No. 346.
Sir Edward
Thornton to Mr. Fish.
Sir: With reference to several conversations which I have had the honor of holding with you on the subject of the passage of slaves from Tripoli to Turkey by way of Malta, in which you communicated tome the information transmitted to his Government by the consul of the United States at Tripoli, respecting the alleged laxity of the police of that island in regard to the transit through it of those African slaves, I have been instructed by the Earl of Derby to state that, in consequence of this representation, a commission was appointed on the 8th of May to inquire fully into the matter.
The report of this commission has been carefully considered in communication with the law advisers of the Crown, and Her Majesty’s government sees no reason for believing that the Malta police failed in their duty in the cases which form the subject of the depositions sent to Washington by the United States consul at Tripoli, and communicated to Lord Derby by Mr. Moran.
His lordship has further instructed me, in acquainting the Government of the United States with the decision at which Her Majesty’s government has arrived, to suggest that it would be far more conducive to the detection of any case of real slave dealing if the United States consular authorities were to communicate in a more unreserved manner, than appears to have been the case in the circumstances under discussion, with the British officials, who, as you must be fully aware, yield to no one in their desire to stop the slave trade by every legal means in their power.
I am also instructed to inform you that while United States consular officers have cast doubts on the good faith of the Malta authorities in this matter, representations have, on the other hand, been received from the Ottoman ambassador complaining of their action in the steps, which they have considered it their duty to take, in interrogating Turkish subjects passing through the island who may be suspected of having slaves in their custody.
I have, &c.,