War, and retaining an unfeigned desire to avail itself of any proper opening which may arise for an accommodation of differences with the King of Ava, before hostilities shall have been pushed to an extreme length, the British Government will be ready even yet to listen to pacific overtures on the part of his Burmese Majesty, provided that they are accompanied with the tender of adequate apology, and involve the concession of such terms as are indispensable to the future security and tranquillity of the Eastern Frontier of Bengal.

By command of the Right Honourable the Governor-General in Council,

GEORGE SWINTON, Secretary to the Government.

No. 5.-The Governor-General in Council to the Secret Committee of the Court of Dircetors of the East India Company.

(Extract.) Fort William, March 24, 1824. WE now beg leave to submit, for the information of your Honourable Committee, Copy of Translation of a Letter from the Vice-Roy of Pegue, received by us on the 17th instant, being a reply to our Declaration on the subject of the outrage at Shapuree, dated 17th October last. In the tone and contents of that Letter, we persuade ourselves that your Honourable Committee will find ample confirmation of the views entertained by us relative to the justice and necessity of an appeal to arms for the settlement of the depending Differences.

Enclosure (F. f.)-The Vice-Roy of Pegue to the Bengal Government. (Received 17th March, 1824.)

From Beula Maha Menzoung, the Vice-Roy of Pegue, and of the Thirty-two Provinces of Hanzawoody, to the Bengal Government, representing the Company.

THE Letters brought by Webster's Ship were delivered, and on the petition being submitted to the Ministers of The Most Fortunate King of White Elephants, Lord of the Seas and Earth, &c. &c. they observed, that the English protect the Arracanese rebels, who have violated their oaths of allegiance, as well as Jora-jeit, Morajeit, the Cassayers and Natives of Eckaba, also Boora Counhay, Chunder Gunda Sing, and the Assamese people; and that Chittagong, Ramoo, and Bengal, form part of the Four great Cities of Arracan, but as they were worldly matters, they are not worth notice, on account of the commercial intercourse carried on by seafaring men.

Shein-maba is annexed to the Four great Cities, and because Sepoys were stationed there, the Governor of Arracan requested, in the first instance, that they might be withdrawn, and afterwards caused them to be expelled by Royal Authority.

The Governor of Arracan has represented, that three Ships and three Boats are stationed on the opposite side of the Nââf, and that a

stockade has been erected on the Island; also that his messenger, on arriving at Chittagong was confined there: if this be true, know, that the Governors on the Burman Frontier have full authority to act, and that until every thing is settled a communication need not be made to the golden feet.

The Rajahs and Generals of Arracan, Ramré, Cheduba, Mecca Woody, Bassein, and the Western Sea Coast, would, on hearing these occurrences, rise like giants; for this and for many other considerations Mengee Maha Bendoola has been appointed to regulate all the State affairs he is vested with full military powers, and on all important occasions, he must be referred to viâ Arracan. This Appointment has been communicated to all the Authorities.

The Letter sent by the Governor-General states, that he has been newly appointed; he can, therefore, know nothing of the guilt of the Arracanese rebels, and he believes what they represent. Much rests with those in charge of chokies and such places: let him ascertain the truth, consider duly every thing, investigate and judge properly. and, by petition, represent his case to the General viâ Arracan.

TREATY, concluded in 1817, between Governor Farquhar and Radama, King of Madagascar, for the final Aboli tion of the Slave Trade through the whole extent of Radama's Dominions; together with a Copy of the Additional Articles made to the Original Treaty, on its Renewal in October, 1820.*

His Excellency Robert Townsend Farquhar, Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief, Captain-General, Vice-Admiral of the Islands of Mauritius and its Dependencies, by his Commissioners, Captain Stanfell, of the Royal Navy, commanding His Majesty's Ship, Phaeton, and Thos. R. Pye, Esquire, Assistant Agent for His Excellency's Government at Madagascar, who are vested with Full Powers ; and Radama, King of Madagascar and its Dependencies, by his Commissioners, Ratzilika, Rampoole, Ramanow and Racihato, representing the said Radama, and with Full Powers from his Majesty.

Art. I. It is agreed by the Parties to these presents respectively, that the mutual confidence, friendship and brotherhood which are hereby acknowledged to subsist between the Contracting Parties, shall be maintained and perpetuated for ever.

II. It is agreed, and the two Contracting Parties hereby covenant and agree, that, from the date of this Treaty, there shall be an entire

* Presented to the House of Commons by Command of His Majesty,

25th April, 1825.

cessation and extinction through all the Dominions of King Radama, and wherever his influence can extend, of the sale or transfer of Slaves, or other Persons whatever, to be removed from off the soil of Madagascar, into any Country, Island or Dominion of any other Prince, Potentate or Power whatever; and that Radama, King of Madagascar, will make a Proclamation and a Law, prohibiting all his subjects, or persons depending on him or his Dominions, to sell any Slave to be transported from Madagascar, or to aid or abet, or assist in such sale, under penalty that any person so offending shall be reduced to slavery himself.

III. And in consideration of this concession on the part of Radama, King of Madagascar, and his Nation, and in full satisfaction of the same, and for the loss of revenue thereby incurred by Radama, King of Madagascar, the Commissioners on the part of His Excellency the Governor of Mauritius, do engage to pay to Radama, yearly, the following articles; viz. 1,000 Dollars in Gold; 1,000 ditto in Silver; 100 Barrels of Gunpowder (100 lbs. each;) 100 English Muskets and accoutrements complete; 10,000 Flints; 400 Soldiers' Caps; 400 Stocks; 400 Red Jackets; 400 Shirts; 400 Pair Trowsers; 400 Pair Shoes; 12 Serjeant's regulation Swords and Belts; 400 Pieces of white and 200 ditto of blue Cloth, (India.) One full dress cloth coat, with two epaulets, cocked hat, and dress boots for the King; Two horses; upon a Certificate being received, that the said Laws and Proclamations have been enforced the preceding year; which Certificates shall be signed by Radama, and countersigned by the Agent of His Excellency Governor Farquhar, Resident at the Court of Radama.

IV. And further, it is agreed by the Contracting Parties mutually to protect the faithful friend and ally of England, the King of Johanna, from the predatory attacks to which he has been for many years annually exposed from some of the smaller States of the Sea Coast of Madagascar; and to use every means in their power, by their subjects, allies and dependents, to put a final end to this system of piracy; and for this purpose, Proclamations shall be made by Radama and the Governor of Mauritius, prohibiting all persons whatever from engaging in this piracy; and these Proclamations shall be particularly distributed in all the Ports on the Sea Coast of Madagascar.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.

The Contracting Parties agree in considering this Treaty as provisional, until ratified and confirmed by His Majesty's Ministers, on the part of The King of Great Britain; which Ratification will be forwarded, without loss of time, to The King of Madagascar, by His Ambassador to that Court.

This formality, however, is not to prevent the Stipulations of this

Treaty from being carried into full and complete effect, from the date hereof.

FRANCIS STANFELL. Captain of H. M. Ship Phaeton, Senior Naval Officer and Commissioner.

T. R. PYE, British Agent and Commissioner.

RATZILIKA, RAMANOW,

RAMPOOLE, RACIHATO.

Commissioners for Radama.

Done at Tamatave, Island of Madagascar, the 23d October 1817. R. T. FARQUHAR,

Approved,

PROCLAMATION of Radama, King of Madagascar, for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, 23d October 1817.

INHABITANTS OF MADAGASCAR,

(Translation.)

You are none of you ignorant of the friendship we enjoy with the Governor of the Mauritius, and the devoted attachment we have avowed to him. His attention, unlike that of all other Foreign Nations that have visited our shores, has been directed to increase our happiness and prosperity; he has never deprived us of our rights or our properties; he has not suffered the white men to carry off our children into Slavery; he has sent us people to teach us arts and industry unknown before, to defend us against our enemies, and to prevent famine, by more extensive cultivation.

We are happier and safer since the establishment of British Dominion in our neighbourhood; and we are grateful to our good Father, who has produced for us these blessings.

His Nation and King have made Laws to prevent you from being carried out of your Island into Slavery; and he has punished such of the whites as have presumed to violate this Law.

He has called on us to assist him in this work, for our own benefit; and he has promised his powerful assistance to punish such as may be refractory and disobedient.

We willingly agree to this proposal of our Father; and we hereby declare, that if any of our Subjects or Persons depending upon our power, shall henceforward be guilty of selling any Slave or other Person, for the purpose of being transported from the Island of Madagascar, the Person guilty shall be punished, by being reduced to slavery himself, and his property shall be forfeited to me.

Let my Subjects then who have Slaves, employ them in planting rice and other provisions, and in taking care of their flocks, in collecting bees wax and gums, and in manufacturing cloths and other articles which they can sell. I set them the first example myself, by abandoning the tax payable to me upon the sale of Slaves for exportation.

I direct my Brother, Jean René, and other Chiefs upon the sea coast, to seize for their own own use and profit all such Slaves as may

be attempted to be exported in their respective Provinces. They will also give every support and assistance to the Government Agent of Mauritius in the execution of his duties.

I command all my Subjects and Dependents, and invite all my Allies, to abstain from any maritime predatory excursion whatever; and more particularly neither to practise nor allow of any attack or attempt upon the friends of our Ally the British Nation.

It has been usual to make an annual attack upon the Sultan of Johanna and the Comoro Islands. Our good friend the Governor of Mauritius dissolved the meditated attack of last year; and we now join with him in forbidding any further enmity to the King or inhabitants of the Comoro Archipelago, or other Islands on the coast of Africa or North Archipelago, under the pain of our most severe displeasure, and of incurring the punishment due to pirates, of whatever Nation or People they may be.

Such is my will; let it be known to every inhabitant of this Island: it is for their own happiness and their own safety to pay obedience to this Proclamation.

Tamatave, Island of Madagascar, 23d October 1817.

RATZILIKA, RACIHATO,
RAMPOOLE, RAMALAYA,
RAMANOW,

Approved,

}

Commissioners for
Radama.

R. T. FARQUHAR.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES.

By virtue of the Treaty concluded between His Majesty Radama, King of Madagascar, and His Excellency R. T. Farquhar, Esq., Governor and Commander in Chief of the Island of Mauritius and Dependencies, Captain General, Vice Admiral, &c. &c. &c. bearing date the 23d of October 1817, the abolition of the Exportation of Slaves shall, from this day for ever be maintained and preserved inviolate; and the Contracting Parties severally bind themselves to fulfil all the Articles and Conditions contained in the said Treaty, with the most scrupulous care and attention.

In consequence of this Treaty, confirmed and ratified by command of His Britannic Majesty, and accepted this day by His Majesty The King of Madagascar, there has been agreed upon between Mr. James Hastie, Agent of Government, on the part of His Excellency Governor Farquhar, and King Radama, that the said Mr. Hastie engages, on the part of his Government, to take with him twenty free subjects of His Majesty King Radama, to be instructed in and brought up to different trades, such as mechanics, gold and silver smiths, weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths; or placed in the arsenals, dockyards, &c. &c. &c. whereof ten shall be sent to England, and ten to the Island of Mauritius, at the expense of the British Government.