§ MR. HANBURYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what vessels of the British Navy are stationed on the East Coast of Africa and in the Red Sea respectively for the suppression of the Slave Trade; what number of boats, if any, specially fitted for that duty, such as largo steam launches, are supplied to such vessels; and whether the boats at present usually supplied are not almost useless for intercepting dhows, and at the same time are so small as to be detrimental to the health and lives of the men employed in them?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONIn addition to the performance of other duties the following vessels are engaged at the present time in the suppression of the Slave Trade:—Dolphin, in the Red Sea, in the neighbourhood of Suakin; Ranger, at Aden; Turquoise, Conquest, Brisk, Kingfisher, and Reindeer, on the East Coast of Africa, with headquarters at Zanzibar. There are two 37 feet steam pinnaces, specially fitted for cruising against slavers, which are manned from the ships at Zanzibar, and are employed 1856 with other boats belonging to the ships of the squadron. The boats of the vessels on the station have been employed on this service for a long time past, and have been instrumental in the capture of a large number of slave dhows, while the health of the men manning the boats has been quite as good as that of the crew of the ships from which they were drafted.