Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-07
FRENCH TRAFFIC IN SLAVES.

The following is a copy of letter address
ed TO John Bennett, Esq. Secretary to LLOYD s..
by their agents, dated Havre 22d of.August.
"Sir--We beg leave to communicate to you
an extract of report recently made to the king,
by his Excelency the Minister OF Marine. rela-
tive 10 the Slave Trade, and, inasnuch as 1t
displays the good faith, and the desire to sup
press to the utmost of its power, the odlops
commerce, we have considered it would be a.
greeable to Lloyds to receive an authentic COM
munication of the following detail:
0His excellency states to the King, that the
French government has never relaxed IN KS ell
forts for the suppression Of the Slave Trade
that the naval station on the Coast OF Africa,
which up to the present time, consisted OF
sloop of war, and two briggs, and four other YES
sells has recently been reinforced by irlgate-
that another force had been ordered to cruise
off Cuba--that the Governors OF French colo
MES, and naval officers commanding in the west
Indies, Cayenne, Bourbon and Madagascar, had
received the most positive and most pressing
iniunctious, use all due vigilance, and to seize
all French vessels which might attempt to trade
in saves--that orders had been issued tronf'he
department of the Marine, addressed TO ali
French ships on their leaving French ports, to
assist in the suppression ct this odious traffic,
by boarding and searching all French vessels
suspected Of engaging in the same, and TO de-
tain those whose la6ing orequipment furnished
proof of their being slave ships. The minister
observes. that a royal decision held out to The
cap,ors premium Of loof (4L) head money,
for eacl, slave brought in, 10 be employed III the
public works-that French consuls on the west
ern coast of America were authorised to seques-
L.. ytcyl6 ut trad
slaves, with orders to send her to the nearest
French colony for adjudication. Finally, the
naval authorities in the ports uf France are re-
uuired to throw every obstacle in the way OF the
clearance of any vessel whose OUTFIT and general
equipment may appear suspicious; they are
commanded to be vigilant in the preventing the
shipment of manaces calculated for fastening
slaves together; as also greater number OF wa
ter casks or boilers than may be strictly ncceS'a-
ru for the crew, and not to deliver the muster
roll in all cases where the number oil the crew
shall exceed that usually employed IN vessels
to which 10 suspicion attaches.
"1he report adds, that all contraventlons OF
the laws prohibitory ftrading in slaves, are
iudicially proceeded against, that any, even the
slightest element Of proof shall furnish sufficient
grounds for bringing the delinquents before the
tribunals 1t states, that since 1917, one hum
dred and ffty-three cases have been submitted
to the Courts abroad and at home, which have
led to So convictions and IA acquittals, leaving
26, in which the legal procedure is as yet incom-
plete.
"The Minister concludes by observing, Such
Sire. is the ensemble Of measures commanded
and acted On with rigor, in order to enforce the
strict execution of treaties, and OF the laws ii
they have not entirely suppressed this forbid
den traffic, at least they prove that the govern.
ment omi,s nothing, having this object in view