Commissioners of Enquiry into the state of the 'captured negroes' in the West Indies:...

CO 318/81

1821-1822

Commissioners of Enquiry into the state of the 'captured negroes' in the West Indies: Correspondence from the commissioners, Thomas Moody and John Dougan, and from the secretary James Barrow. Subjects include:

• Appointment of commissioners and their instructions;
• Travel arrangements for commissioners;
• Arrival of commissioners in Barbados on 29 March 1822 and their planned itinerary;
• Arrival of commissioners in Antigua on 23 April;
• Acknowledgment of instructions to inquire into case of 'the negro Quassey' said to have been registered by mistake as belonging to the estate of Sir A Cochrane in Trinidad;
• Minutes of a meeting on 1 May 1822 at which the commissioners discussed the way in which their papers should be kept and transmitted to the under-secretary of state [and later papers on the subject];
• The case of an 'African Apprentice' named Jim confined in the Danish Fort at St Thomas and likely to be sold as a slave under the laws of that colony;
• Commissioners' expenses;
• Case of fugitive African slaves who escaped from French colonies, were seized at Dominica and condemned to the Crown, after which they were allowed to earn their own livelihood without being apprenticed out. Discusses expediency of this practice;
• Report of the commissioners concerning the heavy expenses incurred in the Court of Vice Admiralty of Dominica for the prosecution of five fugitive 'negroes', 'and the propriety of removing persons of that description from the said Island of Dominica'. With related correspondence and papers and details of fees incurred;
• Report of the commissioners on expenses incurred for the care and maintenance of African apprentices in charge of George Wyke, collector of customs at Antigua;
• Resignation of Mr Dougan;
• Major Moody's observations on the best method of examining the conduct of apprentices and their masters or mistresses towards each other and his opinion that present practice may serve to worsen the relationship. Suggests that the use of set questions might better serve to determine the actual condition of the apprentices and whether they are being treated as slaves. With schedule of proposed questions;
• Correspondence with the magistrates of Tortola concerning apprenticed Africans under charge of the collector of customs. The magistrates are of the opinion that the Apprentice Laws of England do not extend to Tortola;
• Allegations against Mr Maclean by two of his apprentices named Kitty and Amelia. With descriptions of the character and skills of Kitty and and her mother Kilah [whose African names are given in one enclosure as Moguo and Umborio respectively] and statements of various witnesses;
• Schedule of examination of African apprentices at Tortola. Lists 249 apprentices, 100 men and 149 women. Gives English and African first name; name of captured ship; apparent age; stature [i.e. height]; 'marks and particularities of feature' [scars and tatoos]; to whom apprenticed, period of apprenticeship and place of residence; indentures [whether 'perfect' or 'imperfect']; craft, trade or employment; 'increase' [i.e. names and ages of any children]; deaths; baptisms; religion [whether attending church or meeting]; country of origin [most listed as 'Ebo', some as 'Mocco' and one as 'Senegal'; 'How far advanced in knowledge of craft, trade of employment?'; character given by master or mistress; character given by other persons; remarks [usually concerning state of health and relationships];
• Alleged ill treatment of apprentices at Antigua;
• Mr Dougan's explanation of reasons for his resignation with copy of an examination of apprentices made on 24 May [and including Kitty and Kilah, see above], statements concerning the examination of other apprentices, notes concerning the relative views of Dougan and Moody on the way in which the commissioners should work, and related papers;
• Return of ships condemned in the Vice Admiralty Court at Tortola;
• Declarations of various apprenticed Africans;
• Moody's comments on Dougan's statements with copies of supporting papers;
• List of schedules submitted and remarks thereon;
• Copies of minutes of meetings and of correspondence between Dougan and Moody [apparently included to demonstrate differences of opinion between the commissioners but containing much information about apprentices and their circumstances].

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

International

Labour

Trade and commerce

Caribbean

Slavery

Population

Race relations

Children

Navy

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Sex and gender

Africa