So many British subjects being resident in the interior of the country, this measure has appeared to me to be the only effective one for making known to them the purport of that Act, therefore I trust it will meet your Lordship's approbation.

In my despatches of the 4th of August of last year, and of the 1st ultimo, of the present year, full information is given respecting the actual state of the laws relating to slavery in Venezuela; to which I have nothing to add excepting that greater zeal and activity in the execution of those laws might beneficially be displayed, especially by the local authorities.

I, however, beg to report to your Lordship, that some of the prin cipal estates in Venezuela, on which slave labour is in part employed, are under the terms of long leases, in the hands of British subjects, and are worked principally by British capital. The fact is notorious, although it would be scarcely possible to substantiate it by legal evidence; and it is for your Lordship to determine whether the hiring and employing slaves, after the passing of the Act in question, in cases not excepted by that Act, is comprised within the general prohibition against dealing in or holding slaves.

An estate situated in the province of Caracas, upon which there are numerous slaves, is, I have every reason to believe, the property of British subjects, or of a British firm established in London, and, under the management of a British subject, is worked by British capital; but I have also reason to believe that such British subjects became entitled to this property in 1828, in liquidation of a debt, therefore prior even to the extinction of slavery in the British dominions.

It is not uncommon for British subjects in Venezuela to purchase, hire, and employ slaves as domestic servants; and without any positive evidence of the fact, I incur little risk in assuming, that they also purchase or hire them for employment on estates, and in other occupations.

As regards slaves acquired after the Act 6 and 7 Vict., cap. 98, coming into operation, I presume British subjects would not be entitled to claim the protection of this Legation, or of Her Majesty's Consulates, in the event of wrong or injustice being done to them in respect of such property; but I submit this point to your Lordship's decision. Also whether the commission of either of the acts of dealing or trading in, purchasing, selling, bartering, or transferring slaves, excepting where by the Act itself special exceptions are made to the general prohibition, would deprive British subjects of the protection of Her Majesty's Government in any case arising out of such transactions, or in respect of any property or estate belonging to or rented by them, on which such slaves are employed, in violation of the laws of England. And what course ought a Consul to pursue, in respect to slaves included amongst the effects of a British subject

dying without will or testament, in the event of his being officially called upon to take charge of, or to administer to, such effects.

Your Lordship has been informed, by my despatches before cited, that the children of female slaves born after the 19th of July, 1821, are free; nevertheless, save in exceptional cases, they are bound to work for the owners of their mothers until the age of 18, in respect of those born prior to the 2nd of October, 1830; and to the age of 21, in respect of those born after that date; and on the expiration of these periods respectively, they are apprenticed to trades, or rural occupations, until the age of 25, when they enter upon the unrestricted enjoyment of their freedom.

The first period, that is, until the children arrive, as the case may be, at the ages of 18 or 21, I consider to be practically a state of slavery; the second period is one of compulsory labour, under the denomination of apprenticeship; but as the law in respect to apprentices is at present enforced, that state cannot, I think, strictly speaking, be considered as an absolute state of slavery, because the apprentices receive wages for their services, although less than the current rate for free labour; and because, by a recent declaration of the Government, they are not bound to apprentice themselves to the owners of their mothers, or former patrons, if they are unwilling to do so, and can find any other persons to receive them as apprentices.

But as a considerable number of the persons employed by British subjects on estates rented by them belong to one or other of the 2 classes above described, they will be naturally anxious to know whether it is lawful for them to purchase or hire such services.

There is a third species of transaction, which in practice has been found to work beneficially, tending greatly to diminish the number of slaves, but concerning the legality of which it is nevertheless desirable to remove the possibility of any doubt. I have described such transactions in my before-cited despatch of the 4th of August, of last year, but will again do so.

The price of slaves is regulated by a legal tariff, according to age, without distinction of sex; and no owner can refuse to manumit a slave who offers to pay to him his or her legal value. Therefore a person satisfied of the good conduct of a slave, and desirous to obtain his services, advances the requisite funds to enable him to purchase his freedom, on his assurance that on obtaining it he will remain with the lender as a free servant, at the usual rate of wages paid for free labour, until he has repaid out of his wages, or otherwise, the sum advanced to procure his liberty. On becoming free he enters into a civil contract to this effect, unless, as often occurs, free persons are willing to become sureties for the repayment of the money; but in no case can he be again subjected to a state of slavery, or in any respect be treated as a slave.

Females are very frequently the object of such transactions; and the services of children of slaves, until they attain the ages of 18 or 21, in the cases before described, as well as of apprentices, are in like manner obtained; and since domestic servants in the Caracas are chiefly slaves, or else belong to one or other of these 2 classes, it is most difficult and expensive to procure free servants, which is not the case in other Spanish American capitals, as Santiago de Chile, Sucre, Lima, Quito, Bogota, or Mexico.

British vessels, I conceive, cannot lawfully receive on board and convey a slave accompanying his master in the character of a domestic servant from one part of the Venezuelan coast to another part of that coast; but as a contrary opinion exists, it is advisable to obtain your Lordship's decision upon the subject.

However unwilling I am to intrude upon your Lordship's time, all the above points being of considerable importance to British residents in Venezuela, I have ventured to submit them to your Lordship's consideration,

Herewith I beg also to inclose copies of 2 circulars which I have addressed to the British Consuls in Venezuela in reference to these Acts.

The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T.

I have, &c.
BELFORD HINTON WILSON.

(Inclosure 1.)—Extract from the “El Liberal” of April 2, 1844.

NOTICE.

H.B.M. Legation, Caracas, March 25, 1844.

BELFORD HINTON WILSON, Esquire, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires to the Republic of Venezuela, hereby requests the serious attention of all Her Majesty's subjects resident in the said Republic, to an Act passed during last session of Parliament, 6 and 7 Vict., cap. 98, entitled "An Act for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade."

By this Act it is declared, among other things, that all the provisions of the consolidated Slave Trade Act, 5 Geo. IV, cap. 113, as well as of the present Act above recited, shall from and after the coming into operation of this Act, be deemed to extend and apply to British subjects wheresoever residing or being, and whether within the dominions of the British Crown or of any foreign country; and all the matters and things prohibited by the said consolidated Slave Trade Act or by the said Act for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade, when committed by British subjects, whether within the dominions of the British Crown or in any foreign country, shall be deemed and taken to be offences committed against the said several Acts respectively, and shall be dealt with and punished accordingly.

Amongst other things, it is made unlawful by these Acts to ship, tranship, embark, receive, detain, confine on board of vessels or boats

ány persons as slaves, or to contract for, to lend or advance, or become security for the loan or advance of money, goods, or effects, employed or to be employed in slave-dealings; or directly or indirectly to be concerned in any way, as a partner, agent, or otherwise, in the accomplishment of such matters and things, and of certain other practices tending to promote and encourage the Slave Trade; and more especially it is made unlawful for any British subject, wherever he or she may be, to be employed in dealing, or in trading in, purchasing, selling, bartering, or transferring slaves, excepting where by the Act itself special exceptions are made to the general prohibition.

Copies of these Acts may be seen and read, and copies thereof may be taken, by any British subject, on application at Her Majesty's Legation at Caracas, or at the British Vice-Consulate at La Guayra, on any day, Sundays excepted.

SIR,

BELFORD HINTON WILSON.

(Inclosure 2.)-Mr. Wilson to the British Vice-Consuls.

(Circular.) Caracas, March 12, 1844. I SHALL feel obliged by your stating in reply, whether it is the practice of the Foreign Office to address to you despatches upon the subject of the Slave Trade, and more especially whether you have received Lord Aberdeen's despatch, of the 31st of December of last year, inclosing 2 copies of the 6 and 7 Vict., cap. 98, by which, amongst other matters, British subjects resident in foreign countries are prohibited from holding or dealing in slaves, and which despatch and inclosure are to serve as Inclosures 22 B, and 22 C, to General Consular Instructions.

Should you have received this Circular, you will be pleased to inform me of the steps taken by you for communicating to British subjects the provisions of the Act above-mentioned.

The British Vice-Consuls.

I have, &c.

BELFORD HINTON WILSON.

SIR,

(Inclosure 3.)-Mr. Wilson to the British Vice-Consuls.

(Circular.) Caracas, April 2, 1844. I HAVE drawn up a public notice which I have caused to be published in the Liberal, one of the principal journals of this capital, calling the serious attention of Her Majesty's subjects to the provisions of the Act 6 and 7 Vict., cap. 98, "for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade," and stating that a copy of this Act may be seen and read, and a copy thereof taken, by any British subject, on application at this Legation, or at the Vice-Consulate at La Guayra.

I shall feel obliged by your affixing the inclosed copy of this notice in some conspicuous place in your office, and by your taking all proper

steps for making its purport known to Her Majesty's subjects resident within your Vice-Consulate.

In the event of your having been furnished by the Foreign Office with a copy of the aforesaid Act of Parliament, you will doubtless have acquainted Her Majesty's subjects within your Vice-Consulate that they may read, and take a copy of it, upon application at your office; but if you have not done so, I have to request that you will immediately issue a notification to that effect.

The British Vice-Consuls.

SIR,

I have, &c.

BELFORD HINTON WILSON:

No. 457.-The Earl of Aberdeen to Mr. Wilson.

Foreign Office, August 12, 1844. I HAVE received, and have referred to the law advisers of the Crown, your despatch of the 2nd April last, stating the steps which you had taken in pursuance of my instruction of the 31st December last, upon the Act 6 and 7 Vict., cap. 98, entitled "An Act for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade," and desiring further instructions on several points arising out of the construction of the Act in question.

Her Majesty's law officers have reported their opinion, that no specific instructions can be given upon the various points suggested in your despatch above-mentioned. They observe, that the application of the law to any case of the buying or selling of a slave, must depend on the facts and circumstances of that particular case, and that it is impossible beforehand to lay down any general rule as to the applicability of laws so highly penal as those against the Slave Trade.

7. Aali Effendi to the Earl of Aberdeen Aug. 15 Slaves landed from

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8

Turkish vessel driven into Zante by distress, and made free; compensation claimed..

606

8. The Earl of Aberdeen to Aali Effendi Sept. 27 Reply to the preceding.... 607

22. Mr. Niven Kerr to the Earl of Dec. 2 British protégés in Cyprus

Aberdeen

1844

23. The Earl of Aberdeen to Mr. Niven July 10

Kerr

are in the habit of purchasing slaves Reply to the preceding: to withdraw protection if persisted in

608

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