Star.
London, England, 1823-09-12 00:00:00

SPANISH TRADE.

It is of considerable importance to the Merchants
and Ship-owners engaged in trade with the Spanish
ports of South America, to know whether any, and
what measures have been adopted by the Spanish Go-
vernment, in conformity with the pledge given in the
sixth Article of the Decree of the Cortes of the 7th
January last, which directed that a the Government
should lay before the Cortes, with all possible dispatch,
the system which it might be convenient to adopt with
the Transatlantic provinces, either those which dissent,
or those which remain united to the mother country ;
and such alterations as it might be necessary to make
in the Laws 'of Trade and Navigation of South Ame-
rica, either With the Spanish nation alone, or in con-
junction, by treaties. with other maritime Powers."
The knowledge of what has been done in consequence,
is rendered important to the British Merchants and
Shipowners, by the circumstance, that the first article
of the said Decree {which was passed at the instance
of the British Govertunent)permits foreigners to trade
iiith the colonies onty fort he term of ten months from
the publkation of the Decree in the'respective ports
in South America: And it is to be apprehended, if the
ten monthi be suffered to 'run out without a further
arrangement of .some sort being made; that British
ships and cargoes may again be subject to capture on
the plea of their trading being a violation of the law
of the Indies, upon which plea the capture and con.;
damnation of the British ship Lord Collingwood was
defended by the SpanishGeoernment. '

SOUTH AMEItICAN CONSULATItS.

The following is a copy of-in application made lay
some eminent merchants of London to Mr. CANkING,
for the purpose of obtaining the sanction of the Eng-
Government to the establishment of agents for
the protection of British tradeto the new Govern.
merits of South America, together with the answer
transmitted from the office of the Foreign Secretary.
" To TNN NIGHT HON. GEGAGII CANNING, &c. &c. &c.
" LONDON, slay Jvt.ar, 1823.
" Sin -We most respectfully beg to draw your
attention to the present state of the British trade with
the several new States in the Spanish part of South
America, which is subject to great difficulties and
discouragement for want of official accredited agents,
to whom merchants and masters of ships can apply for
advice or assistance, in the various cases of local griev-
ance or necessity which are constantly occurring.
" We beg leave to represent to you, Sir, that the
British establishments iu the several parts of those
countries have increased in number to upwarcii of
eighty, and that the Btitish capital at this time dis-
k tributed through the several States amounts to several
millions sterling.
"We are uninformed what progress the Spanish -
Government may have made in the establishment of
a system of intercourse relative to South America,
adapted to the new order of things in that country,
conformable to the intention expressed in the decree
of the Cortes of the 7th of January last ; but deem-
ing it probable that the troubles in Spain, if they have
not prevented the Government from taking the sub-
ject into consideration, have made it impossible to
give complete effect to their intentions, we, in that
case, humbly but most earnestly submit for your con-
sideration, whether, under the circumstances, you
may not see fit to recommend to his Majesty, that
commercial agents should be forthwith appointed to
look after British interests in that quarter of the
world, so that our trade may, in that respect; be
upon an equal footing with that of the United States,
Portugal, and Sweden, the Governmeats of which
countries have already sent outpersons in official ca-
pacities. We have the Inn our to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servants, •
g. IlLiaiavAr and Sox, Da Luiz, harms, sad Co.
A. Glass and SOl4, Ro. and RT. OLIVYRSON,
HuLtArrr, Brothers, and Co. &sumac Dome and SONj
B. H.,and W. HAsautow, THOILI.II MAass,
GZORCIZ and JAMES Boowir, GM', WHITWORTH, and Co.
%cur, Hammes, and Co. G. J. ard G. RiNZINC
BAICLAT, MUM] and Co. Gsoaos HATHOILIC, and CO.
J. and A. POWLION, and Co. Julia JAcom,
Dicasox, Puri, and Co. &lieu Wrirro,
F. HICATH and Co. Jonellows."
G. H. Hooray
" Foreign-once, August 22, 1825.
4! GENTLEMAN—I am directed by Mr. Secretary
CANNING to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
of the 21st ult: recommending the establishment of
Consulships in the ports of South Atherica. lam to
acquaint you that the subject is under consideration.
" I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient bumble servant,
"JOSEPH PLANTA, See.
" To Messrs. Marryat, and Son, be. Ste."

The Americans have declared by law, the Slave
Trade to be Piracy. and censeqttently any of the citi-
zens of the United States who -engage in that trNffic
are subject to the penalties .for that offence. Their
Diplomatic Ministers, also, are instructed to present
notes to their respective Courts, inviting them to pass
,similar laws affecting their own subjects, and thus to
Make the Slave Trade Piracy all over the 1 d
AS -United States Government condemns, likewise,
every ship which is found fitted out for that ttaffic,
although she may not actually have slaves on board.
Accounts from Copenhagen state that a Special
Committee has just been appointed, for the purpose
of drawing up a Constitution for both the German
and Danish provinces that compose the kingdom of
Denmark. A publication on this subject, emanating
from the Royal authority, is expected; which is the
best answer, says this account, that can be made to
the Nobility and Protestant Clergy of Holstein, who
lately Made an application directly to the German
Diet, without the consent of their Sovereign, to ob-
tain, by the interposition of that Assembly, not a
Representative Organization, such as the Act of -the
Congress of Vienna had promised, bat the restoration
of the ancient Estates of Holsteins the exclu-
sive privileges drawn from it.