5162. Can you state what is the highest amount that you have heard of paid to a cruizer for the capture of a slaver?--I do not know any thing of the reward given in England; it does not come before us in any way whatever; that is an affair between the captor and the Government. But it is not the captor, strictly speaking, that is injured in this case; for the captor, as far as the court is concerned, has no interest whatever; the goods are not condemned as a prize to the captor, but as a prize to the British and foreign Governments, and the British Government may pay or withhold its moiety, if it pleases. It generally gives it to the captor, but it is in its power to pay any smaller sum. The captor has no claim, except upon the bounty of Government, with respect to the goods sold at auctions. 5163. But does it not come to this, that the remuneration paid to the captor depends upon the value of the cargo which he captures?--Where a captor has seized a cargo, it does; but cases vary very much; for instance, many vessels are seized quite empty, without any cargo; many vessels come over without any cargo, I should say the great proportion. Where a vessel is full of slaves, the interest of the captor is not affected, because the bulk of his remuneration depends upon the head-money he gets for the slaves. 5164. Can you account for this circumstance, that in a return made to Parliament, in the list of vessels that have been sold, it appears that the proceeds or effects of one vessel have amounted to 1,108_l._, and the charges on the sale have amounted to 585_l._ out of the 1,108_l._?--It seems very enormous, but I must know the circumstances of the case. 5165. This is the passage, “On the following cases of slave trade vessels sent in for adjudication to the commission courts of Sierra Leone by Captain Tucker of Her Majesty’s ship Wolverine, the charges here detailed were made: The San Antonia Victirioso, a Brazilian vessel, the proceeds and effects of that sale were 1,108_l._, and the charges on the sale were 585_l._”?--I cannot account for it; it did not happen in my time; I should know the name of the vessel if it had. 5166. _Chairman._] Can you, from your knowledge of the usual course of proceeding, explain the circumstances under which such a charge could have arisen?--No; I know what the expenses are likely to be, and I might account for a portion of it in that way.