374 REMARKS ON 



There is another point in connexion with the 

 chase and capture of a slave-vessel that I think 

 calls loudly for the decided interference of the 

 British nation. If the slaver resists, and in the 

 action that ensues some of the crew of the 

 British cruiser are killed and wounded, what is 

 the result ? — nothing, literally nothing. A slaver 

 may, and does, fire into one of His Majesty's 

 vessels with perfect impunity : the only remark 

 made is, that he was a gallant fellow and de- 

 served to have escaped. I defy any one to bring 

 forward proof that any capital punishment has 

 been awarded to the commanders, officers, or 

 men of those vessels, (and there have been many 

 of them,) who, in resisting British men-of-war, 

 have wounded and killed any of His Majesty's 

 subjects. Now a slaver is a smuggler by the con- 

 sent of all nations — he has no right to resist the 

 search of any authorised vessel of war. If in do- 

 ing so, he kills and wounds any men acting in 

 the discharge of their duty, surely he is liable to 

 the same penalty that attaches to the man Mho 

 in smuggling an anker of brandy falls in with 

 the coast-guard, and in his resistance kills or 

 wounds one of them. The English smuggler is 

 hanged, the Spanish or Portuguese one escapes. 



