sumption, provided the parties making entry of any such foreign oats, oatmeal, rye, peas, or beans, do give bond, with sufficient sureties, to the satisfaction of the commissioners of his majesty's Customs, for the payment of any duties not exceeding in amount the duties hereinafter mentioned, in case parliament shall authorise the levy and receipt thereof, that is to say: oats, per quarter, 2s.; oatmeal, per boll, 2s. 2d.; rye, peas, and beans, per quarter, 3s. 6d. And his majesty, by and with the advice aforesaid, doth hereby further order, and it is

accordingly ordered, that such permission to enter oats and oatmeal, rye, peas, and beans for home consumption, on the conditions aforesaid, shall continue in force from the date hereof, until the expiration of forty days, to be reckoned from the day of the next meeting of parliament, unless the parliament shall, previously to the expiration of the said forty days, make provision to the contrary:

And the right hon. the lords commissioners of his majesty's Treasury are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly..

Downing-street, April 12. « Sir, Previously to your taking possession of the very arduous and important situation to which you have been appointed as protector of slaves, it is necessary that I should convey to you some special instructions for the regulation of your conduct in the exercise of its various duties.

"It will be your particular duty as protector of slaves, to watch over the faithful execution of all such provisions or regulations with respect to the treatment of slaves as are at present in force in Demerara, or as may at any future time be established there by any lawful authority.

"You will, if necessary, apply to the local government for any facilities which may give you a more complete opportunity of receiving and considering complaints which may be preferred by the slaves against their owners, or any other persons exercising a dele VOL. LXVIII.

gated authority over them; and you will not fail to make a report to the lieutenant-governor, which will be transmitted to me, on the subject of any practical impediments which may be found in the execution of any part of your duty.

"You will not deem it necessary in all cases to wait to receive complaints from the slaves themselves; but if you shall hear of any unwarrantable treatment to which any slave, or any gang of slaves are exposed, you will repair to the estate, and there institute a diligent inquiry into the conduct of those persons who may be responsible on the occasion.

"You will not, however, forget, in the execution of your office, that it is also your duty to secure all the legal rights of the proprietor as well as of the slave, as far as they are involved in any transaction with you as protector.

"You must exercise a constant discretion in impressing upon the F*

minds of the slaves in the most forcible manner, that the measures which have been provided for their protection are in no degree to in terfere with the unremitting prac tice of industry and obedience, to which, under prescribed regulations, their owners are by law entitled; but, on the contrary, that those duties are the more strictly to be observed by them in propor tion as the law and regulation in terpose to prevent any improper exercise of the authority of the

master.

"You must explain to them, that although they may always expect to find in you a vigilant friend and protector in all cases where such protection can be properly required, they will at the

same time find you entirely determined to discountenance any frivo lous and unfounded complaints which may be preferred by them against their masters.

"You will not fail to make it your early and peculiar study to fix on the minds of the slaves, by such arguments and explanations as are suited to their state of information and comprehension, the principles which are contained in this letter, and which pervade all that course of legislation which his majesty's government have esta◄ blished and recommended in pursuance of the resolutions of both Houses of parliament. I have, &c. (Signed) BATHURST." "Lieutenant-Colonel Young, Protector of Slaves."

in the ports of the other, whether under the heads of duties of tonnage, harbour, light-house, pilotage, and others of the same description, or in the shape of increased duties upon goods on account of their being imported or exported in other than national vessels; have named as their plenipotentiaries, to conclude a convention for this purpose, that is to say:

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the right hon. George Canning, &c. and the right hon. William Huskisson, &c. And his Majesty the King of France, and Navarre, the prince Jules, count de Polignac, &c.

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following ar ticles:

Art. I. From and after the 5th of April of the present year, French vessels coming from, or de parting for, the ports of France, or, if in ballast, coming from, or de parting for, any place, shall not be subject in the ports of the United Kingdom, either on entering into or departing from the same, to any higher duties of tonnage, harbour, light-house, pilotage, quarantine, or other similar or corresponding duties of whatever nature or under whatever denomination, than those to which British vessels, in respect of the same voyages, are or may be subject on entering into or departing from such ports; and, reciprocally, from and after the same period, British vessels coming from or departing from the ports of the United Kingdom, or, if in ballast, coming from, or departing for, any place, shall not be subject, in the ports of France, either on entering into, or departing from the same, to any higher duties of tonnage, harbour, light-house, pilotage, quarantine, or other similar or corresponding duties, of whatever nature, or under whatever denomination, than those to which French vessels, in respect of the same voyages, are or may be subject, on entering into or departing from such ports; whether such duties are collected separately, or are consolidated in one and the same duty, his most Christian majesty reserving to himself to regulate the amount of such duty or duties in France, according to the rate at which they are or may be estab lished in the United Kingdom;

at the same time, with the view of diminishing the burthens imposed upon the navigation of the two countries, his most Christian majesty will always be disposed to reduce the amount of the said burthens in France, in proportion

to

any reduction which may hereafter be made of those now levied in the ports of the United Kingdom.

II.Goods, wares, and merchandize, which can or may be legally imported into the ports of the United Kingdom from the ports of France, if so imported in French vessels, shall be subject to no higher duties than if imported in British vessels, and, reciprocally, goods, wares, and merchandize, which can or may be legally imported into the ports of France, from the ports of the United Kingdom, if so imported in British vessels, shall be subject to no higher duties than if imported in French vessels. The produce of Asia, Africa, and America, not being allowed to be imported from the said countries, nor from any other, in French vessels, nor from France in French, British, or any other vessels, into the ports of the United Kingdom, for home consumption, but only for warehousing and re-exportation. His most Christian majesty reserves to himself to direct that, in like manner, the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, shall not be imported from the said countries, nor from any other, in British vessels, nor from the United Kingdom in British, French, or any other vessels, into the ports of France, for the consumption of that kingdom, but only for warehousing and re-exportation.

With regard to the productions of the countries of Europe, it is

understood between the high contracting parties, that such productions shall not be imported in British ships, into France, for the consumption of that kingdom, unless such ships shall have been laden therewith in some port of the United Kingdom; and that his Britannic majesty may adopt, if he shall think fit, corresponding restrictive measures, with regard to the productions of the countries of Europe, imported into the ports of the United Kingdom in French vessels: the high contracting parties reserving, however, to themselves the power of making, by mutual consent, such relaxations in the strict execution of the present article, as they may think useful to the respective interests of the two countries, upon the principle of mutual concessions, affording each to the other reciprocal or equivalent advantages.

III. All goods, wares, and merchandize, which can or may be legally exported from the ports of either of the two countries, shall, on their export, pay the same duties of exportation, whether the exportation of such goods, wares, and merchandize, be made in British or in French vessels, provided the said vessels proceed, respec tively, direct from the ports of the one country to those of the other. And all the said goods, wares, and merchandize, so exported in British or French vessels, shall be reciprocally entitled to the same bounties, drawbacks, and other allowances of the same nature, which are granted by the regulations of each country respectively.

IV. It is mutually agreed between the high contracting parties, that in the intercourse of navigation between their two countries, the vessels of any third power

shall, in no case, obtain more favourable conditions than those stipulated in the present convention, in favour of British and French vessels.

V.-The fishing-boats of either of the two countries which may be forced by stress of weather to seek shelter in the ports, or on the coast of the other country, shall not be subject to any duties, or port duties, of any description whatsoever; provided the said boats, when so driven in by stress of weather, shall not discharge or receive on board any cargo, or portion of cargo, in the ports, or on the parts of the coast where they shall have sought shelter.

VI. It is agreed that the provisions of the present convention between the high contracting par ties shall be reciprocally extended, and in force, in all the possessions subject to their respective dominion in Europe.

VII. The present convention shall be in force for the term of ten years, from the 5th of April of the present year; and further, until the end of twelve months after either of the high contracting parties shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate its operation: each of the high contracting parties reserving to itself the right of giving such notice to the other, at the end of the said term of ten years; and it is agreed between them, that, at the end of the twelve months' extension agreed to on both sides, this convention, and all the stipulations thereof, shall altogether cease and determine.

VIII. The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in London, within the space of one month, or sooner, if possible,