5178. Is there any expense thrown upon captured vessels in case of slaves being brought on shore, for the maintenance of the slaves after they are put on shore?—I mentioned in the early part of my evidence that on their being landed they were handed over to the liberated African department, to be kept as slaves until adjudication. They are fed by the liberated African department at the ordinary rate at which the other liberated Africans in the yard are fed; and when the vessel is condemned, the liberated African department brings to the marshal his account for feeding them, at the same rate which is charged for other liberated Africans; I think it is 11⁄2d. per head per day, or something of that kind; and there is a further charge, I think, of 4d. or 6d. per day in the hospital; those are expenses over which the court has no control.
5179. Is any of that charge made upon the share which goes to the captors?—Yes; it comes out of the proceeds of the vessel; they pay half, as it were; it goes in diminution of the moiety which goes to the British Government.
5180. Mr. Evans.] The captor has no claim upon that?—The captor has no claim upon it, except from the bounty of Government.
5181. Chairman.] But the Government does generally hand over its moiety to the captor?—Yes.
5182. Then by whatever amount that moiety is diminished, the captor’s share is diminished?—Yes.
5183. Mr. W. Patten.] If any means could be discovered of doing away with those great expenses on the sale of captured vessels, do not you think that it would give great stimulus to cruizers on the coast?—I do not think they require a stimulus; but I do not think it is possible to diminish the charges materially in the shape of duties, which is the heavy item. In translating the papers, they have been already relieved, and also in a great measure from the duties; and I really do not think that there is any change that can materially diminish the expenses, so as to have the services properly performed.
5184. Chairman.] Those are services which must be performed by somebody, which can hardly be performed at less expense than they are now performed, and if the expenses are to be defrayed, they must be defrayed by the Government or by the captors?—Yes: certainly.
5185. And the Government gets the moiety of the proceeds, but out of its bounty habitually makes over that portion to the captor?—Yes.
5186. You do not think it unfair that the bounty should be diminished by those expenses, not being extravagant expenses, in your opinion?—The bounty granted by Act of Parliament is not diminished. Cases do happen sometimes, as the case of the Passos, where the expenses exceed the proceeds, and in those cases the Government pays the difference, leaving the bounty perfectly free to the captor. None of the expenses go in diminution of the bounty given by Act of Parliament.
5187. But this is a sort of premium given beyond the bounty?—I suppose it was given to enable them to pay the expenses, but they get something beyond the expenses, and the bounty comes to them entire, not suffering any diminution from the general expenses, and the proceeds go in payment of the expenses.