Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/324

 a squadron on that coast for the protection of its commerce, and for the suppression of the slave-trade, so far as it may be carried on in American vessels, or by American citizens.

Great Britain conceded, during the discussion referred to, as the slave-trade by the United States had only been declared piracy in a municipal sense, that although a vessel was fully equipped for the trade, and even had slaves on board, if American, she was not amenable to British cruisers.

The question is still open, How is a vessel to be ascertained to be American? The United States do not claim that their flag shall give immunity to those who are not American; but any vessel which claims to be American, and hoists the American flag, may be boarded and examined by an American cruiser; but the right is not conceded to any other cruiser; and if such vessel be really an American, the boarding officer will be regarded in the light of a trespasser, and the vessel will have all the protection which that flag supplies. If the vessel proves to be not an American, the flag affords no protection. A foreign officer boarding a vessel under the American flag does it upon his own responsibility for all consequences.

These principles not being clearly understood, led to some mistakes on the part of the British cruisers; and occasionally a genuine American slaver was captured and condemned by an English admiralty court, which had no legal jurisdiction over her. In commenting on these proceedings, Dr. Hall, of the Maryland colony at Cape Palmas, says: "No stronger incentive could be given to the commission of outrageous acts on the part of the British cruisers, than the course pursued by the United States government in declaring the slave-trade piracy, and then taking no effective steps to prevent its prosecution under their own flag" Again he says: "If our force is not increased, and we continue to disregard the prostitution of our flag, annoyances to our merchantmen will more frequently occur. We shall no longer receive the protection of British cruisers, which has ever been rendered to American vessels, and without which the whole coast would be lined with robbers and pirates."

In 1843 the United States African squadron was established under the treaty, and placed under the command of Commodore Perry. It consisted of the Macedonian frigate, the sloops of war Saratoga and Decatur, and the brig Porpoise. The squadron was actively employed in protecting legal commerce and checking the slave-trade carried on in American vessels. It was relieved in 1845 by the arrival of Commodore Skinner with the sloops of war Jamestown, Yorktown, and Preble, and the brig Truxton. An officer of the Truxton, under date of March 29, 1845, off Sierra Leone, says:

"Here we are in tow of her Britannic Majesty's steamer Ardent, with an American schooner, our prize, and a Spanish brigantine, prize to the steamer, captured in the Rio Pongas, one hundred miles to the northward. We had good information when we left Monrovia, that there was a vessel in the Pongas, waiting a cargo; and on our arrival off the river, finding an English