of which I take the liberty of requesting that your Lordship may be pleased to appoint him as one of the regular Clergymen of the Cape of Good Hope, that he may be thereby enabled to fill one of the vacant livings which are still unoccupied in that colony.

I have etc.

(Signed) I. WERNINCK, D.D., Minister of the Dutch Church.

[Original.]

Letter from REAR ADMIRAL STOPFORD to J. W. CROKER, ESQRE. HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP Scipion,

PORT LOUIS, ISLE OF FRANCE, 26th October 1811.

SIR,-You will be pleased to acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty with my arrival at the Isle of France on the 20th Instant in the Scipion.

I have to acknowledge the receipt of their Lordships' Instruction desiring me to report upon every subject connected with the Naval Department at the Isle of France, and it is some consolation to me in the regret I feel at the protracted length of time which my going to Java has occasioned in fulfilling these Instructions, that no useful measure has been set aside or retarded in consequence of it.

The situation of Port Louis accords so well with the plans of it at the Admiralty Office that I have nothing to add to its Geographical position, with the exception that the depth of water diminishes for the want of attention in clearing the Harbour of Mud during the greatest part of this War. The Vessel with the proper Machinery for this purpose is here and fitted, and may be put into progress whenever the Colonial Government thinks proper, but as from their Lordships' Letter of the 1st June transmitting one written to Mr. Peel, the measure of deepening the Harbor does not meet with their Lordships' approbation, it will of course not be adopted without further orders. Nor indeed do I think it requisite if likely to be attended with much expense, as the present depth is sufficient for Frigates at their usual Moorings.

The safety of this Harbor during the Months of January, February, and March cannot be depended upon. The Nisus, Phoebe, and Astrea at different times of these Months in this Year experienced very heavy Gales from the Westward, and broke some two and some three Cables out of the Eight with which they were secured. The Wind however at no time blew directly in, had it ever come in that direction no number of Anchors or Cables would have saved the ships from going on shore.

The Water here is excellent and abundant, but every other Sort of Supply is very Scanty and extravagantly high in price.

The Island appears quite in its infancy, and its improvement has been much retarded by a Succession of Governors; since its capture no regular system is yet established, but as Mr. Farquhar imagines himself to be permanently fixed he is about to introduce the plans of the Ceylon Government as his model, by which many useful regulations will be introduced.

In a former Letter from the Cape of Good Hope I acquainted their Lordships with my intention of Sending four Coppered Transports to the Isle of France for the purpose of Supplying the Island with live Cattle from Madagascar. One of these Transports (the Britannia) I find has been Sent to England by Commissioner Shield with a Cargo of Timber from Plettenberg's Bay. Two others, the Oxford and Hercules, have been sent to Java with Salt Provisions for the Expedition employed there in consequence of a most pressing demand made for this purpose by the Government of India, by the loss of the Chichester. These Transports went to Java under Convoy of His Majesty's Sloop Eclipse, and arrived off Sourabaya before I left it, but I did not fall in with them and therefore left orders for the Eclipse to return to the Isle of France with the Transports as soon as possible. The other Transport (Kingston) is now at Madagascar, and will shortly return here. Supplies of Cattle are chiefly wanted for the Navy and Army, the Inhabitants who have been for some years restricted in getting Slaves from Madagascar, are so anxious to procure them that were they permitted they would employ all their means in this traffic.

Forty thousand are now wanted to complete the Number which is thought requisite for the cultivation of the Island, and as they consider the importation of Slaves as much more profitable than that of Cattle, a' vigilant look out is requisite to prevent the

smuggling of Slaves into the Island. Governor Farquhar had Sanctioned the importation of Eight Hundred from Tamatave at Madagascar, as the private property of the French who were Settled there, but who evacuated it upon the English taking possession. The Vessels which brought a part of these Slaves had so much abused the indulgence, that many above the proportion were secreted under the Hatches, which induced Captain Schomberg to seize the Vessels and Send them to the Cape of Good Hope for condemnation.

Labouring therefore, at present, under many difficulties in obtaining a supply of Cattle for the use of the army and Navy, which however may and will I trust be obviated, I can not consider Port Louis in the respect of supplies as by any means a desirable Naval Port excepting for a very small force.

This force can always be supplied from the Cape of Good Hope with Stores and Salt Provisions by means of the Transports attached to the Station, the whole of which I should recommend to be under the direction of Commissioner Shield.

With respect to the Establishment for the Security of the Naval Stores deposited here, I am of opinion that a Storekeeper and two Clerks would be Sufficient to Superintend both the Naval Stores and Provisions, submitting his accounts and constantly corresponding with the Naval Commissioner at the Cape. With respect to the repairs of His Majesty's Ships which may occasionally require more assistance than can be furnished by their Carpenters' Crews, I should recommend such work to be done by contract, and from experience in the refitting of His Majesty's Ships recently engaged in action with the Enemy such Work can be done by contract at a much cheaper rate than by maintaining a large permanent establishment.

I should propose that during the Hurricane Months of January, February, and March, one Frigate and Sloop should remain at the Seychelles and two other Frigates should Secure themselves in the Trou Fanfaron, unless there should be reason to apprehend a Naval Force in these Seas.

I found the former Nereide in the Trou Fanfaron, and having had her surveyed and an estimate of what it would require to make her a receiving Ship (the only use to which She can be put) I find it amounts to Four thousand Pounds, and as I conceive it will be attended with many advantages to have a Vessel of this descrip

tion to use for the Crews of any Ships requiring to be hove down, and particularly for Convalescents whose recovery is frequently retarded by irregularities at the Hospital on shore, I have directed Monsieur Piston to undertake her equipment. As much of the Copper has been rubbed off her bottom, it will be necessary to heave her down to repair it, to prevent the worms from ruining her planks entirely. The Staunch Gun Brig having also been Surveyed, has been found fit for Service, and I propose sending her to the Cape in the good season, and from thence to England. As the Island of Bourbon possesses no Harbor I have nothing to add respecting that Island. As to what relates to its commercial concerns I am not competent at present to give an opinion.

Captain Beaver of the Nisus having been at the Seychelles, I have his authority for saying that the Island Mahe possesses two secure Harbors, and that the Island Proslin has also an excellent Harbor. I enclose for their Lordships' Information a copy of Captain Beaver's report of the Population, Productions, and Commerce of these Islands, also a Capitulation which has been renewed by the different Ships of War which have occasionally called there, and which I fancy was the only method the French Governor had in his power to deprecate the Wrath of any French force which might have taken umbrage at the frequent visits of the English.

These Islands are very healthy, and have never yet experienced any Wind to do mischief; the Sea abounds with Fish.

I shall take the liberty of appointing from the Scipion a person to act as Naval Storekeeper at Port Louis until the pleasure of their Lordships is made known, and I trust he will do justice to his Situation. I am now removing all the King's Stores from those of the Colony with which they have been hitherto mixed, and having effected a complete Separation shall place them under the charge of this person.

The Phoebe arrived from Java on the 25th Instant, and she will immediately proceed Straight to England, Captain Harris, who is charged with the detail of the Surrender of Java, goes passenger in the Ship. I propose going to the Cape of Good Hope very shortly, from whence the Scipion will proceed to England. I have etc.

(Signed)

ROBERT STOPFORD.

VIII.

0

[Original.]

Letter from REAR ADMIRAL STOPFORD to J. W. CROKER, ESQRE. HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP Scipion,

PORT LOUIS, ISLE OF FRANCE, 26th October 1811.

SIR, I have the Honor to transmit herewith for their Lordships' Information the copy of a Letter which I have received from Captain Schomberg detailing the account of an engagement and capture of one of the Enemy's Frigates on the 20th of May, and his Subsequent proceedings at Tamatave in the Island of Madagascar which ended in the capture of another of the Enemy's Frigates, and also the copies of two Letters which I wrote to Captain Schomberg upon these occasions. I have etc.

Letter from the EARL OF LIVERPOOL to SIR JOHN CRADOCK.

DOWNING STREET, 29th October 1811.

SIR,-The account of Mr. Agar, the late agent of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, having been under the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, the Accountant has been surcharged with several sums paid by him to Officers of the Colonial Regiment, in consequence of the non-production of certain certificates from the Paymaster of the Regiment; and their Lordships having desired that these surcharges with the Reasons for making the same should be transmitted to the Governor of the Cape, and that he should be instructed to direct the Paymaster forthwith to send home the Certificates required in order that the surcharges in question may be taken off, I herewith transmit to you a copy of that part of the stated Account which relates to those surcharges, and I am to desire that you will direct the Paymaster of the Colonial Regiment to transmit to this Department the certificates required by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. I have etc.