Star. — London, England, 1820-12-28 00:00:00

a- "4' • 4 • • \ • . • • N. • lap VIBE MONTH4N MAGAZINE, to be published Monday Next;-as: es. will contain some ipteresting En grAvings and Its usual variety of Original and useful Matter.. In puhlishing this announcement, the Editor scarcely need avail himself of the opportunity to put on their guard that intel ligent portion of the Public, to whom his Unitas have always I been addressed, against the exclusive assumptions of a certain ,sac* Monthly Magazine, the distoried aikido') of its original, which, atter the manner of other piratical evasions to effect kindred party purposes, is empirically forced on public notice. The Editor of the Monthly Magazine trusts, however, that he shall continue to remain united with his readers by all the ties which arise trout similarity and consistency of public principle, and superiority of literary interest; and that an unworthy And crafty attcmpt to deceive the unwary, by taking advantage of the title of an established Work, will be defeated by the justice and discernment of the Public.—Bridge-street, Dec. 27, 1820. SLAVE TRADE. " SIERRA LEONE, N0V:,13,1820. " I shall rejoice to find that your application to Mr. Wilberforce will be attended to, and I trust that that humansi,Statesmair 'will use his powerful influ ence in Parliainent to effect an immediate and total abolition of African slavery. But I fear that his Maje.sty's Ministers carelittle or nothing either about Africa or. its ihfant commerce. As a proof of this assertion, I need only refer you to the 'proceedings of Lord Castlereagh* respecting the ceding of Serie, gal and Goree to France. By the single dash of his, Lordship's pen he consigned_ to slavery many mil lions of our fellow -creatures,. And the hoisting of the white flag on the ramparts of St. Louis and Gores was at once the signal for commencing the most murderous slave traffic, from Cape ,131anco to Cape Verge; that ever was seen in Africa or any other part of the world. You can form no idea of the great change in the people who compose the nations in the neighbourhood of Senegal and Goree. You may recollect with what confidence of safety we used to travel into the empire of Damal among its harm less subjects, into the kingdoms of Trazars, Brahnas, and other nations, while the British flag waved over Senegal and Gores : but these days are gone, and hundreds of the youths who used to surround our tents to sell their palm wine, fowls, melons, &c. are now chained in the slave yards of Senegal and Goree,_ or lashed together with ropes and iron in the holds of slave ships, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. " Two or three slave vessels belonging to France have been captured by our cruizers, and sent up to Senegal to the French Authorities: the miserable beings found on board were re-landed, and told their tale of woe to their countrymen: the cargo having consisted of people from several nations, their inhu man treatment was speedily propagated in the inte rior. This circumstance, together with the burning and kidnapping system of the French slave-dealers, has cawed the present destructive wars between the French in Senegal and the neighbouring nations. " You are most egregiously mistaken in supposing that the French have abridged their Slave Trade, for it is now carried on under their flag to a greater ex tent than ever. Had I time, I would give you a de tail of the shipment of slaves made by the Senegal and Goree traders since my last; but this I must de fer until the next opportunity. The grand depot for exportation now is Bissoa: from hence the French residing in Senegal and Goree have lately dispatched several vessels with full cargoes of slaves. I saw, myself, while there in March last, a French brigan tine (I have forgotten the name), commanded by Capt. Ccnyam, belonging to Mr. Mill, an officer in , the French civil department in St. Louis (Senegal), sail with a full cargo of slaves; and Mr. Gabbari, the Portuguese Commandant in Isissoa, was shipping another cargo, chiefly youths, on board a large Spa nish brig from Havannah. Being an Englishman, I dreaded going ashore in a place almost entirely in habited by dealers in human creatures. On my land ing I beheld such a scene of misery and woe as I hope I shall never again witness. It would require the pen of a Shakspeare to delineate the horrors at tending the embarking and stowing slaves at Bissoa. The screams of the females, the piercing shrieks of the parents, the. horrid oaths of the unfeeling Eu ropeans, and the noise of the chains, can only be equalled in Pandemonium itself. o Mr. Mill's vessel landed almost all her Largo in Senegal and Gorce, from which places the slaves were sent oveiland, and down the coast from Joal and Goree, by small- trading vessels, to Bissoa, which has now become the grand emporium of the windward Slave Trade. Mr. Mill, being an Officer under the French Government in St. Louis, was, by his situa tion, enabled to adopt this plan ; but in general the French slave-dealers in Senegal are now obliged to embark their slaves either at Little Portendick, Joal, or the Island of Bissoa, from which ports they ire sent to the Cape de Verd Islands, to be shipped off for theirafinal destination. " How long will these scenes of iniquity and mur der be permitted by Great Britain ? Will none of our enlightened Statesmen boldly come forward, and at once insist upon an end being put to this mere mockery of abolition ? I hesitate not to assert, that one hundred who are now exported in this illicit traffic endure more cruelty and inhumanity, both in the way in which they are kidnapped, and during their painful passage across the Atlantic, than a thousand_ did during the time while the trade was general. Then there were proper regulations and fit ships to transport the poor unfortunate victims to the West Indies; but now, while the unsuspecting Afri cans have committed their bodies to the slumbers of the night, their straw huts are suddenly set in flames, in trying to escape from which they are immediately seized by a gang of the slave-dealers' agents, and within a few hours safely chained in the holds of fast sailing schooners. I have seen one of these vessels, measuring only ninety tons, which had actually one hundred and ninety-six slaves on board. o By our last letters from St. Mary's, Gambia, I find that our lawful commerce has suffered greatly during the last year : the wars caused by the re viving of the French Slave Trade to windward, have almost put an end to the gold and hide trade. None of the inlaid traders dare venture near the coast for fear of the kidnapping slave-dealers. " You have, no doubt, heard of a vessel being taken by Sir George Collier, whose Captain, during the chace, actually stowed the slaves he had on board into water puncheons : Sir George discovered this villainy himself. The notbrious Mons. Dupuy, who last year shipped so many slaves from Goree, and actually branded them with a hot iron, has lately paid the debt of nature. 44 Belem e I conclude, let me entreat you, for the sake 1 1 , ' 40 , „ ' of humanity and for your own interest, to draw up aI proper statement of the Sliie Trade - carried on at, Senegal. Gorse, Bissoa, and the Rio Pongas, and-gtt the matter brought before the House of Commons immediately. Either lawful commerce with Africa or the Slave Trade must be given up : they can no longer exist together. {4 Ik" g i ll 1 4 4 ' 14AESISO STAR. sLORDC(N. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1820. Mix Ito:um:Ts' DAY.—Holiday at the Bank. It is reported this morning that Lord HARROWBY has resigned his office of President of the Council : Another symptom of the approaching dissolution of the present Ministry. So many Members of Parliament have written to the Treasury, stating that business. of one kind or other well prevent their attendance OR the 23d Ja puary, but that they will attend as soon Vier as por.. sible, that it is inderstood to be a matter of doubt among Minhters themselves, whether it may not , be necessary to announce, in the Gazdte, a further Pro rogation to ,a later day. We would not be at all surprised to find this measure adopted ; for it is well known, that many of the Members, who never hesi tated about the propriety of voting with Ministers on every question, have now many doubts respecting the wisdom of their measures. ' There is a rumour in circulation, of at least as much importance as the foregoing :--A correspond ence, it is said, has for some time been carrying on between the greater part of the Italian States mad the Court of France, the object of which is to make corn_ mon cause with the latter in resisting Austria, should that Power send troops into Italy. Whether France has acceded to the proposition, is not said but the very circumstance of this arrangement being' though possible, goes far to shew that France canno t have recommended the King of NAPLES to give the Allied Sovereigns a Meeting at Laybach. A very singular piece of intelligence respecting the King of NAPLES is stated in letters from Paris, re ceived by respectable Commercial Houses in the City. According to these letters, the Parliament of Naples has consented to allow the KING to attend the con• ferences of the Allied Sovereigns, and give them the meeting at Laybach, according to their request. A positive refusal was, at first, given to the demand of the Holy Allies; but, on a second communication being made, with further elucidations and additional data, the Parliament resolved that the KING might attend the conferences, to which he had been so pressingly invited. When the request of the Ames was first made known to the world, we stated our opinion that it would be impossible for the Neapolitans to_ suffer it to be complied with ; and we gave as our reasons, the possible use that might be made of the posses sion of the K . ING'S person, which would enable the Allies to issue what Protests and Proclamations they might think fit, in his name—a possibility to which the Neapolitan Parliament can hardly be supposed so foolish as to contribute. Such was then, and is still our opinion. It is supposed possible, indeed, that the Neapolitan Government may have obtained the guarantee of France for the safety of the KING'S person :—this may or maynot be fact ; but even had they also obtained that of England, the person of the KING can nowhere be so safe as with his People. —The proposal rests on no reasonable foundation. If the Allied Monarchs wish to speak with the KING, they can have that satisfaction by paying him per sonally a visit at Naples. The one proposition is just as reasonable as the other. Their persons will be more safe at Naples than his could be at Laybach, or at any other place out of his own kingdom. Besides the reasons which we have stated, and which are obvious, why this intelligence cannot be received as correct, there are others whfch equally oppose it: the KING, in fact, has retired from all business, being now in the seventieth year of his age,' and everything respecting the refozmation of the kingdom has been committed, by his MAJESTY, to his Son, under the emphatic title of " Alter Ego," literally, " Another Self." And " though last, not least," there is another rea son—The Allied Sovereigns have no right to inter fere with the internal affairs of any other than their Own States: and to send the KING to Laybach would' be to admit that they have such a right—a doctrine which, to the great sorrow of the exclusively legiti mate, is now growing obsolete, and which will never more be recognized by the people of Spain, Por tugal, and Naples. Letters from Lima of the 9th September mention, that.the country was threatened with an attack from Chili, but they do not state SAN MARTIN had landed his troops on the coast. The new Constitution of 'Spain had been proclaimed in the most enthusiastic manner, and the VICEROY had a force of 10,000 men for the defence of the Viceroyalty. Our Readers have already been informed of the measures adopted by a Mr. BLANSHARD to get up, at Northallerton, a snug " Patriotic and Loyal Ad dress to his MAJESTY r and that, in consequence of Mr. WivtrA., Member for die City of Yolk, having publicly announced his intention to attend, and 4 16 444 .~ li. irked the Noblemen, Gentlerrrn, &c. of the North ,Riding of Yorkshire also to attend, Mr. Br;i4tsumto had, in consequence, been frightened from hit pur pose, and-published a notice that the said intended Meeting was poitponed. The Meeting, however, did take place, and the result has been such as might be expected wherever the real sentiments of the People are suffered to be openly expressed. We have given an ample detail of the proceedings in another part of our Paper. While on the subject of the labours of the Ultras, we beg to direct the attention of our Readers to a late edifying letter from the Rector of St. Andrew's, Holborn, to Mr. Alderman WAITHDIAN, end the answer, also given in our columns this day. To the great amazement of the Anti-Queenists, The Courier has, at length, found out, that the agitation of such questions as lately occupied the sagacity of the House of Peels " is one step to immorality, and con sequently io vice; for it lets loose the mind, and dis engages it from that entire restraint with which un tainted and undeviating modesty guarded it before. This is neither more nor less than the first aim and art of every sed ucer. He gradually introduces immorality, and makes it familiar to the mind, for the purpose of loosening the bars of chastity, and lulling to slumber the watchfulness of virtue, before he can make it his prey. But, besides the evil tendency of habituating the ears and tongues of women to subjects connected with depravity, it lessens their value as companions, and dissipates their charms in society ! ! !"—Yes, The Courier !—7 he Courier! ! inserted last night a letter. which the Editor characterised as temperate and un answerable, containing the above sentence. Now, ii the single publication of any species of immorality, calculated to " habituate the ears and tongues of woMen to subjects connected with depravity, is one step to immorality, and consequently to vice," a proposition which' The Courier holds to be true and unanswer able, what opinion must the Public hold of a Journal which could sin so deeply, day after day, in spite of conviction of its evil tendency, in doing everything in its power to habituate !he ears and tongues of the chaste women of England to subjects connected with the vilest depravity? BRIGHTON, DECEMBER 25. f_ ~. ~. E_.. Divine Service was performed in Marlborough row, in the presence of the SOVEREIGN and his fa mily this morning. The Sacrament was adminis tered to his MAJESTY by the Dean of HEREFORD.— The KING subsequently promenaded the enclosed grounds, although the weather was piercingly cold, a sharp north-east wi.nd prevailing. DEC. 26.—The weather to-day has been quite as severe as was that of yesterday, with the cutting breeze more from the northern, but without any fall of rain or snow. The KING, as yesterday, paraded the enclosed lawn, walking with a firm step, and cheer ful air, and appearing much to enjoy the exercise. Yesterday morning, Viscount CASTLEREAGH came to town from his seat at North Cray, Kent, and transacted business at the Foreign Office. The Duke of YORK left town yesterday morning about ten o'clock, on a visit to the Earl of 'WEST MORLAND, at his seat at Apthorpe, near Walmes ford, in Northamptonshire. Yesterday the Princess SOPHIA visited the Duchess of CLARENCE and the Infant Princess ELIZABETHe-- We are happy to say the Royal Duchess and the Infant had passed a very good night, and were going on extremely well. Colonel FITZCLARENCE and his Lady are spending the Christmas at Petworth, the splendid seat of the Earl of ECRESIONT. Sunday last the Duke of WELLINGTON accompa nied Lord COMRERMERE to Audlem Church, and afterwards rode with him to visit their brother hero, Lord HILL, at Sir JOHN HILL'S magnificent seat at Hawkestone. His Grace was expected at Chester yesterday, and on leaving that ancient City proceeds for Northamptonshire. A grand Subscription Ball is to be g iven in the Upper Rooms at Bath, in aid of the hinds of the Asylum established there, for the protection and education of Female Under-servants, of which the Dowager Countess BELMOR E, Dowager Lady FORD, Lady JANE JAMES, Lady BATEMAN, and Lady ACK-- LAND, are the Lady Patronesses. It is evident that our Monthly Periodical Literature is about to assume an importance far beyond that which it has hitherto enjoyed. Independent of the talent and influence of the present Editor of the New Monthly Magazine, we hear that its plan, commencing with the New Series, on the Ist of January, will he consi derably enlarged and improved ; that the Original Papers will be printed in a larger letter, similar to those in the Quarterly Reviews, and the Register part only will remain in double columns, and be bound up separately, making three volumes in the course of the year. From an official document it appears, that in the year 1815, between 400 and 500 widows, in the pro. vince of Bengal, had voluntarily sacrificed themselves on the funeral piles of their - husbands ; in 1816; up wards of 600 ; and in 1817, 706. The confectioners of the Metropolis were actively employed yesterday in filling their cellars with ice ; the produce of the last two days frost. A few evenings since three individuals, at an Inn, in a corporate town in Gloucestershire, drank six bottles of wine, 12 bottles of porter, and 36 quarts of cider, at one sitting: after which they supped to gether, and drank a glass of brandy acid water each! A horse, the property or Mr. Pm LLINIORX, of Dor setshirc-street, was backed yesterday for 50 guineas, to trot one mile in three minutes and ten seconds, . being at the rate of more than 18 mi!cs an hour. The ground was on the new road between Hounslow and Sunbuty•common. The horse went off in great form, having gone 50 yards back to take the starti and won cleverly, having three seconds to spare. - *- • I.* .~, . PALEMBANG. The frustration of the Dutch Expedifon against P. , . lembang has been for some time known; but as the particularshave not yet been published, the following, translated from the Batavian Courant of Nov. 20, will prove acceptable to many of our Readers: BATAVIA, Nov. 19, 1819.—The Government have received intelligence from the Expedition at Palem bang, by which it appears, that on going up the river of that place they met with impediments which, it seems, cannot be removed; but - by slow and difE- cult operations. The Rear-Admiral, Walterbeck, had therefore judged it advisable and expedient, for the preservation of the health of the troops and Crews, . _ that for the present all further undertakings in that quarter should cease ; and, during the present 'un favourable season, that he should station himself at the mouth of ?he River Soensang, which resolntien .had, on the 4th instant, actually taken effect. The following is a connected account of what hap pened to the Expedition, since their arrival at Man tok, on the Island of Banco, about the end' of the month of August: " Immediately after the ships of the Expedition had anchored in the harbour of Mantok, the Rear-Ad- miral, Walterbeck; took information respecting the depth in the mouth of the River of Palembang, when it was found that the bank lying there could not be passed over by his Majesty's frigate Willejnine, and other large ships, with the springs of the 4th and 19th of September, on account of which all their endeavours had hitherto miscarried ; and it was nct until the 30th of the same Month, that all the ships of the Expedition could get over the bank and into the River. The taking out and hoisting in again the ships' guns, the dividing of the troops, and the filling up all the water casks that had been emp tied to lighten them, delayed the Expedition till the 10th of October, on which day they began to work up into the River. The difficulties they met with were almost innumerable ; the strong current of the River, the shallowness of the water at many places, and the continual care required to send off the floating fire•rafts, were the cause that the ships advanced but slowly; whilst, at the same time, the great fatigues and almost incessant rains, to which the troops and crews were day and night continually exposed, soon increased considerably the number of the sick. Nothing, however, could abate the courage of our men : and on the 19th of October, the squa dron had already advancid as far as Palembang, without suffering any loss worthy to be mentioned, from the batteries of the enemy, whiefi here and there bad been raised along the banks of the river. " On the 20th of October all the ships passed, with great difficulty, the Strait of Sala Nama, where they found themselves before Gombara, the battery where it seemed the enemy bad all their strength united, to prevent our passing on; but the wind was not favourable to our purpose, and it was not until the following day, being the 21st, at noon, that an attack upon that battery became possible for us. " The Sultan being convinced that the place where, in 1812, he had endeavoured likewise to dispute the passage to the English, was by no means a fit one, had now chosen a position, which indeed one would almost be tempted to attribute to a more advanced knowledge of the art of war than he is likely to pos sess. Well placed batteries on both banks of the river,formed and maintained a heavy and well judged cross fire, which moreover was supported by a great number of floating batteries, anchored there in the centre of the river. All these batteries were con structed of trees ; and so thick were their breast works, that our balls could hurt them but little; whilst, at the same time, very high roofs, constructed of trunks of trees, and piled upon one another, secured them against our bombs. However, these difficulties might have easily . been overcome by our men, had nos such an incalculable number of piles, rammed 'so closely together . intq the ground, shut up entirely the whole breadth of the river, so that it was im possible for a vessel to pass through then. " Yet, in defiance of all these impediments and difficulties, our ships, notwithstanding, stationed themselves, at noon of the 21st of October, in the best order of battle, across the batteries of the enemy, at the distance of about half a musket-shot from them. This firing lasted until four o'clock in the af ternoon, when a flow of wind 'sprung up, which com pelled the squadron to put back to_ the former posi tion they had taken on the 20th, or the day before. Though the means of defence of the enemy, which, during the fight of the 21st, we were fully able to view, were by no means insurmountable by the va lour of our troops, yet it was nevertheless quite other wise respecting the works of defence raised by the enemy, in order to make the bed of the river entirely innavigable. To remove all these impediments, re quired a length of time, and many hands; we could not, therefore, think of this, without exposing the troops arid crews still longer to excessive fatigues, and to the incessant rains which daily poured down upon us, and to increase thereby the already great number of sick, to such a degree, that perhaps the Expedition might, even without fighting any mole, _have become unfit for any further operations. In the meanwhile, the desire of our troops to be engaged with the enemy was very great iutesd, and we sought everywhere, with great eagerness, for a fit place either to scale or to surround the batteries of the enemy; Lut wherexer we came, we found nothing