“In my letter of the 31st May, I took the liberty of offering a few remarks upon the situation of the black labourers, and requested permission to extend the indulgence to the deserving as occasion might require. The experience of every day teaches me that much good may result to His Majesty’s service, as well as to these people by a constant attention to putting them forward in such branches as they may be best calculated for.
“I have already given my opinion on the encouragement which appears due to those, who have become useful as artificers. I have since found that many of them are likely to become expert seamen, from the activity and intelligence they evince in boats employed on various services, and I am anxious to encourage them, by an addition to their pay, and making them leading men. Sixpence a day will I think be ample in the present instance to four of them, and this may stimulate the others to obtain the same advantage.
“As there are two seamen allowed on the establishment of the yard, and none borne on the list, which would have been absolutely necessary but for the exertions of these black men; I propose forming a fund for their encouragement, from the amount of the seamen’s wages, by which the estimate for the expense of the yard will not be exceeded. I hope to obtain your sanction to the measure.
“I have, &c.
“J. BRENTON.”
“Navy Board.”
The Navy Board approved of all the suggestions contained in these letters, with the exception of paying the arrears to those blacks who had not received the advantage of being rated according to these orders; a measure bearing very hard upon these people, and for which no adequate reason is assigned.
Some months afterwards, when the black men from the squadron were discharged into the dock-yard, previous to its departure for England, the Commissioner on mustering them found to his great surprise, that some of these people had been long at sea, serving as part of the complement of His Majesty’s ships, and doing all the duty of seamen. That these people should after such service be consigned again to slavery, (mitigated it is true, but nevertheless, as the labour was compulsory, it was still slavery for the time it was to last) seemed a hardship not to be permitted. It was true he felt that it might be said, that in the dock-yard they had the pay and allowances of seamen. This was admitted; but it was the principle against which he felt it his duty to contend. On the mere supposition that the dock-yard establishment was complete, and that in consequence these negroes had been like other apprentices distributed among the Boors, the consequence would have been obvious and most painful, and it would have involved a flagrant act of injustice towards the helpless blacks, thus reduced without any fault of their own, from the condition of seamen, serving in His Majesty’s navy, to that of prædial slaves in a colony, noted for the severity with which such slaves are treated. Sir Jahleel Brenton in consequence wrote to the Navy Board upon the subject, and the following is an extract from his letter of the 13th Feb., 1816, immediately bearing upon this subject.
“I feel it incumbent upon me to state the cases of three of these men, (viz.) Frank, Tom, and Robin, who appear to me to be entitled to their liberty, in consequence of their having been in England. They went home in H.M.S. Thais, and returned in H.M.S. Curacoa, since which period they have served either in the dockyard, or in the squadron.
“Frank has acquired some knowledge as a mason, and might be employed as such, at an inferior rate of pay, in the dock-yard. The others are only labourers, and probably would have no objection to remain; but as I understand so many decisions have lately taken place respecting the freedom of slaves being established, by their having been either in England, or in the Colonies where slavery does not exist, that I consider it my duty to make this claim in their favour.