The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-15 00:00:00

THE SLAVE TRADE.

Mr. BUXTON asked the Under Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs what steps the Government had taken to-
wards the punishment of the parties privy to the fitting out
for the slave trade, in Liverpool, in Nov., 1860, of the slaver
Nightingale ; what had been the result of the application
which Earl Russell instructed Sir Arthur Magenis to
make to the Portuguese Minister for the Colonies on the
14th of August last, relative to the practice
of sending slaves, as domestic servants, by the
Portguese mail steamers and other conveyances from the
province of Angola to the neighbouring island of St.
Thomas, under the representation of their being the pro-
perty of passengers going there: What answer had been
returned to the recommendation made to Senior Collantes
at Madrid, by Sir John Crampton, on the 10th of
December last, at the request of Earl Russell in his de-
spatch to Sir John Crampton of the 12th of November
preceding, that, with a view to suppress the slave trade to
Cuba, the slave trade should be declared piracy, and the
misters, crew, and all concerned in the navigation of
slavers, be subjected to martial law, a recommendation
made by the present Captain General of Cuba :
What reply had the French Government returned
to the representation Earl Russell instructed Earl
Cowley to make to it on the 19th of December last,
relative to the continued shipment, as engages, of slaves
from the Comoro islands to Reunion and other French pos-
sessions, " contrary to the orders of the French Government,
and also in violation of the engagements contracted by that
Government towards the Government of her Majesty on
the subject :" and, what explanations had Mr. Consul
Sunley, at Johanna, tendered on the subject of his employ
stthemevfifrrsosets
question,
esptiroon-2
ment of large numbers of slaves on his sugar plantations
in reply to Earl Russell's communication on that matter
ioolnlect slaves at
the sth of November last, and in consequence
i gtroa to of M. Th
ou-
mAnthjoeuCaon:
vends complaint, that while Mr. Sunley
hteh the
does Frenchnot scrupleim
msecourotiosnleos,f
with the consent of the chiefs, and to
Mr. LAYARD said, with respect tily
employ them on his
own account.
the vessel alluded to was sailing
and there was nothing to justify her Majesty's officers de-
taining her. From the information received subsequent to
leaving Liverpool it was di
and she had been scoverel that she was a slaver,
seized. With regard to the
second question, he regretted to say that a considerable
slave trade had
Thomas. Hersprunglip between Portugal and Island of St.
Majesty'seeG
Government had made representa-
tions to the Portuguese Government which he trusted would
lead to the latter adoptingbs
steps to put an end to the slave
trade alluded
to. As related to the third question he was
sorry to say the Spanish authorities countenanced the slave
traffic in Cuba, and the Government of this country had made
fresh remittances to the Spanish Government on the subject,
which he trusted would be attended with beneficial results.
With respect to the next question, Lord Cowley had been
instructed to make representations to the French Govern-
ment on the subject, who had issued a commission to inquire
into the matter. Considering the French Emperor's desire to
put an end to the slave trade, he hoped his Government
would take the steps necessary to carry out the desire of the
Emperor. In reference to the last question he wished to
say that he had received information from Mr. Consul
Sunley on the subject. That gentleman was a man of great
humanity. He employed 300 slaves on his plantations, but
so far as he was concerned they were free and paid for their
labour. (The hon. member read a letter from Consul Sun_;
ley, which was to the effect which he had just stated. II
added that the slaves on his estate were under no circum-
co
stences compelled to work. However, it Was u
nder
tified
deration of Government how far Consul Smiley wasrus
in employing slave labour.
THE BOY THOMAS CONVICTED AT MAID-
STONE.
Mr. DIGBY SEYMOUR asked the Secretary of State
for the Home Department, whether 11,s attention had been
called to a statement in the newspapers that a child of
the name of Thomas, aged nine years, was lately
"fined S 6 Us. by a bench of magistrates at Maidstone for

' being found in possession of a snare for catching rabbits,
and in default of payment was sent to prison for three
months; whether he had taken steps to ascertain the facts of
the case; and particularly, whetter any evidence was laid be-
fore the magistrates to show that the child was acting at
the instigation or was under the control of others?
Sir G. GREY said that the chairman of the bench of
magistrates had been communicated with by the Home-
office, aid had made a report on the subject. From that
report it appeared that there was no doubt the offence
with which the boy was charged had been committed. The
magistrates in considering the amount of fine to be in-
flicted on the boy were influenced by their knowledge of
the fact that he was the instrument of his parents, and
that members of that family had been frequently fined
for similar offences, and actually lived by poaching. The
fines inflicted on that family within a certain time amounted
to £24, which were paid. The fine on the boy in question
was paid the morning after he was imprisoned by his
mother, and she said she would have pa d the amount had
it been three times as largo. (Laughter.)

THE C.',D

STRAL SURVEY.

Sir F. lIEYGA.TE the Secretary of State f)r War,
whether it was the int.7r:Vor, of the Government to act Upon
the report of the survey Committee ; and, if so,
whether he would ht;;,; in a supplementary estimate till,
session, to enable their :•ccommendation to be carried into
effect.

Sir G. LEWIS said that he bad not come to any cm-
elusion on the subject ; but he might state that he had not
any intention to bring in a supplementary estimate to carry
out the recommendation alluded to.

THE BREHON LAW PUBLICATION.
Mr. STIRLING asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
what progress had been made with the Brehon Law Publi-
cation : and, whether the surviving editor, Mr. Curry, is
prepared to continue the work.
Sir IL PEEL said that the papers in the publication in
question had been translated, and that the Government had
communicated with the eminent philological scholar alluded
to on the subject.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

Mr. GREGORY asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether, before the second reading of the bill for the re-
moval of certain collections from the Brttish Museum, he
would be able to givethe house anestitnate of the cost of the
alterations of the present structure of the British Museum
and of the proposed addition, and of the cost of the building
and fitting-up of the propoposed New Museum of Natural
History at Kensington.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIRQUER replied in
the affirmative.