Inclosure 6-in No. 201.

The Secretary to the Captain-General of Cuba to Consul-General Bunch.

(Translation.) Sir,

Havana, November 13, 1865. WITH reference to my official communication of the 2nd instant, made by order of his Excellency the Supreme Civil Governor, I have the honour to say to your Honour, by the same Order, that his Excellency has received communications from the LieutenantGovernors of Mariel and Pinar del Rio, as well as from those of Jaruco and Matanzas, in which are renewed the positive assurances that in their respective jurisdictions there was not even the slightest rumour of an expedition having attempted to land.

His Excellency also directs me to say to your Honour that, according to information on which he entirely relies, the brig" Yucatan," to which you allude, not having been able to carry out her intention of embarking in the Slave Trade, was sold at the Canary Islands, together with her cargo, which consisted of rum and other articles which she was carrying to the coast of Africa.

God preserve, &c.

Most Excellent Sir,

Inclosure 7 in No. 201.

Consul-General Bunch to the Captain-General of Cuba.

Havana, November 14, 1865. I HAVE had the honour to receive the letter which the Secretary of Government addressed to me by your Excellency's order, under date of yesterday.

In it your Excellency is pleased to state that you have received reports from the Lieutenant-Governors of Mariel, Pinar del Rio, Jaruco, and Matanzas, to the effect that no landing of negroes from Africa had taken place within their respective jurisdictions at or about the period mentioned in my letters to your Excellency of the 31st of October and 1st instant.

Your Excellency remarks, further, that the brig "Yucatan," from which it was said that this supposed landing had been effected, had been sold, with her cargo, at the Canary Islands.

I am happy to receive the assurance of your Excellency that no evidence is to be found of a landing having taken place. I am satisfied that if negroes have really been introduced at the time and place to which public rumour and my own information point, it has been in spite of the vigilance of the local authorities and in defiance of your Excellency's orders. But it is out of my power to divest myself of the belief that the secresy in which slave-trading operations are necessarily enveloped has been successful, in this instance, in diverting suspicion, and in concealing from your Excellency the traces of an infraction of the law. I am unable to resist the conviction that public report is not mistaken when it declares that an expedition of about 700 negroes did land at Malas Aguas, near the Rio Pan de Azucar, whence they were conveyed to the estate of a certain Don Francisco Marty.

As regards the brig "Yucatan," your Excellency will find that, in my letter of the 31st of October, I only mentioned it as probable that she was the vessel engaged in the supposed landing. It is now certain that it was not this brig; but I am persuaded that a brig has lately landed negroes, as a large vessel of this rig, evidently a slaver, arrived at Vera Craz, in ballast, seven or eight days after the date at which it is supposed that a landing took place on the coast of this island.

With sentiments, &c.
(Signed)

ROBERT BUNCH.

No. 202.

My Lord,

Consul-General Bunch to Earl Russell.-(Received December 30.)

Havana, November 27, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Murray's despatch of the 28th ultimo, together with the copy of a despatch from Her Majesty's Commissioner

at Loanda, in which it is stated that a Spanish vessel had embarked a cargo of slaves, about the 10th August last, between Ambrizette and Mangue Grande, and had succeeded in eluding the vigilance of Her Majesty's cruizers.

Although no particulars are given by Her Majesty's Commissioner of the size of this vessel, or of the number of negroes which she is supposed to have embarked, I think it probable that this expedition may be the one which formed the subject of my despatches to your Lordship of the 26th of September and 4th of October of this year. The date of the supposed departure from Africa seems to correspond with that of the arrival in Cuba. Your Lordship will remember that the whole of the negroes composing the expedition were captured by the Spanish authorities. They were about 145 in number.

(Extract.)

No. 203.

Consul-General Bunch to Earl Russell.-(Received December 30.)

Havana, November 27, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch of the 31st of October, with which you are pleased to transmit to me copies of certain papers which have been communicated to your Lordship by the Colonial Office, having reference to the Slave Trade.

Your Lordship remarks that these papers would lead to the belief that at least one landing of slaves had taken place in Cuba of which Her Majesty's Government had not been informed by me, and adds that you would be glad to be furnished with any observations which I may have to offer on the contents of the papers now inclosed to me.

In reply I have the honour to state that I received, on the 13th ultimo, from the Governor of the Bahamas, copies of these same papers. In my answer to his Excellency's letter on this subject, I stated my views respecting this supposed landing. A copy of my answer, dated the 16th of October, 1865, is inclosed herewith.

Your Lordship will perceive that I am not in a position either to admit or to deny that such an expedition as that which is reported to have been at Cayo Romano in May last, did subsequently land on the coast of Cuba. I confess that the evidence of Captain Glenton, of the "Ocean Monarch," points very strongly to the fact that an attempt was about to be made. On the other hand, there is not only no proof that any such attempt was successful, but the assurances of the Captain-General, the opinion of the Vice-Consul at Cardenas, and the absence of any rumour of a landing at that time and place, would induce the belief that Captain Glenton's report was groundless.

After the receipt of Governor Rawson's despatch, I discussed the subject of this supposed landing fully with the Captain-General. His Excellency was confident that it had never been effected, but it is, of course, possible that it might have been made without his knowledge.

On the whole I incline to the belief that no slaves have been introduced into the island from Cayo Romano during this year. I have never heard such a landing alluded to, even as a rumour, by any one here, and the inquiries of Mr. Vice-Consul Schneidler, at Cardenas, certainly went to prove that it had not taken place. It is, nevertheless, impossible to speak positively on the subject. The coast of Cuba is of great extent, and the facilities for illegal traffic are numerous. But I am convinced that, as a rule, no slaving expedition is successfully conducted to its close without some intelligence of it reaching the Consulate-General, either directly or indirectly.

Sir,

Inclosure in No. 203.

Consul-General Bunch to the Governor of the Bahamas.

Havana, October 16, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt (on the 13th instant) of your Excellency's despatch of the 21st ultimo, together with a copy of a report made to you by the Captain of the Light-house yacht with regard to the landing of a cargo of slaves at Cayo

Romano in May last. I beg leave to offer my thanks to your Excellency for this information.

The statements contained in Captain Stuart's Report, and particularly the evidence of Captain Glenton, of the schooner "Ocean Monarch," as to the conduct of the proprietors of Cayo Romano when he visited that island in May last, would certainly induce the belief that negroes had been landed there about that time. On the other hand there is no proof that either these or other negroes were landed in Cuba. The probabilities point the other way, as no tidings of such an expedition having disembarked can be procured, and the Captain-General has repeatedly assured me, verbally and in writing, that from May 1864, to September, 1865, not a single negro had been introduced into Cuba. But it is difficult to imagine how these negroes were disposed of if they were not landed in Cuba.

It is, of course, very possible that such might be the case without the knowledge either of the Captain-General or of the Lieutenant-Governors of the district. But this is not probable; besides which my own information, from anonymous and other sources, is generally to be depended upon.

I shall not fail to communicate these details to the Captain-General, although it is, of course, too late to recover the negroes, if they were ever landed.

The mention by Mr. Wiggins of the appearance of a suspicious vessel off Cay Sal, is a coincidence which should not be disregarded.

I have further to thank your Excellency for the copy of the report respecting the visit of the "Georgina " to Anguilla, and to congratulate you upon the fact that no use seemed to have been made of that island for slave-trading purposes for a long period. I feel assured that the measures taken by your Excellency will have an excellent effect in preventing its use in the future.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Consul-General Bunch to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Received December 30.)

Havana, November 30, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Earl Russell's despatch of the 31st of October, on the subject of the successful capture by the Spanish authorities of this island of a slave-trading expedition which landed on the south side during the month of September last.

In obedience to the instructions contained in that despatch that I should take an opportunity of expressing to the Captain-General of Cuba the gratification of Earl Russell in bearing testimony to his Excellency's energy and good faith in matters relating to the Slave Trade, I have the honour to inclose the copy of a letter which I addressed to General Dulce in this sense. A copy of his reply is also transmitted to your Lordship.

General Dulce has expressed himself personally to me as much flattered by Earl Russell's appreciation of his efforts.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ROBERT BUNCH.

Inclosure 1 in No. 204.

Consul-General Bunch to the Captain-General of Cuba.

Most Excellent Sir, Havana, November 27, 1865. I HAVE had the satisfaction of reporting to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the particulars of the slave-trading expedition which effected a landing in the month of September last, on the south side of this island, between the jurisdictions of Pinar del Rio and San Cristobal.

It was particularly agreeable to me to be able to inform Earl Russell that the whole of the negroes of which that expedition was composed had been captured by the authorities of the island, acting under your Excellency's direction.

I am instructed by Earl Russell to say to your Excellency, that it is very satisfactory to his Lordship to learn that the only cargo of slaves which, so far as Her Majesty's Government are aware, had been introduced into Cuba for the twelve months previous to the date of this landing should have been successfully captured by the Spanish authorities.

am also directed to express to your Excellency the gratification which is felt by Earl Russell in bearing testimony to the energy and good faith with which your Excellency has acted in carrying out the engagements of the Spanish Crown for the suppression of the Slave Trade.

I beg leave to assure your Excellency of the pleasure with which I make this communication to you, and of the high consideration, &c.

The Secretary to the Captain-General of Cuba to Consul-General Bunch.

(Translation.) Sir,

Havana, November 28, 1865. HIS Excellency the Supreme Civil Governor has received with great satisfaction the letter which your Honour was so good as to address to him under date of yesterday, stating that Earl Russell, forming his judgment upon information transmitted to him by your Honour, recognizes the energy with which his Excellency carries out the orders of the Government of Her Catholic Majesty for the suppression of the Slave Trade.

His Excellency directs me at the same time to express to your Honour the double pleasure with which he has received this communication, as it proves the impartiality and justice with which you forward to the Government you represent the information which you obtain, and thus give evidence of your Honour's good faith and honour. God preserve, &c.

(Signed)

No. 205.

JOSE VALLS Y PUIG.

My Lord,

Consul-General Bunch to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Received December 30.)

Havana, December 2, 1865. THERE appeared in one of the papers of this city a few days ago, a document which purported to be a copy of a Decree lately issued by the Queen of Spain on the subject of the emancipados, or liberated Africans, who are to be found in the Islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

By its provisions, arrangements were made for removing these persons to the Spanish possessions on the coast of Guinea, or to the continent of Africa, at the expense of the Spanish Government. The system which has heretofore prevailed of assigning them to masters at the will of the Captains-General is declared to be abolished, and other changes, of a nature favourable to this class of persons, are ordered to be carried into effect without delay.

I applied privately to the Captain-General for a copy of this Decree, which was at once given to me. I have the honour to inclose to your Lordship a translation of it, although I feel assured that it has already reached you from Madrid.

There can be no doubt that this Decree is a step in the right direction. The abuses which have been far many years past committed upon the emancipados must necessarily be brought to an end, whilst its general effect upon the system of slavery in the West Indian colonies of Spain cannot be other than favourable.

It only remains that the new system shall be carried faithfully into practice. So long as General Dulce remains at the head of this Government I believe that it will.

I have, &c. (Signed)

ROBERT BUNCH,

Inclosure in No. 205.

Decree respecting the Emancipados in the Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico.

[See Inclosure 1 in No. 158.]

SPAIN. (Consular)-Porto Rico.

My Lord,

No. 206.

Acting Consul Cowper to Earl Russell.-(Received February 1.)

Porto Rico, January 3, 1865. I HAVE much pleasure in informing your Lordship that no attempt at African Slave Trade has been made in this island during the past quarter.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Acting Consul Cowper to Earl Russell.-(Received April 28.)

Porto Rico, April 4, 1865. I HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that no attempt at Slave Trade has been made on the coast of this island during the past quarter.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Acting Consul Cowper to Earl Russell.-(Received July 31.)

Porto Rico, July 1, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to state to your Lordship that no attempt at African Slave Trade has been made on the coast of this island during the past quarter.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Acting Consul Cowper to Earl Russell.-(Received October 30.)

Porto Rico, October 1, 1865.

I HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that no attempt at the Slave Trade has been made on the coast of this island during the past quarter.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

FRANCIS H. COWPER.