'GREAT BRITAIN.


519


destine shipment from the coast, and a corresponding increase in the trade
with the in-
terior in ivory and ostrich-feathers, which would appear to be supplanting
the traffic
in human beings. The facility with which slaves are able to obtain their
freedom
under the administration of Samih Pasha, the present governor-general, together
with
other measures taken by his excellency for discouraging the slave-trade,
has no doubt
contributed in a great measure to this result.
  Samih Pasha has, since his arrival in this country, shown great readiness
and prompt-
itude in emancipating slaves for whom I had interceded, and in several instances
in
which the slaves had, by my advice, made application directly to his excellency,
they
were also granted their freedom. Samih Pasha's conduct in this respect contrasts
fa-
vorably with that of his predecessors. His excellency now assures me that
lie will
take fresh measures for preventing the embarkation of any black people, unless
of their
own free will and as domestic servants.
  Samih Pasha's action in the matter of slaves has a tendency to make him
unpopuflar
among Turkish officials, and the general impression is that it will not be
viewed with
much favor at Constantinople. It would, under these circumstances, have an
excellent
effect if the Sublime Porte were to express their approval of his honest
endeavors to
carry out the many vizierial orders on the subject which had hitherto been
virtually
disregarded.
      I have, &c.,
                I ,F. R. DRUMMOND HAY.



                                   No'. 308.

                         General Schenck to Mir. Fish.

No. 590.]                     LEGATION OF THE UNITED           STATES,
                           London, July 18, 1874. (Received August 4.)
   Sin: With    reference to Mr. Moran's Nos. 478 and 498, I have the
honor to forward herewith two copies of the "1 report of Commodore
Goodenough and Mr. Consul Layard on the offer of the cession of the
Fiji Islands to the British Crown," just presented to both houses of
Par-
liament by command of the Queen, together with a report, taken from
the Times of this morning, of the proceedings in the House of Lords last
night on the subject of this annexation.
        I ain, &c.,
                                                   ROBT. C. SCHENCK.


                               [Inclosure 1 in, No. 590.1

Report of Commodore Goodenough and Mr. Consul Layard on the offer of the
cession of the
                          Fiji Islands to the British Crown.

                PEARL, AT LEVUKA, Fiji, April 13, 1874. (Received June 10,
1874.)
   My LORD: In the instructions issued to us by Lord Kimberley, desiring
us to inquire
 and report on the offer of cession of the Fiji Islands to the British Crown,
we are m-
 formedthat four possible modes of action are open to Her Majesty's government:
 .(1.) To invest the British consul with magisterial powers over British
subjects set-
 tied in, the Fiji Islands.
 (2.) To recognize the government which now exists in the islands, and which
has
 already been dealt with, a de facto government.
   (3.) To establish a British protectorate over the islands.
   (4.) The assumption by Her Majesty of territorial sovereignty over the
islands,
 and, as a necessary sequence, the constitution within them of some form
of colonial
 government.
   2. The objections 'to the third mode, which had appeared so strong to
Her Majesty's
 government, we find to be even stronger than is suggested by our instructions.
We
 have received evidence of the dislike with which it would be received by
British resi-
 dents, and we, therefore, do not suppose that your lordship will wish us
to dwell fur-
 ther upon it.
   3. As, in our opinion, the only remaining alternative lies between the
assumption by
 Her Majesty of territorial sovereignty over the islands, and to invest the
consul with