The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIA'MENT.

•
HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The LOUD CrIANCELLOIL took his teat on the woolsack
at five o'tl,ck.
Lord D UNGANNON gave notice that to-morrow he
would, present a petition from Fincbley praying for the
insertion of clauses into the Ecciesiactical Commission
Bill, vihich would empower the devotirg a portion of
the funds in the hands of the commissioners for the en-
dowment of the two churches of Finebley. He should also
on an early day ask the Archbishop of Canterbury whe-
ther be intended to bring in a bill to provide for the re-
pairs of parsonage-houses ?
BERRIES PEERAGE.

Lord REDESDALE brought ap 'the replrt of the
Committee of Privileges upon the c:aims of Mr. Mrla-
well to the Herries peerage. The committee were of
opinion that Mr. Maxwell hail made out his claim.

THE AFFAIR OF THE REGINA. CCELI.-THE
FRENCH VERSION.

The Earl of MALMESBURY said it was his public
duty and a matter of justice to remind their lord-hips of
a conversation which occurred in tha'. house on Tours-
day last, in consequerce of an account received in this
country of the packet ship Ethiope, on the coast of
Africa, having captured the French ship Regina Cosh,
which was then in a state of mutiny, and whose crew
bad been murdered by the African emigranti on board.
He had then guarded himself by saying tha-, he had no
official information of the matter, bat the story, as told
and' repeated a week ago in many newspapers, and by
Lord Brougham in that house, was to this effect :—That
a French emigrant ship, going from the African coast to
a French colony in the West Indies, had been risen upon
in the absence of her captain and part of her crew, by
some of the emigrants—that 11 Frenchmen had been
murdered—that the captain of the Ethiope, at the re
quest of the French consul, bad taken possession of her
and brought her into the port of Monrovia—and that
although the captain of the Ethiope had thus acted by
desire of the French authorities, two French men-of-war
bad come in and taken her off by force. That was the
statement made, and he then believed that statement to
be correct.
Lord BROUGHAM—I said nothing a'iout the
French men-of-war at all.
Lord MALMESBURY said that the circumstances so
related very naturally created considerable excitement on
the evening in question. Observations were made by
several noble lords on the system of obtaining emigrants
,from Africa which had been adopted by the French Go-
vernment—those observations being very naturally in-
duced by the account which was then assumed to betree.
But it was only f_sir, and a duty which be owed to the
French Government (though he bad not been asked to
do en), to state to their lordships what the French offi-
cial account of those circumstances was. Tney had been
represented to her Majesty's Government through the
French Ambassador ; and though there bad been no
hint or request to him to inform their lordships of these
circumstances, he considered it an honouratle duty to
do so. The noble earl then read the following commu-
nication :

" .Paris, June 18.
"My dear Count,—We first hoard from newspapers,
both French and foreign of the deplorable scenes which
occurred on board the Regina Cceli, on the west coast of
Africa. I have just received, and hasten to communicate to
you, the report on this affair, which I have received from
Lieut. Pointel, chief of the staff, to the captain corninaud-
ing our naval station in those parts. I annex the letter of
Mr. Protet and of the commander of Jere° on the subject,
in order fully to apprise you of the details of this affair.
The facts aro briefly these :--The Regina Coeli, a vessel
sent to the west coast of Africa, under the command of
Captain Simon, with the view to obtain free labourers for
our colonies, arrived at Cape de Monte on the the 29th Oct.
last. The chief of that place strenuously urged Captain
Simon to select for his operations that position of the coast
above all others, and they both proceeded to Monrovia, the
capital of Liberia, in order to settle the preliminaries of the
affair. The president of that republic, en learning Captain
Simon's plan, approved of it so highly, that he persuaded
that officer to carry out his operations exclusively in the
territory of the Liberian Republic. Capt. Simon hastened
to pay into the hands of the local authorities the sum of
1,561 piastres, as passport duty, for the 400 free labourers
with whom it had been agreed he shell d be supplied in the
space of 40 days. Phis fact, by the way, conveys a good
idea of the value to be attached to the recent protests of the
Liberian authorities on the subject of our emigration, and
on which the British ambassador at Paris laid such stress in
opposit on to our own convictions. Be this as it may, the
enlistment of emigrants was carried on with the greatest
facility, and the greatest care under the superintendence
of the Liberian authorities, as well as of the agent of the
French government. 272 emigi ants had already era ived in
the roadstead, and the rest of them were ready to embark,
when on the 9th April while the captain and thegovernment
agent were ashore, a quarrel arose on board between a negro
cook and one of the emigrants, which caused a scuffle, and
ended in a general fight between the emigrants and the
crew, in which the second in command of the ship and 11
of his men were massacred by the emigrants. Capt. Simon,
who heard this disturbance while on shore, jumped into a
canoe, picked up one of his sailors who hat been thrown
overheard from the Regina Cceli, but was obliged to return
ashore, as his canoe capsized. Upon this Capt. Simon, as-
sisted by the local militia and some 40 Americans whom he
hired by the day, attempted to recapture the vessel, and
then cruised about with two boats, so as in a manner to
blockade her. Matters stood thus on the 15th April, when
the Ethiope, a merchant steamer, commanded by Captain
Croft, arrived. The Ethiope had been sent for by a Mr.
Newnham. the British Consul, who also fills the office of
French congnlar agent at Monrovia. When that steam ves-
sel neared the Regina Cceli, Capt. Simon, who continued
strictly watching his own vessel, went onboard the Ethiope,
declared he was the captain of the Regina Cceli, and asked
on what terms he might accept the assistance of the
English steamer; for from the very first he had declared
to Mr. Newnham, in concert with the agent 'of the
French Government that he should reject the assistance of
the Ethiope unless the conditions on which that assistance
was to be Oven had been previously settled. Ile received
no answer. The Spanish Vice-Consul fir Acra, and a
French merchant, who were passengers on board the
Ethiopo, explained to him that his vessel was being
taken possession of. Captain Simon then wished to leave
the packet and go on board the Regina Cceli, but was pre-
vented, seized, and consigned to the charge of two
English sailors. Meanwhile the Ethiope took the Regina
Cceli in tow, without encountering the slightest resistance
from the emigrants, and proceeded on her voyage. Capt
Simon asked the Spanish Vice-Consul for Acre to beg for a
delay sufficient to collect on land eight of his crew, two of
whom were wounded ; but Capt. Croft peremptorily re-
fused, and continued standing towards Monrovia, where
she arrived about 8 o'clock at night, The report of Lieut.
Pointel respecting this incident contains the following
passage Manuel Leira, of Daroca, the Spanish vice-
consul, was indignant at the brutal conduct of the captain
of the Ethiope, and openly protested against abandoning
the eight Frenchmen. lie moreover furnished Captain
Simon with a certificate to the effect that he was present
at the inn() that his ship was captured.' On landing at
Monrovia, Captain Simon went to the French consular
agent (Mr. Newnbatn), infcrmed him of what had passed,
and deli. ered to bins a protest against the capture of his
ship. On the other hand, the captain of the Ethiope
wrote to Mr. Newnham pretending to consider the act ho
had committed as tantamount to the rescue of a vessel
abaatloned and a'frift in the open sea. The wotisness or
else the complicit! of the Liberian authorities iecreas d
tho difficulties of the cas'. The in•inrgent emigrants
finished plundariog the cargo of the Regin Cce. i 'n the very
roadstead of Monrovia, notwithstanding the presence of
the pars or of the Ethiope, who was left in charge of the
ship. They were then permitted to land and disperse,
without oven an attempt being made to seize those whore
their comrades pointed out as the murderers of 11 of our
sailors."

He would also read a letter wLich Lad been received
from Cap' ain Croft, of the Ethiope :
" Royal Mail Steamer Ethiope, Ifonrovi,,
13th April, i 853.
" Sir,—l have tho. honour to inform you th It, according
to your request, dated April 14th, I proceeded A pril 14th,
at 11 p.m., in search of the French ship Regina Cceli, seve-
ral of the crew of which ship ha l boon harharoualy mur-
dered by the einigrabta on board, who had afterwards
taken possession of the aforesaid ship. 6.30 a m., April
25.—Arrived at Cape Mount, west on shore, an ascer-
tained from the settlers that the ship Regina Cceli had been
seen Aprilll, at 6 p.m., off Galinas. 8 a.m.—Sighted the
Regina Cceli off Galinas drifting about quite unmanage-
able close to the shore. 9 a.m.—Steamed close alongside
the Regina Coen, at the same time diAcovered the master of
the aforesaid ship in a small boat without gunshot of the
pirates. The captain of the Regina Cceli informed me in the
presence of several passengers that he had been watching
the aforesaid ship several days, but that the pirates always
Lred at hiss when within gunshot, and showed warlike de-
monstrations to any person or persons attempting to go on
board. 9.15 a.m.—Held a parley with the pirates, who
finally delivered the aforesaid ship, Regina Cecil, over to
my charge, upon which I sent my second officer, and seve-
ral of the crew of the screw steamer Ethiope to take charge
of the Regina Cceli, as a prize of the aforesaid steamer
Ethiope. 9.30 a.m.—Steamed ahead, with the R;ina Cceli
in tow for Monrovia. 9.45 a.m.—When catting the anchor
on board starboard the prize, the chain of the starboard
anchor ran out, which brought the ship up suddenly, car-
rying away the towing hawser ; sent chief officer and seve-
ral seamen on hoard to weigh the Regina Cceles anchor.
10.45. Steamed ahead. 7.30 p to., Aprills.—Arrived at
Monrovia all safe with the Regina Cmli, and anchored her
off Cape Measured°, with officer in charge.
" April 16—Appointed Mr. Mackelvie my agent, and
banded the ship Regina Cmli over to him.

"A. J. M. CROFT, Master of the steamship Etbiope.
" J. G. C. L. Newebam, Esq."
"Signed before me, in my office, at Monrovia, this 16th
day of April, 1858. "J. G. C. L. NEwNif.tar, .
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul."
It was quite evident from the account of the consul and
of the captain of the E,biope, that they did not take pos-
session of the Regina Cm i from any feeling of sympathy
with the emigrants, for they were looked upon as pirates;
lotet their object clearly was to obtain salvage. The French
captain having lost his ship, and not being able to make
a favourable bargain fer i.s recovery, preferred watching
it until such time as he could make a better bargain. In
spite of this Capt. Croft did take the ship into Monrovia,
and claimed salvage; the French captain
prole ted against
being Paved— laugb)—and refused to pay the salvage.
Probably the Liberian Government bad felt itself not
to
strong erough
mi:teifero in the matter any further;
and the Frpech
i,tti-oolnesar calling in and adopting the
view of Captain
,Othley bad taken the ship into
their own hand..
which appliendytofu.
The
rt her remark he bad to
make was one vvh
ilimself. These circum-
stancesonogt
sloe
to place imphcit
showed that they
cp.,Tni,ig from ore
belief in the first verpien
party only. They had non both trhYo ghiAh acc,tint
and the French account. Ile mut hay
prisei, and did not understand the fact
n xthientatith:e: r". loan-
Government should have been se
ship retaken, and should then have den Ltd from a
fvuetthe
interference in the matter. He believed that, a. 4 the laeer
stood, we had no right to interfere with that ship.
Lord BROUGHAM said it was equally dangerous to
give implicit belief to the second aa.ta the first state.
went, for they were both statements from the respec-
tive sides. (Hear.) How did it happen that when the Re-
gina Cceli was boarded, the mar acles had to be taken off
the emigrant 4 Did that look like free emigration?
(Rear.) There could not be a shadow of doubt that
these so-called emigrants were slave?, bruu4ht down to
be sold for the purpose, under the guise, of free etuigra-

tion. (Hear, bear.) It was most unfortunate that we had
not the means cf seein' the unofficial accounts that
reached France. Several such had reached him, and the
statement showed that those unhappy Africans were not
free emigrants, but slaves, cold for the purpose. VT( re
there the ordinary c:rcnlatioo of intelligence in Fra-ice
which prevailed here' there would be the means of 0,4--
renting these official accounts which carefully avoided
the main point at issue— whether force had been used
towards these erni.:rante. (Hear.) There was no qnes-
tion about the law of nations in this case ; there might
be a question cf salvage. Undoubtedly, in the presence
of the French captain, no other person had a right to
take possession of the ship, whatever might be the na.:
ture of her cargo. It was sail they were free emigrants;
and yet the first thing they did wag to rise and murder
the crew .Was that the way in which our free emigrants
to Canada and Nova Scotia acted? There could be very
little doubt whatever that these were slaves taken on
board against their will, by force and fraud, and that
this wa4 a renewal of the African slave-trade. (Hear:)

Earl GP,EY thought further information was required
before they could form an opinion. The case originally
stated• was not entirely set aide by the communications
now reap. He should he glad if the French Goveznrnent
could prove that these men were emigrants on board
the vessel by their own choice ; but should it turn out
that they were slaves, 'TA ularly purchased and manacled,
they were justified by all the laws c.f God and man in
doing what they did to regain their liberty.• In spite of
the contradiction now given there were circumstances
of great suspicion in the C 330 ; for no only with repo d
to this vessel, but the whole working of the contract, we
had information that under this colour a regular slave-
trade was being carried on, and that wars were set on
foot for the purpose cf procuring slaves. He believed
that if they trusted only to fair means, it would be im-
possible to obtain emigrants. They ought not to receive
the first account against the President of Liberia, but
should wait to hear his explanation. He believed that
the President had condemned the way in which the
French contract was being carried out. It was said that
the vessel being a French one an English ship had no
right t take possession of her. But, assuming that the
rising was a lawful one, the ship was in possession of the
Africans, and the English were justified in giving them
any assistance wbich they required. (Hear.) He hoped
that the Government 'would do justice to our own offi-
cers on the coast. The story of the French authorities
was so full of inconsistencies that it ought not to be
received without confirmation.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said a few words in
reply, and the subject dropped.