§ MR. ERRINGTONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he is aware that the African Mail Steamers are constantly conveying natives enlisted from Sierra Leone and other British Ports on the African Coast, for labour, to St. Thomas and other Portuguese settlements; whether he has any information as to the chartering for the purpose of the traffic of the steamer "Sir Arthur Kennedy" by a Portuguese firm, and of its detention at Sierra Leone by the Governor; and whether he will lay upon the Table Copies of the Correspondence which may have passed on this subject between the Governor of Sierra Leone, the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, and the Portuguese Government authorities?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERNo representation or complaint, Sir, has been made to the Colonial Office that the African mail steamers are constantly conveying natives enlisted for labour to any of the Portuguese settlements. There is, of course, no legal impediment to Natives of the West Coast taking passages in the mail steamers for places beyond British territory. With regard to the Sir Arthur Kennedy, there has been a Correspondence relating to that vessel, arising out of the fact that a special permit was applied for to protect her from seizure. The object of the application was that her fittings-up resembled those that were used in slavers, and it was thought by the proprietors that a special permit would prevent any unnecessary seizure. The Portuguese Consul, however, had no information of the intended voyage, and the Lieutenant Governor refused the permit, in which course he has been supported by the Secretary of State. A Correspondence is now in progress respecting another vessel which shipped from Quitta, on the Gold Coast, a larger number of passengers than her tonnage warranted, and as this Correspondence is not yet concluded, it, of course, cannot be given. When it is concluded, I shall be happy to see how far it may be practicable to meet the wishes of the hon. Gentleman with regard to its presentation.