The Sun.
London, England, 1822-11-14 00:00:00

TRADE TO COLUMBIA.

COPY OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SOME MERCHANTS
TRADING TO COLUMBIA. AND .THE SECRETARY TO THE
ADMIRALTY.
Freeman's-court, Nov. 9, 18'22.
SIR—In pursuance of the conversation we had the honour to
hold yesterday with Sir George Cockburn and yourself, we beg
leave to lay before you, for the information of their Lordships,
the grounds on which- it' appears to us that the trade with the
ports of Lallicifyraanti'Maracaybo, in Columbia, require for
the present s'iegfilar anti systematic protection, and respect-
fully to suggest the manner to which that protection may be
afforded.
Of the outrages to which all commerce in those seas is at
present exposed by piracy, their Lordships are doubtless fully
aware. In addition to this evil, the Spanish Commander at
Puerto Cabello, General Morales, has latterly given notice of
his intention to capture and condemn every vessel of whatever
flag or character which lie finds trading with the Columbian
bolts. He claims the right of doing so on two grounds : first,
that he has declared .the whole extent of coast from the Orinoco
to the Isthmus of Darien under blockade, though with no
visible means of enforcing it; and secondly, that vessels trad-
ing with the Columbian ports are guilty of a breach of Spanish
colonial laws.
Encouraged by this declaration of the Spanish Commander,
there were by the last accounts five Spanish privateers fitting
out at Porto Rico, and one or more had actually sailed. Two
British vessels have already been captured, both condemned,
and one of them sold, of which particulars are given in the
margin.• Two Dutch vessels have also been captured by a
squadron in which the Spanish General Morales himself is stated
to have been. It is not pretended in any of these cases that the
property was Columbian, or belonging to any of the enemies of
Spain.
Although the Spanish Commander claims the exercise of
these extraordinary.tights, the Crown of Spain possesses through-
out the whole of the Columbian Republic (extending on the
Atlantic shore from -the Orinoco to Darien, and on the Pacific
from Guayaquil to Panama) but one single fortress—that of
Puerto Cabello, with no territory beyond its walls.
Under these circumstances, the necessity of affording protec-
tion to this trade, as far as British subjects are concerned, we
doubt not will be apparent to their Lordships.
The most convenient mode of granting this protection, we
submit, will be to direct the Commanding officer at Barbadoes
to dispatch a convoy regularly on the first of every month for
La Guayra and Maracaybo, with such vessel or vessels for those
ports as may have arrived at Barbadoes ; to direct the com-
mander of the convoy to inquire at La Guayra if there are any
vessel or vessels for England nearly ready to sail, and in that
case to return from Maracaybo to La Guayra, take them under
,
his protection, and see them safe through the Mona passage.
All this could be accomplished in less than a month, so that
one vessel of war would be equal to the whole duty. The home-
ward trade from La Guayra could not go down to Maracaybo
without considerable delay and inconvenience, as from the lat-
ter port it could not make the Mona passage.
Respecting the protection of the Maracaybo trade homewards,
we -would suggest; that as there is a regular communication be-
tween that place and Santa Martha, anti between Santa Martha
and Jamaica, the commander of any convoy proceeding down
from Jamaica to Santha Martha should be directed, on receiv-
ing an intimation that any British ship was ready-to proceed
for Europe, to go to Maracaybo and give her protection through
the windward passage.
By these means the trade to both ports, outwards and home-
wards, would receive protection, without compelling the La
Guayra homeward trade to incur the inconvenience of being
brought down to Maracaybo.
There being at present no British Consul at the Columbian
ports, it will be convenient, if their Lordships see no objection,
to direct the commanding officers of convoys to receive commu-
nication for the present from the merchants at the respective
ports, in relation to the protection of the trade.
Since the month of May last, five ships have sailed from the
river Thames, laden with British merchandise, for La Guayra
and Maracaybo, and one is now loading "here, and another at
Liverpool, for the same ports.
We have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servants,
(Signed) HURRY AND POWLES, London.
FA 14KNER AND MAWDSLEY, Liverpool.
WILLIAM ACKERS, Liverpool.
John Wilson Croker, Esq., &c., Admiralty.
(coeY.)
Admiralty-office, Nov. 11.
GENTLEMEN,—Having laid before my Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty the letter of the 9th instant, signed by
you and by Messrs. Falkner and Mawdsley, and 3lr. Ackers,
of Liverpool, representing the interruptions to which the trade
of this country with the ports of Columbia is exposed, and re-
questing that protection may be afforded to this trade agree-
ably to the arrangement therein detailed ; ram commanded by
their Lordships to acquaint you, that they have directed the
officers commanding his Majesty's naval force in the West
Indies to carry into effect the arrangement which you have
proposed in regard to convoys ; and that their Lordships have
also transmitted a copy of your letter tc his Majesty's Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs.
1 am, Gentlemen, your very obedient servant,
(Signed) .1. W. CROKER.
Memtrg. Hurry and Towles, Freeman's-court.
• The Plurbe, Mackie, from La Guayra to flamburgh ; and
the Zeiss Olivia, from Cadiz to Vera Cruz.