The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town The Cape Squadron, Admiral Baldwin Walker and the Suppression of the Slave Trade (1861-4) by Matthew Chiswell CHSMATOOI Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Arts in Historical Studies. Department of Historical Studies Faculty of the Humanities University of Cape Town 2003 University of Cape Town This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, for the award of any degree. It is my own work. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works, of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. Signature: /~ Date: 14/ {( I(:) ) 2 Acknowledgements: I would like to express my sincerest thanks to my supervisor, Associate Professor Nigel Penn, for his excellent guidance and advice. Without his input and direction this dissertation would never have come to fruition. My thanks also go to the staff at the University of Cape Town's Manuscript and Archives Library where the Baldwin Walker collection is lodged. I must also thank Karen Chiswel1 (my sister), Warren Pieterse, Nirdev Desai and George Kustner for their motivation, advice and friendship. However my deepest gratitude goes to my parents, Peter and Caroline Chis well, for their support both emotional and financial over the years. I could not wish for a kinder or more loving family. Town Cape of University 3 Abstract: This dissertation is a study of the Royal Navy's campaign against the slave trade from their base at the Cape of Good Hope from 1861-4. During this period the Cape Squadron (which included the West African Station at this point) was under the command of Rear Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker. Under his command the fIrst major successes against the East African slave trade were achieved. The study comprises of three main sections. The fIrst gives background information about the Royal Navy, international relations and the state ofthe slave trade suppression at the time. The second examines the actions of the Cape Squadron under Walker's command. The third section gives detail of the cruises of specifIc Royal Navy ships and evaluates their success ( or otherwise) in suppressing the slave trade. Town Themes explored in this dissertation include the international nature of the slave trade, the policy of substituting legitimate trade for the slave trade, the influence of naval technology and how interactions between 'men Capeon the spot' affected the success of suppression. Also explored is Britain's motivation for undertaking so diffIcult and expensive a task. of Conclusions drawn are that the international nature of the slave trade and the lack of treaties (regarding the right to search shipping) with some powers, particularly France, greatly hindered the Royal Navy's suppression efforts. The substitution of legitimate trade forUniversity the slave trade worked successfully on the West African Coast but many of the legitimate enterprises relied upon slave labour, a fact which the British and other European powers chose to ignore. The personal interaction between men on the spot proved to be an important factor in determining the success (or failure) of the slave trade suppression efforts. New naval technologies were not as effective as they could have been in suppressing the slave trade due to the poor quality of ships assigned to the slave patrol (although this was remedied somewhat during Admiral Walker's tenure as Commander-in-Chief of the Cape Squadron). Britain's motivation for undertaking the suppression of the slave trade is shown to have been a combination of humanitarian concerns and political and economic expediency. 4 A number of archival sources were consulted during this research with the most useful being Baldwin Walker's papers and letters which are lodged with the University of Cape Town's Manuscripts and Archives Library. They proved to be an invaluable primary resource giving an excellent insight into the Squadron's activities during this period. Matthew Gerald Fleming Chiswell P.O. Box 44272 Linden 2104 South Africa Town Cape of University 5 Contents: Table of Contents: ............................................................................................................. S Introduction: ...................................................................................................................... 6 1) The Royal Navy and Slavery in the 1860s ................................................................. 14 1) Life in the Royal Navy in 1861 ................................................................................. 14 2) The International Nature of the Slave Trade ............................................................. 29 3) The State of Slave Trade Suppression in 1861 ......................................................... 50 2) The Cape Squadron under Admiral Walker's command ....................................... 64 A briefbiography........................................................................................................... 64 Baldwin Walker's life at the Cape ................................................................................. 71 The Cape Squadron Suppresses the Slave Trade ...........................................................Town 80 Relations with other Powers .......................................................................................... 92 Other duties perfonned by the Cape Squadron ........................................................... 105 Cape 3) Cruises of specific Royal Navy Ships ....................................................................... 120 of HMS Lyra .................................................................................................................... 120 HMS Sidon .................................................................................................................. 124 HMS Gorgon ............................................................................................................... 134 HMS Ariel.................................................................................................................... 139 HMS Penguin ..............................................................................................................University 144 HMS Pantaloon ........................................................................................................... 149 Other noteworthy cruises: ............................................................................................ 153 Conclusion: ..................................................................................................................... 162 Appendices: .................................................................................................................... 169 Appendix A - Cape Station cruising orders - Eastern Division ................................. 169 Appendix B: East Coast Captures: .............................................................................. 183 References: ..................................................................................................................... 186 6 Introduction: The abolition of slavery is one of the greatest humanitarian achievements of all time. The campaign against the slave trade was a long and arduous task in which the Royal Navy played a prominent role. Using her superior naval strength Britain attempted to halt this vile traffic through her naval bases in West Africa, the Cape of Good Hope and India with the establishment of the slave patrol. Life on the slave patrol was difficult and dangerous and yet was a highly sought after posting amongst Royal Navy men. To understand why Britain undertook this campaign one needs to examine the factors leading to her taking the momentous decision to halt the slave trade. Britain played a major role in the development of the transatlantic slave trade. This trade was at its peak during the eighteenth century (1780s) at which point British shipping carried approximately half of the 70 000 or more slavesTown that were being transported annually across the Atlantic. l Most of these slaves were taken to the booming sugar plantations which were supplying the ever rising demand for their product in Europe. Cape Slave merchants were widely respected businessmenof and made vast fortunes. Why then did Britain lead the crusade against first the slave trade and later against slavery itself? Britain was the first to experience the industrial revolution and the profound change in thinking on moral and economic issues that went with it. In the Marxist view the revolution caused "contradictionsUniversity between different modes of production". 2 It has also been theorised that due to the fact that Britain's colonies in the Caribbean were far better stocked with slaves than those of France or Spain it was in her economic interest to halt the slave trade altogether and thus maintain her considerable labour advantage in the region.3 Middle class evangelists who managed to convince the ruling elite that abolition was in Britain's best interests led the crusade against slavery. When Britain abolished the slave trade in