(Extract.) No. 7.-Captain Fisher to J. W. Croker, Esq. His Majesty's Ship Cherub, Princes' Island, 4th February, 1817. IN obedience to the Orders of Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo, I take the first opportunity of transmitting, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the proceedings of His Majesty's Ship under my command. On the 17th ultimo, she captured off Cape Lahon, the Portuguese Ship Esperanza, with 413 Slaves, taken on board at Whydah, in latitude 6° 20' N. in violation of the Treaty: having dispatched her for Sierra Leone, I arrived off Fort Apollonia, the weathermost of the British Forts, on the 21st, having been much delayed by calms, one of which lasted 13 days; having communicated with the Fort, and ascertained that all was well at the windward Forts, I proceeded for Cape Coast, communicating with Commenda; finding every where accounts of Piracies committed by large armed Schooners, generally showing Spanish Colours, but manned with Ruffians of all Nations. I enclose annexed an Extract from the Log of the American Schooner, John Willis, which had been plundered of all her provisions, and had seen an English Brig plundered of her provisions and stores, her sails unbent and taken away, and her standing rigging cut away. I found it necessary to supply him with a small quantity of provisions. Arrived at Cape Coast the 21st, at night, where I received further accounts of Piracies on the Coast by armed Schooners, and was informed by Governor Smith, that a large armed Spanish Ship, with 140 men, was Slaving in the immediate neighbourhood of the Company's Forts, and learned from various sources that she was in close correspondence with Governor Daendels of Fort Elmina, who supplied her with every thing necessary for carrying on the Slave Trade, and was supposed to be concerned in her, and that they had publicly expressed their wish to fall in with a British Man-of-War. I feel it my duty to state, that Governor-General Daendels, of Fort Elmina, gives every encouragement to the Slave Trade; two Portuguese Slave Vessels have been supplied with water and canvas there : his connexion with the Spanish Ship is unquestionable. This example has already had a serious influence upon the Natives living under our Forts. The French Slave Vessels are numerous: there are now three at Gaboon. (Enclosure.)-Log of the American Schooner, John Willis, of Boston, off Little Lesters. SUNDAY, 15th December, 1816.-Throughout moderate, agreeable weather; trading with the Natives for Ivory. At 8 A. M. observed a large Schooner under the Spanish Flag lying at anchor, 34 miles to leeward of us; to be under weigh at 45' past 8 a. M. He hailed and wished our Captain good morning, and desired we would sell him some bread, as he was going away, and had none on board; told him we could not spare any, as we were very short ourselves; he, however, dropt his anchor on our larboard beam, about 30 yards from us, and sent his boat on board with his first Officer, armed; they then took the afterhatches off, and took from us. viz. 2 puncheons of rum, 8 barrels of powder, 1 puncheon of bread, 12 kegs of lobsters, 12 kegs of tongues and sounds, 12 kegs of pickles, 12 bottles of porter, and 4 boxes of sperm candles; he hoisted out our boat to carry the things on board; they then prevailed upon two of our men to leave, and enter on board their Vessel, one by the name of Charles Green, a Prussian,—the other Gardener Turner, an American. The Vessel is a large, fast-sailing Schooner, about 200 tons; with a large Gun a-midships, and full of Men; she has also many Slaves. Monday, 16th December, 1816.—Commencing with moderate pleasant weather. At 3 P. M. the Schooner that robbed us got under weigh, and ran down to the anchorage she had left in the morning. At about 30 past 4, P. M., got under weigh for the leeward; as we past the English Brig Industry, Captain M'Connell, her boat came on board of us to buy a little bread, as the Spanish Schooner abovementioned had plundered them of all her Cargo and all their provisions, not even leaving them a single biscuit: they had also partly stript the rigging and sails from the Vessel, taking his Compasses and 9 of his Crew on board (Blacks) as Slaves. Middle part squally; at 3 A. M., a breeze off the land; obliged to run under easy sail, on account of being short-handed: ends with light airs and pleasant weather. Copied on board the John Willis, of Boston, off Fort Apollonia, this 20th day of January, 1817. 66 W. G. T. M. "WILLIAM VINCENT FOSTER. "Master of the John Willis, Schooner, of Boston." BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, prohibiting the Exportation of Gunpowder, Arms, Ammunition, &c. to Africa, to the West Indies, or to certain parts of the Continent of America.-2nd January, 1817. At the Court at Brighton, the 2nd of January, 1817. PRESENT, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT IN COUNCIL. WHEREAS the time limited by the Order of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent in Council, of the 3rd day of August last, for pro hibiting the Exportation out of this Kingdom, or carrying coastwise, Gunpowder or Saltpetre, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, will expire on the 13th day of February next; and whereas it is judged expedient that the said prohibition, so far as applies to the Countries hereinafter named, should be continued for some time louger; His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, and by and with the advice of His Majesty's Privy Council, doth therefore hereby order, require, prohibit and command, that no person or persons whatsoever, (except the Master-General of the Ordnance for His Majesty's Service) do, at any time during the space of 6 months, (to commence from the said 13th day of February next), presume to transport any Gunpowder or Salt-petre, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, to any Port or place on the Coast of Africa, or in the West Indies, or on any part of the Continent of America, (except to a Port or place, or Ports or places, in His Majesty's Territories or Possessions on the Continent of North America, or in the Territories of the United States of America), or ship or lade any Gunpowder or Salt-petre, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, on board any Ship or Vessel, in order to transporting the same into any such Ports or places on the Coast of Africa, or in the West Indies, or on the Continent of America (except as above excepted), without leave or permission in that behalf first obtained from His Majesty, or his Privy Council, upon pain of incurring and suffering the respective forfeitures and penalties inflicted by an Act, passed in the 29th year of His late Majesty's Reign, intituled "an Act to empower His Majesty to prohibit the exportation of Salt-petre, and to enforce the Law for empowering His Majesty to prohibit the exportation of Gunpowder, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, and also to empower His Majesty to restrain the carrying coastwise of Salt-petre, Gunpowder, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition; " and also by an Act passed in the 33rd year of His Majesty's Reign, cap. 2, intituled " an Act to enable His Majesty to restrain the exportation of Naval Stores, and more effectually to prevent the exportation of Salt-petre, Arms and Ammunition, when prohibited by Proclamation or Order in Council:" But it is His Royal Highness's pleasure, that nothing in this Order contained shall be construed to alter or repeal the Order in Council of the 20th of May, 1813, for regulating the export of Gunpowder and Arms to the Coast of Africa, under the conditions therein specified. And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the Master-General, and the rest of the principal Officers of the Ordnance, and His Majesty's Secretary at War, are to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain. JAS. BULLER. |