162] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



pies, and conformably to the 

 present political situation of these 

 countries and Europe. 



4. A sincere disposition on the 

 part of his Catholic majesty to 

 accede to all measures which, in 

 the course of the negotiations, 

 may be proposed to him by his 

 High Allies, and which shall be 

 consistent with the support of his 

 rights and dignity. 



We are afterwards informed 

 that his Majesty has made a 

 number of new promotions in the 

 courts of Mexico, Quito, Guati- 

 mala, and other parts of South 

 America. 



The following oflScial articles, 

 in the form of Royal Decrees, 

 were issued at Madrid on Sept. 

 17th. 



" Having judged it expedient 

 to remove D. Joseph Garcia 

 Leon y Pizarro from his office of 

 my Secretary of State and Dis- 

 patches, I appointashissuccessor, 

 per interim, the Marquis de Caza 

 Irujot, my Honorary Counsellor 

 of State. By these presents it is 

 made known, in order that it may 

 be communicated to all whom it 

 may concern.'' 



" I have removed D. Joseph 

 Vasquez Figueroa from his office 

 of Secretary of State and the 

 Marine, and by virtue hereof 

 appoint it to be filled by Lieu- 

 tenant-General D. Hidalgo de 

 Cisneros, Capt. General of the 

 department of Cadiz.'' 



" In consideration of the bad 

 state of the health of D. Martin 

 de Garay, and that he may be 

 enabled to recover it, I have 

 removed him from his office of 

 Secretary of State and of the 

 Finances, of Spain and the Indies. 

 I appoint, as his successor, per 



interim, D. Joseph Imaz, my 

 Counsellor of Finances, and first 

 Director-General of Rentes.'' 



Signed by the King's hand, at 

 the Palace, Sept. 14. 1818. 



PORTUGAL. 



Portugal appeared to treat with 

 great neglect the possessions 

 which it retained in Europe ; and 

 the return of its Sovereign to 

 this country seemed to be a cir- 

 cumstance very little within ex- 

 pectation. The territory of Monte- 

 video continued to remain attached 

 to the Portuguese dominion. 



The King of Portugal has pub- 

 lished a Royal alvara, or law, 

 dated Rio Janeiro, May 6, 1818, 

 to enforce the articles of the late 

 convention with the British Go- 

 vernment for the abolition of the 

 slave-trade, north of the Equator. 

 It fixes the penalties to which 

 those traders are liable who 

 engage in the prohibited traffic, 

 and makes the necessary regula- 

 tions for the protection and sup- 

 port of those slaves who in con- 

 sequence of these penalties shall 

 be declared free. The following 

 are some of its provisions :-— 



Art. 1. All persons, of whatso- 

 ever quality or condition, who 

 shall proceed to fit out or prepare 

 vessels for the traffic in slaves, in 

 any part of the coast of Africa 

 lying north of the Equator, shall 

 incur the penalty of the loss of 

 the slaves, who shall be declared 

 free, with a destination herein- 

 afterwards mentioned. The ves- 

 sels engaged in the traffic shall be 

 confiscated, with all their tacWe 

 and appurtenances, together with 

 the cargo, of whatever it consist, 

 which shall be on board on ac- 

 count 



