his attachment either to any of the Contracting Parties, or to any Government which has ceased to exist, or for any other reason except for debts contracted towards individuals, or acts posterior to the date of the present Treaty. · ARTICLE VII. The native inhabitants and aliens, of whatever nation or condition they may be, in those countries which are to change Sovereigns, as well in virtue of the present Convention as of subsequent arrangements to which it may give rise, shall be allowed a period of six years, reckoning from the exchange of the Ratifications, for the purpose of disposing of their property, if they think fit, whether it be acquired before or during the late war, and of retiring to whatever country they may choose. ARTICLE VIII. The Prince Sovereign of the United Netherlands, anxious to co-operate, in the most effectual manner, with His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, so as to bring about the total abolition of the trade in slaves on the coast of Africa, and having spontaneously issued a Decree on the 15th of June, 1814, wherein it is enjoined, that no ships or vessels whatever, destined for the trade in slaves, be cleared out or equipped in any of the harbours or places of His dominions, nor admitted to the forts or possessions on the coast of Guinea, and that no inhabitants of that country shall be sold or exposed as slaves,does moreover hereby engage to prohibit all His subjects, in the most effectual manner and by the most solemn laws, from taking any share whatsoever in such human traffic. ARTICLE IX. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be duly exchanged at London within three weeks from the date hereof, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof, we, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, in virtue of our respective full powers, have signed the present Convention, and have affixed thereto the seals of our arms. Done at London, this 13th day of August 1814. (L.S.) H. FAGEL. (L.S.) CASTLEREAGH. First Additional Article. In order the better to provide for the Defence and Incorporation of the Belgick Provinces with Holland, and also to provide, in conformity to the Ninth Article of the Treaty of Paris, a suitable compensation for the Rights ceded by His Swedish Majesty under the said Article, which compensation it is understood, in the event of the above Reunion, Holland should be liable to furnish, in pursuance of the above stipulations; It is hereby agreed between the High Contracting Parties, that His Britannick Majesty shall take upon Himself, and engage to defray the following charges ; Ist. The payment of One Million Sterling to Sweden in satisfaction of the claims aforesaid, and in pursuance of a Convention this day executed with His Swedish Majesty's Plenipotentiary to that effect, a Copy of which Convention is annexed to these Additional Articles. 2dly. The advance of Two Millions Sterling, to be applied, in concert with the Prince Sovereign of the Netherlands, and in aid of an equal Sum to be furnished by Him towards augmenting and improving the defences of the Low Countries. 3dly. To bear, equally with Holland, such further charges as may be agreed upon between the said High Contracting Parties and Their Allies, towards the final and satisfactory settlement of the Low Countries in union with Holland, and under the Dominion of the House of Orange, not exceeding, in the whole, the sum of Three Millions, to be defrayed by Great Britain. In consideration, and in satisfaction of the above engagements, as taken by His Britannick Majesty, the Prince Sovereign of the Netherlands agrees to cede in full Sovereignty to His Britannick Majesty, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Settlements of Demerary, Essequibo, and Berbice, upon the condition nevertheless, that the subjects of the said Sovereign Prince, being proprietors in the said Colonies or Settlements, shall be at liberty (under such Regulations as may hereafter be agreed upon in a Supplementary Convention) to carry on trade between the said Settlements and the Territories in Europe of the said Sovereign Prince. It is also agreed between the Two High Contracting Parties, that the ships of every kind belonging to Holland, shall have permission to resort freely to the Cape of Good Hope for the purposes of refreshment and repairs, without being liable to other charges than such as British subjects are required to pay. Second Additional Article. [The district of Bernagore, close to Calcutta, is ceded to the King of England for an annual payment to the Prince of Orange.] Third Additional Article. The present Additional Articles shall have the same force and validity as if they were inserted word for word in the Convention signed this day. They shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at the same time and place. In witness whereof, we the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed, and affixed to them the Seal of our Arms, Done at London, this Thirteenth day of August, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fourteen. (L.S.) CASTLEREAGH. (L.S.). H. FAGEL. Parl. Papers, Convention, 13th Aug. 1814, Presented to Parl., June 1815, p. 2. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ESTABLISHED. No. 17. Proclamation.-By His Excellency General the Right Hon. Lord CHARLES HENRY SOMERSET, etc. [5 July 1822.] WHEREAS it has been deemed expedient, with a view to the prosperity of this Settlement, that the Language of the Parent Country should be more universally diffused, and that a period should be now fixed, at which the English Language shall be exclusively used in all Judicial and Official Acts, Proceedings, and Business, within the same. The long and familiar intercourse which has happily taken place between the good Inhabitants of this Colony, and the very numerous British-born Subjects who have established themselves, or have been settled here, has already greatly facilitated a measure which is likely still more closely to unite the loyal Subjects of their common Sovereign. The system which I had previously adopted, with a view to this exigence of employing British-born Subjects, conversant in both languages, in the parochial duties of the Reformed Religion, as established in this Colony, has likewise paved the way to the amelioration now contemplated. It has pleased His Majesty most graciously to approve that measure, and to enable me to act more extensively upon it, not only by having commanded Clergymen of the Established Church of Scotland (whose religious tenets are precisely similar to those of the Reformed Church of this Country), who have received instruction in the Dutch Language, in Holland, to be sent hither to be placed in the vacant Churches, but by having authorised competent and respectable Instructors being employed at public expense, at every principal place throughout the Colony, for the purpose of facilitating the acquirement of the English Language to all classes of Society. These Teachers having now arrived, the moment appears favourable for giving full effect to His Majesty's Commands; and I, therefore, hereby order and direct, by virtue of the Power and Authority in me vested, that the English Language be exclusively used in all Judicial Acts and Proceedings, either in the Supreme or Inferior Courts of this Colony, from the Ist day of January of the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-seven; and that all Official Acts and Documents of the several Public Offices of this Government, (the Documents and Records of the Courts of Justice excepted) be drawn up and promulgated in the English Language, from and after the Ist day of January, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-five; and that all Documents prepared and issued from the Office of the Chief Secretary to this Government, be prepared in the English Language, from and after the 1st day of January next, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-three; from and after which periods, respectively, the English Language shall, in such Judicial and Official Acts and Proceedings, be exclusively adopted. [Etc.] Procls., etc., p. 558. THE FIRST COUNCIL APPOINTED. [2 May 1825.] No. 18. Proclamation.-By His Excellency the Right Hon. General Lord CHARLES HENRY SOMERSET, etc. WHEREAS His Majesty has been graciously pleased, by Instructions issued under His Signet and Sign Manual, with the Advice of His Privy Council, bearing date at Carlton House, the Ninth Day of February, 1825, to order and direct that a Council shall be established in this Colony, to advise and assist in the Administration of the Government thereof :-And whereas His Majesty has signified His Pleasure that the said Council shall be composed as follows, viz. : President, His Excellency the Governor or the Officer administering the Civil Government of the Colony for the time being. Members, The Chief Justice; the Colonial Secretary; the Officer next in Command, for the time being, to the Commander of the Forces; Lieutenant-Colonel Bell; Walter Bentinck, Esq., Auditor-General; J. W. Stoll, Esq., ReceiverGeneral. I do hereby make known and publish the same for the Information of all the Inhabitants of this Colony, and of all others whom it may concern. GOD SAVE THE KING. C. T. Gazette, 7 May 1825. [Annexure.] The Members of Council, appointed by His Majesty, having been summoned to attend at Government House on Wednesday last, were there severally sworn in, by His Excellency the Governor, under a Royal Salute. His Majesty's Commissioners of Inquiry, and many other Persons of distinction, were present. C. T. Gazette, Saturday, 7 May 1825. THE PAPER CURRENCY. [6 June 1825.] (Signed) G. R. C. H. SOMERSET. No. 19. Ordinance.-Of His Excellency the GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, for making British Silver Money a Legal Tender in Discharge of all Debts due to Individuals, and to Government, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar. WHEREAS His Majesty's Government has determined to establish the British Currency as the Circulating Medium of all the Colonial Possessions of the Crown, and has further been pleased to Order and Direct that the British Silver Money shall be a Legal Tender in this Colony, in discharge of all Debts due to Individuals and to the Public, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar, and so in proportion for any greater or less Sum, His Excellency the Governor in Council is pleased to Enact and Declare, that from and after the date of this Proclamation or Ordinance, British Silver Money shall be a Legal Tender in this Colony, in discharge of all Debts due to Individuals and to the Public, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar, and so in proportion for any greater or less. sum, His Excellency in Council has in consequence issued the necessary Instructions, that a Table or Scale shall be Printed forthwith, specifying the relative value of the Paper Rix-Dollar, and of all the lesser proportions thereof, with British Money, in order to regulate the Payment of the Established Government Duties, Fees, etc. until such time as New Schedules of Duties, etc. shall be made out. The Governor in Council is further pleased to Order and Direct, that from and after the 31st of December next, all Heads of Departments in this Colony, and all other Civil Servants therein, shall render their Accounts in British Money; and that all Contracts entered into, or Purchases effected by the 1 The Cape ordinances were numbered consecutively from 1825 till 1833. In 1834 and subsequent years there is a separate numbering for each year, |