specially recommended to you by His Majesty at the commencement of this Session; and His Majesty confidently hopes that the good effect of your deliberations will be manifested in the improved stability of public and private credit.

His Majesty has the satisfaction to inform you, that the distinguished skill, bravery, and success, with which the operations of the British Arms, in the Dominions of the King of Ava, have been carried on, have led to the signature, upon highly honourable terms, of a Preliminary Treaty with that Sovereign, which His Majesty has every

reason to expect will be the foundation of a secure and permanent Peace.

His Majesty further commands us to repeat to you, that His Majesty's earnest endeavours have continued to be unremittingly exerted to prevent the breaking out of Hostilities among Nations, and to put an end to those which still unhappily exist, as well in America as in Europe.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

His Majesty commands us to thank you for the Provision which you have made for the Service of the Year.

His Majesty's attention will be constantly directed to the Reduction of the Public Expenditure, in every degree that may be consistent with the due maintenance of the security, honour, and interests of His Kingdom.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

We are specially commanded to assure you, that His Majesty's paternal feelings have been deeply affected by the Distresses which have prevailed among the Manufacturing Classes of His Majesty's Subjects, and by the exemplary patience with which those Distresses have been generally borne.

His Majesty trusts that the causes out of which the partial stagnation of employment has arisen, are, under the blessing of Providence, in a course of gradual abatement.

His Majesty is confident, that your presence and example in your several Counties, will contribute to maintain and encourage the loyal and orderly spirit which pervades the great body of His People; and His Majesty relies upon your disposition to inculcate that harmony and mutual good-will among the several great interests of the Country, upon which the common prosperity of them all essentially depends.

ACT of the British Parliament, "to give effect to Treaties of Commerce with Countries in America not at present provided with National Merchant Shipping."

[7 Geo. 4. Cap. 5.]

[22nd March, 1826.] WHAREAS Treaties of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, have been concluded between His Majesty and the Republics of the States of the Rio de la Plata and of Colombia respectively: And whereas it is expedient to give effect to such parts of the said Treaties as require the sanction of Parliament; Be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that all Ships, of

whatever built, and in whatever way acquired, being duly owned and navigated as the Ships of the said Republics respectively, shall, for the term of of 7 years from the respective dates of such Treaties, be deemed to be the Ships of those Countries respectively, in all Places under British dominion, anything in the Law of Navigation to the contrary notwithstanding.

II. And whereas Treaties of the like nature may be concluded between His Majesty and other Countries in America not yet provided with National Merchant Shipping, built or acquired in manner required by the Law of Navigation: Be it therefore enacted, that all Ships, of whatever built, and in whatever way acquired, being duly owned and navigated as the Ships of particular Countries in America, shall be deemed to be the Ships of such Countries respectively, in all Places under British dominion, for any term not exceeding 7 years, agreed to in that behalf in any Treaty between His Majesty and any of such Countries respectively, anything in the Law of Navigation to the contrary notwithstanding.

ACT of the British Parliament "for the Registration of Aliens."

[7 Geo. 4, Cap. 54.]

[26th May, 1826.] WHEREAS in the 56th Year of the Reign of His late Majesty an Act was passed, (cap. 86) intituled An Act for establishing Regulations respecting Aliens arriving in or resident in this Kingdom, in certain cases, for 2 years from the passing of this Act, and until the end of the Session of Parliament in which the said 2 years shall expire, if Parliament shall be then sitting; whicn Act has by several subsequent Acts been continued, and will expire in the course of the present year: And whereas it is expedient that in lieu of the Regulations of the said Act, Provision shall be made for a complete Registration of all Aliens in this Realm; be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that every Alien who shall at the commencement of this Act be in this Realm, shall, on the same day, or within 14 days thereafter, make a Declaration in writing of his or her Place of abode, names, rank, occupation, and description; and if a Domestic Servant, then also the Place of abode, names, rank, and description of his or her Master or Mistress, and of the Country and Place from whence he or she came, or of which he or she is a Native, and of the time when he or she last came from Foreign Parts into this Realm; and shall, within the said 14 days, transmit such Declaration by the Post, if in Great Britain, to one of His