begged to put a question to the Under Secretary for the Colonies. It was stated in the public papers, that when the captured slaves were liberated from the slave-vessels which had been captured, they were apprenticed, under certain regulations in Brazil, as a means of disposing of them. If this were the case, it was only transferring them to another kind of slavery, and the benevolence of this country, in paying large sums for their capture and liberation, was rendered absolutely nugatory.

said, that the statements made to the Government with respect to this subject, showed that the utmost vigilance was required to prevent the evil referred to. He could only say, there were now communications going on between the Foreign-office and the Colonial Department on this subject, and no exertion on the part of her Majesty's Government should be wanting to put down so monstrous an abuse.

Am I to understand that such has been the fact—that slaves so captured, have been apprenticed in the Brazils?

Yes. Representations to that effect have been made to the Colonial-office, and there is a strong probability that, in some instances, it has been the case.