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Wizard, 1830
Type: Brig-sloop ; Armament 10
Launched : 24 May 1830 ;
Disposal date or year : 8 Feb 1859
Disposal Details : Wrecked on Seal Rock, Berehaven, Lt. Alf. Prowse Hasler Helby. All saved.
BM: 231 tons
Notes:
1830 Plymouth
13 May 1838 detained in lat. 23� 8' 6" S. long. 44� 46' 0" W., en route from Loanda, probably for Brazil, the Portuguese slave schooner-brig Brilhante, late Valeria, Joao Antonio Correa, master, with 250 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Brazilian Mixed Court of Commission, Rio de Janeiro, and on 25 Jun 1838 sentenced to be forfeited.
16 Sep 1838 off Point St. Antonio, Bahia, boarded and examined the Eagle, 210 ton schooner, of Baltimore. It was reported ashore that the vessel had landed slaves to the Northward, and there was visual evidence that she appeared to be involved in the slave trade, but since she was sailing under the American flag, she was allowed to carry on about her business.
10 Nov 1838 off Bahia, boarded the 140 ton schooner Mary Lushing, of Baltimore, sailing under American colours, Reynolds, Master, who was fitted out to carry slaves, had been off Lagos, but being too closely watched said she had come to Bahia in ballast and would try again another day.
12 Nov 1838 off Bahia, received evidence that the Dido of Baltimore, during her passage from Havana to the West Coast of Africa and to here, off the coast of Brazil, had flown both the Portuguese and American flag whilst bringing 575 slaves from Lagos and landing the surviving 570 slaves here at Itapacau during the night. Much of this and more originates from an Englishman, John Fox who departed on the Dido, and who is now on board the Wizard. He states that he received pay of $75 a month and a bounty of $100 when the slaves were landed.
20 Dec 1838 at sea off Bahia.
27 Dec 1838 detained the slave vessel Felix, Joao Pedro Ferreira, master, [although he claims not to be], in lat. 23� 59' S., long. 43� 18' W., with 236 of the original cargo of 242 slaves, which was taken to Rio de Janeiro where the Mixed British and Brazilian Court met and condemned the vessel and emancipated the surviving 229 slaves on 10 Jan 1839. However, it wouldn't be unknown for the decision to be appealed in the Brazilian courts, which was the case. And yes I know that the Brazilian Courts probably shouldn't be able to change the decision of a court set up by international treaty, and for a change, on 14 Feb 1839 the Regent, in the name of the Emperor, announced that the Mixed Commission shall not admit embargoes and that the sentences shall stand, and the vessel shall be condemned and the slaves emancipated.
Circa Jan 1839 at the Falkland islands.
26 Oct 1839 Lieutenant Wm. M. W. Douglas, appointed to the Stag, and to take passage in the Wizard ;
24 Oct 1839 Devonport is under orders for South America.
17 Jan 1840 detained in about lat 23 37 S ; lon 43 7 W., not many miles from the entrance of the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, sailing under Portuguese colours, the slave brigantine Congresso, 75 tons, Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, master, was boarded by the deponents, Lieut Thomas F. Birch, and Mate Edward King Barnard, now master, of the Wizard.
The master of the Congresso stated that he was bound from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Verde via Benguella, and Angola, with a crew of 12 men, including himself, and three boys and 3 passengers, with a general cargo. Following an examination of the vessel she was found to have many details which pointed to her being fitted out for the slave trade e.g. hatches fitted with gratings instead of the closed hatches normally used in merchant vessels ; ledges had been cut for the slave deck to sit on ; and the hull divided up to split males from females &c., as was usually the case with slave vessels in contrast to merchant vessels. She also had an large number of water casks ie far too many for the normal crew of a merchant ship, along with a galley which was fitted out to feed a lot of people &c., so that under the circumstances Lieut Birch declared that in his opinion she was liable to forfeiture under the recently introduced legislation. Mate Barnard was appointed in charge of the prize crew of 7 from the Wizard and the two vessels departed for Simon's Town, to make an appointment with the Vice-Admiralty Court there, twelve of the original crew having been put on board to the "Nova Piedade� prison-ship, at Rio. It also transpired that three of the crew would appear to have been slaves according to information which they themselves gave to Mr Barnard, and were named Joas, Manuel, and Jaquim. The vessel's documentation, or what there was of it, was prepared for the Court, when it was discovered that the owner of the vessel was probably Manuel Jose de Carvalho, but no other details known. The vessel was condemned on 29 Aug 1840 by the Vice-Admiralty Court, at the Cape of Good Hope, for having been equipped for the slave trade ; the deponents being Lieut Thomas F. Birch, and Mate Edward King Barnard. This and more can be found at about page 172 in FO 84-437 Admiralty Letters 1842 Jan., available at the National Archives for free download.
With regards to this case I subsequently came across the following letter:
Viscount Palmerston to Mr. Fox, Foreign Office, 3 Feb 1841.
Sir, I herewith transmit to you copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Charg� d'Affaires at Rio de Janeiro, respecting the trial of the Portuguese slave vessel "Congresso" at the Cape of Good Hope.
From these papers it appears that Mr. Chase, the United States Consul at the Cape of Good Hope, accepted and acted upon instructions from Rio de Janeiro to defend the cause of the owners of the "Congresso."
You will embody, in a note to the United States Government, the substance of the enclosed papers, so far as they relate to the conduct of Mr. Chase ; and you will express in that note the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the Government of the United States will interfere to prevent any of its agents from pursuing in future a similar course. I am, &c. (Signed) Palmerston.
H. S. Fox, Esq.
2 Apr 1840 detained in lat. 4� 45' N. Long. 6� 2' W., the Brazilian slave Polacca Santo Antonio Victorioso, J. L. Pereira, master, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Brazilian Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 21 May 1840 sentenced to be condemned.
10 Apr 1840 detained the slave brigantine Tentadora, whose crew abandoned her when a boat from the Wizard was sent across to inspect the vessel and was eventually sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at the Cape of Good Hope and sentenced on 23 Jun 1840 to be condemned for having been equipped for the slave trade. 9 July 1844 Proceeds of Hull, Tonnage Bounty, &c. due for payment.
10 Apr sighted a suspicious brig in lat 21 33 S ; lon 40 50 W., which they chased for 27 hours, during which time she never showed any colours. On approaching her a number of crowded boats were observed leaving the brig for the shore. On boarding her she was noted as having 2 x 6 pdr guns loaded with langridge, and no cargo. There was nothing to indicate her nationality apart from a Portuguese flag used as a bung cloth, and the Brazilian Arms were painted on her round-house. The lanyards of her rigging were adrift and the wedges for her mast had been knocked up, in an attempt to get away from the Wizard. From the stench on board and other clues it was obvious that she hadn't long ago discharged her cargo of slaves to shore. In view of the fact that she was obviously being used to trade slaves her commanding officer seized the vessel in accordance with the 1839 Act recently introduced by Lord Palmerston, Cap 73, an act for the suppression of the slave trade. Robert Aldridge, mate, was appointed in charge of the prize crew for her passage from Rio to Simon's Town, departing on the 23 Apr arriving Simon's Town on the 6 Jun 1840 and having confirmed name of the vessel as the Tentadora. At the Vice-Admiralty Court, at the Cape of Good Hope, Thos Fred Birch, Esq., and Wm Ellis, 2nd master of the Wizard, were deponents.
11 Jul 1840 Lieutenant Thomas Frederick Birch, (of the Wizard,) Lieutenant promoted to the rank of Commander.
29 Aug 1840 detained the Brazilian slave patacho Paquete de Benguela, F P Nunes, master, with 284 slaves on board, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Brazilian Mixed Court of Commission, Rio de Janeiro, and on 2 Sep 1840 sentenced to be condemned and the 274 surviving slaves were emancipated.
31 May 1840 arrived at the Cape of Good Hope.
25 Sep 1840 arrived at Rio Janeiro from a cruise.
10 Dec 1840 had recently departed Rio Janeiro on a cruise.
13 Jan 1841 at Rio Janeiro.
Jan 1841 cruising on the coast of Brazil, looking out for slavers
26 Mar 1841 arrived at the Cape from Rio,
11 May 1841 detained the slave vessel Margarida, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at St. Helena and sentenced to be condemned. Prize money due for payment 9 July 44
27 May 1841 arrived at St. Helena.
4 Jun 1841 departed St Helena for the Brazils.
19 Oct 1841 arrived at Pernambuco from Rio Janeiro.
24 Nov 1841 arrived Rio from Bahia.
Wizard 13 Apr 1842 arrived Plymouth from South America.
Wizard 20 Apr 1842 came into harbour at Plymouth to be paid off.
Wizard 23 Apr 1842 paid off into ordinary at Plymouth.
20 Dec 1848 Devonport.
6 Apr 1851 Cove of Cork. Went to Roches Bay to the rescue of the emigrant ship Favourite
30 Aug 1851 Queenstown
15 Feb 1856 Actg Asst Surgn LA White apptd ; at Cork