Lord Ellen-boroughwished to inquire of the noble Earl at the head of his Majesty's Government whether any instructions had yet been given to his Majesty's cruizers off Western Africa, to adopt those measures for the suppression of the Slave-trade which were mutually agreed upon in the treaty between this country and France, entered upon last year?
§ Earl Greysaid, that instructions had not yet been given, in consequence of the negotiation of a supplementary treaty, which he expected would shortly be ratified and laid on the Table of the House. On the arrival of the ratification, instructions would be given.
Lord Ellenboroughexpressed his surprise at the delay, as the treaty had been ratified full a year ago.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, he was not quite sure whether he yet understood the noble Earl. After this supplemental treaty was ratified, were the instructions still to be matter of negotiation?
§ Earl Greyintimated that such would be the case, but said, he anticipated no difficulty in the way of an agreement on the instructions to be given.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, that their Lordships had been told the same thing more than a year ago, and yet the instructions were still negociating.
§ Earl Greyrepeated, that the delay must be ascribed to the necessity which was found to exist, of entering into a supplementary treaty.