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

CO 318/132

1838

Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State: Correspondence from 'offices' (Government departments and other organisations) on matters relating to the West Indies. Correspondents and subjects are as follows:

• House of Commons (requests returns relating to valuation of slaves, requests returns relating to captured [liberated] Africans, requests returns of estates where piece or task work has been introducted, requests papers on apprenticeship system in British Guiana, requests returns relating to apprenticeship and education etc., rescinds resolution on abolition of apprenticeship [with copy of Colonial Office circular]);
• Admiralty (states that no liberated Africans have been received on board the Romneyduring October or November 1837, three steamers for Jamaica, suggests signal posts should be erected to prevent slave trading, sends copy of instructions to commander of Columbia steamer sent to the West Indies for the conveyance of troops, the Columbiawill take despatches if needed, encloses copies of two letters to the Postmaster General on the subject of the packet arrangements in the West Indies, exchange of companies of the 2nd West India Regiment between Honduras and Bahamas, opinion that it is imprudent to leave the Romney without troops, reasons for delay in sending armed steamers, the Pluto can leave directly if wished, commanding officers on the West India station have been instructed relating to conveyance of a second regiment to Halifax [Nova Scotia] if necessary);
• Agent (thanks Sir George Grey for his excellent speech in defence of apprenticeship);
• Commander-in-Chief (will instruct Lieutenant Governor Cockburn to select a guard for the Romney 'from as many different Tribes as possible', discharge of certain invalids of the 2nd West India Regiment, amount of force needed to exchange companies of black troops at Honduras, requests return of invalids at Honduras, proposes withdrawal of recruiting party for Havana, detachment of 2nd West India Regiment to be stationed at Havana, distribution of 2nd West India Regiment at Honduras, troops stationed on board the Romney, question of whether soldiers on board the Romney are subject to the Marine or Army Mutiny Act, objects to the Marine Mutiny Act being used for effecting the enlistment of black troops on board the Romney, removal of two companies of the 2nd West India Regiment from Honduras to Jamaica, will send order for more frequent relief of troops on board the Romney, tonnage required for 930 rank and file for the Windward and Leeward Islands, barrack accommodation, need for steamers to move troops from island to island, causes of the recent fatal fever at British Guiana and proposed preventive measures, increased barrack and hospital accommodation, forwards extracts from despatch of Lieutenant General Sir Samuel Whittingham on matters connected with the health and efficiency of the troops in the Leeward Islands and on the local French forces, report of barrack and hospital accommodation in the West Indies, erection of barracks at Bahamas, Whittingham's request for a copy of the penal code in force in New South Wales [he states 'I have reason to think that making the soldiers in this command acquainted with the treatment incurred by a sentence of transportation as a felon would deter many bad characters'];
• Privy Council Office (Orders in Council relating to allowances of food, contract labour, vagrancy, marriage laws, legal tender, lands, militia, classification of labourers);
• Board of Trade (cannot recommend any grant of public money to Captain Manby in respect of his life-saving invention, draft of trade treaty with Haiti has been sent to the Foreign Office, correspondence with the Colonial Bank applying for the removal of some restrictions, Mr J Murray's proposals for the introduction of silk worms);
• Board of Ordnance (barracks, requests copy of report on the mortality of troops, barracks at British Guiana and Barbados, further on barracks);
• War Office (enquires if sufficient information has been received to enable Lord Glenelg to decide on the question of barracks, suggests discontinuance of recruiting of African troops at Havana, certain provisions of the Mutiny Act, enlistment of military labourers, barrack accommodation and number of troops to be kept up, further on barracks

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