Catalogue description Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State: Letters from 'offices' (Government...

Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State: Letters from 'offices' (Government departments and other organisations) and individuals. Correspondents and subjects covered are as follows: Offices: Admiralty (charges against Lieutenant Jenkin of the Romney of entertaining a slave trader appear unfounded, irregularity of steam packet, delay of packets because of health regulations, requests meeting about packet arrangements, proposed alterations to packet routes [with details of timetables and map of route], establishment of mixed commission court under treaty with Portugal, Mr Turnbull's complaint against Lieutenant McGlure of the Romney referred to admiral, proposed addition of superintendent's duties to those of commander of Romney [two letters], recommends commanding officer should have £150 pa as superintendent, warrant for Lieutenant McGlure appointing him commander of Romney); Agents (proposal by Mr Sturz for more effectual suppression of slave trade, printed copy of resolution passed by the West India Body on labour relations and related matters); Foreign Office (opinions of Spanish minister on emancipation, capture of Portuguese slaver Anna, forwards copies of 'L'Abolition de l'Esclavage dans les Colonies Anglaises' [not in item], concerning slave treaty with Venezuela and subsequent Act, forwards copy of convention between UK and Haiti for more effectual suppression of slave trade [not in item], establishment of mixed commission court to carry into effect the slave trade treaty with Portugal, Act passed with reference to slave trade treaty with Portugal, sends slave trade papers [not in item], requests letters of introduction for Baron Louis de Wagner, slave trade papers, encloses copy of treaty with Portugal for suppression of slave trade, reports that Portugal has chosen island of Boa Vista for seat of mixed commission court at Cape Verde Islands, forwards additional article to treaty with Portugal, draft of despatch to minister at Washington on emigration of 'free colored men' from US, Admiralty informed that Portuguese slavers cannot be taken to Sierra Leone for adjudication, draft despatch on emigration from US to West Indies, asks for copies of Jamaican Acts); Law Officers (opinion on case of American brig Creole [slave ship taken to Bahamas following an uprising by enslaved persons on board] that this was not a case of piracy and there was no requirement to give up the slaves to the US authorities, leave of absence to colonial officials); Treasury (whether salary of superintendent of liberated Africans for last quarter of 1841 should be paid, report on Mr Turnbull's account of expenses of liberated Africans, not appropriate to award surplus slave compensation funds to merchants as requested by Messrs Phillipps and King, payment of two bills drawn by Mr Turnbull, deductions of income tax from salaries of clergy, requests separate report of expenses for each capture of slavers, expenses of bishops' visitations to be paid by themselves, new plans and routes for steam packets, answer to Messrs Phillips and King's application for compensation, asks for statement of fees on letters patent for erection of bishoprics in West Indies and at Gibraltar and Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] and bishops' passage allowances, directions given to pay salaries of bishops, further on fees for letters patent, asks if Turnbull's bill for £175 should be accepted, passages of bishops to be a public expense, bill drawn by Turnbull refused, income tax on salaries of magistrates, forwards draft of Order in Council relating to contracts of service for condemned or forfeited slaves); Inspector General's Office (returns of exports from UK to West Indian colonies and of sugar imported into UK); General Post Office (reports that no mails from Jamaica or Santiago de Cuba were received by steam packet Thames, receipt at Nassau of despatch from British Guiana not in a mail bag); Association of West India Merchants and Planters, Glasgow (memorial concerning losses incurred by poor mail service); Custom House, Falmouth (two receipts for boxes addressed to secretary of state); Colonial Land and Emigration Office (suggests that governors should be provided with copies of Passenger Act 5&6 Vic, cap 107 which extends to West Indian colonies). Individuals: D St Andre, French Consulate General (seeks information about certain individuals [three letters in French]); J Crawford, consul general, Cuba (encloses application from Mr Cocking for post of superintendent of liberated Africans); Reverend A Lefroy Courtenay (requires information for ecclesiastical purposes [two letters]); R Dickinson (recommends Mr Macpherson of Tobago should be examined before the West India Committee); Richard Evers (will attend to directions given); James Gibson (concerning William Gibson who died in Cuba); Maurice Jones (proposes that captured Africans should be sent to Jamaica for adjudication instead of Cuba); Richard Larkins (asks if there is a person named Alexander Adamson in the West Indies); John Lynch (asks for name of consul at Cuba); Mr Milton (sends letter for Mr Chatfield); Dr R R Madden (further on the reception by Lieutenant Jenkin of a alleged slave trader on board the Romney, thanks for letter respecting his conduct in case of Lieutenant Jenkin); Phillipps, King & Company (claim of certain merchants in West Indies, Mauritius and Cape of Good Hope to money from residue of slave compensation fund, further on claim); Mary Quaid (asks if any money was left by Standish D'Arcy in the West Indies); John J Sturz (suggestions for abolition of slave trade); Mrs Skinner (recovery of sum of money due to her late husband General Skinner); Melvil Wilson, Danish Consulate (enquires whether any difference exists in duties or ship expenses prejudicial to Danish as compared with British or other foreign vessels). Bound at the end of the volume are certain Colonial Office circular despatches and memoranda. Memoranda concern 4½% duties and patent rights. Circulars are on the following subjects: regulations concerning leave of absence; instructions to health officers on packet routes; regulations concerning appointments to public offices; treaty between UK and Venezuela for abolition of the slave trade; convention between UK and Haiti for more effectual suppression of slave trade; Act to amend laws for the regulation of the trade of British Possessions; 'Act to repeal so much of an Act of the second and third years of her present Majesty for the suppression of the Slave Trade as relates to Portuguese Vessels'; Vesting of ordnance property in principal Ordnance officers; despatch from governor in chief of Windward Islands on colonial duties on British goods; Order in Council authorising Portuguese ships to import Portuguese goods into British possessions; laws passed in British colonies for prevention, regulation, or punishment of acts done on the high seas; savings banks.