212 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
w. M. Hullo .. , 3795. Did you ever hear of any other person at Accra having an establish-
·Esq. ment at Popo except your agent, Mr. Marmon ?- I have heard of Accra mer-
chants endeavouring to get oil from Popo; they may have tried it by means of 
a factory; in that case they have had factories. 
3796. Chairman.] You do not know whether they had establishments at 
Popo ?-I do not know whether they had regular establishments there. 
3797· Mr. POI·sler.] Then you do not know to whom Dr. Madden alludes in 
that para"a-raph ?-I do not. 
3798. Chainnan.l You have stated that you knew an individual of the name 
ofLawson ?-1 have heard of such an individual. 
3799· Where is he settled ?-I only know that it is in the neighbourhood of 
Accra or Popo . 
.3 800. What do you know of him ?-I only know that he is a trader, and a 
man possessed of some authority over a portion of the coast where he lives . 
.3 801. Is he a man of colour ?-I do not know what he is. 
3802. Mr. FOI·ster.l AJ.·e you not aware that your agent, Mr. Marmon, has 
large dealings with Mr. Lawson at Popo ?-He may, for aught I know. 
380.1. Mr. H amilton. ] Is Mr. Lawson in any wayan agent of yours ?- None 
whatever ; I have never had any correspondence with him; all I know of him 
is by name. 
3804. Chairman.] Have you had any returns in dollars from Mr. Lawson? 
-Never, to my knowledge. 
3805. Have you received remittances in dollars from Popo ?-I do not think 
that I ever had a remittance of rlollars from Popo. 
3806. Mr. Fonter.] The returns do not generally come from Popo direct, do 
they ?- My returns from Popo generally do. 
3807. AJ.·e not the returns made by your agent, Mr. Marmon I- Yes, they are. 
3808. Mr. Marmon sends his return in the produce of the coast ?-He makes 
his returns chiefly in pahn oil, and it is more convenient for the ship to take 
her departure from that place, and therefore the returns do come direct from 
Popo. We have just had a vessel in from Popo, which has brought 180 tons 
of pahn oil. 
3809. Chairman.] Has your pahn-oil trade with Popo increased of late ?-
YeR, it has . 
.'l 81O. How long have you been connected with Popo in the way of trade ?-
About eight years. 
38 11. Can you state at all the progressive amount of exports from Popo to 
your house )-1 may say generally that the growth of the trade is very gradual ; 
that is to say, the increase of the trade in the products of A frica. In comparison 
with about eight years ago, I dare say, the quantity of palm oil from that por-
tion of the coast may have trehled ; still at present the quantity is not large, 
comparatively, for instance, ,vith Bonny. Bonny e:\.1)orts from 15,000 to 20,000 
tons of pahn oil, and we think a great deal if we can get 300 or 400 from Popo. 
I suppose the single river of Bonny exports as much as all the rest of Africa 
put together; there are sometimes as lOany as 20 vessels lying at one time in 
Bonny wauting palm oil. 
38 J 2 . Mr. F01·StC1·.] I-lave foreigners now a larger portion of that trade than 
formerly?-Yes; I have no doubt that they have. 
3813. Of the trade of that coast generally?-Yes. 
38 14. I-lave you fo und that at those places where British settlements have 
been formed, the trade has been in a great measure preserved to this country, 
in comparison with the proportion enjoyed by fOl·eigners at those places?-
Yes; I should say that the settlements tend very much to protect the trade. ' 
3815. Do you think that the British fo rts on the shore, by extending our trade 
further into the interior, have the effect of dl·awing the native traffic to those 
settlements, ancl preserving it to this country?-I do. 
38 r 6. Do you think that the African merchants are more interested than 
any other class of persons in tltis country in the suppression of the ' la"e trade? 
-Undoubtedly I do. 
3817. Mr. Wood.] In what way ?- Because the slave trade destroys legiti-
mate commerce. At a place where the slave trade is carried on to any extent, 
the natives will not pursue legitimate commerce ; at least the slave trade is more 
alluring to them than legitimate commerce. 
3/) J ~. Haxe th African merchant any int!'rest in the question apart from 
tht' general inkrest of thc country?-CertRinly not; I conceive that it is 
decidedly 
SELECT CmIl\fITTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRI CA. 21 3 
dl·cidedly the interest of the African merchant that the slave trade should be Tf'. M . H utton, 
completely uppres ed. E' q. 
3g I 9· Chairman.] Do you attribute the growing incr ease of the lawful trade 
with the coast of Africa in any degree to the ob tructions thrown in the way 
of the lave trad!' by the efforts of the Engli h Government ? -Yes; the increase 
of the lawful trade may be 0 promoted in some measure, for the native Africans 
have thdr wants which they are de irous of getting supplied, and they part 
(·ither mth their produce or thei.r slaves to procure a supply of tho e wants ; 
if they cannot clraw the supplie which they want from a foreign mer chant who 
will take their slaves, they are then compelled to clraw them from the British 
merchant who can take only their produce. 
3820. Sir T. D. Aclaltd. ] And who will not take their slave ?-And who 
will not take their law's . 
:l~2 1 . Mr. TVo oel.] Do the same native merchants carry on trade in laves 
who carry on the trade in palm oil '-In many places, in Bonny particularly; 
in Bonny t here i a very little slave trade now. 
3K22. Is there a capacity in Africa to supply palm oil to an extent sufficient 
to extinguish the slave trade witho t diminishing the imports of Africa; that 
is, i f they expor ted no slave could they export palm oil and other products to 
a gnfficient extent to obtain the same amount of imports ?-Quite sufficient. 
:lX23. From what you know of the trade in palm oil to this and other 
I"lHlntrics, do you think t here i a capacity and a disposition in these countries 
tt) IN· palm oil to the extent implied in the preceding que tion I-It is a mere 
'I)("culation : it depends upon so many contingent circum tances; I hould say 
Ihat palm oil has very much ill creased in con umption , and there is every 
IIppraranct' of that con umption progre sively increasing till. 
3'~~4. To an extent to supply the place of the whole of the slave trade as it 
nolV eC\.ists, in the cour e of some years ?-I do not know how to view it in that 
way. 
3~25. Chairman.] Will not it d('pend very much upon the competition which 
i t lIa' the power of bearinf!; with other articles, such as tallow and lard ?-Un-
lloubtedly, it depends upon so many contingencies; of course the consumer of 
palm oil " ill not u 'e i t, if it is more for his interest to purchase ome other 
commodity which ,,; 11 an wer his purpo e at a less price. 
38~6 . What are the articles mth which it competes ?-Chiefly tallow. 
3827. And lard I-No, lard does not come into consumption for oap or 
candle8. 
3R28. :tIl r. Wood.] If there should not be a demand for palm oil to the extent 
impli~d in the preceding questions, are there other natural products of Africa 
whk h "ould be sufficient to supply a legitimate trade to the extent contem-
pl;l h'd in the preceding question i-There are; there is coffee, sugar, incJigo, 
limber, cotton and ground nuts . 
.l.'~~). Then you conceive that the slave trade might be altogether abolished, 
"it hout interfering ,,;th the supply of the articles of legitimate commerce for 
til< USt of the inhabitants of ,\'frica ?-1 ha.e no doubt whatewr of it, because 
t Ill' native \.frielln part,; mth his slaves to supply his wants; for instance, if he 
'.lIlts to l'ureha,;e dres~ or eatables he barters a slave, and he would have the 
:nne \ ant, if h .. could not sell his slave. Therefore, if there is an impediment 
in Ih" "uy of hi, s~lling hi' 8Im·e, he will contrh·e to get palm oil, or cotton, 
or ilhlb;u, or ,ugar, or ODlC produce by which he shall obtain a supply of his 
'ani. 
,,'3'). T~ it clear that he would be mlling to labour to acquire that which he 
ncm tll·qnin·, hy b\'ing guilty of kidnapping his fellow creatures ?-When he 
fi I\! I ki,lnnpl'ing no longer of any use he will turn to innocent labour. 
J~3 L Chalrmall.] Do you bdicYe that the absence of the practice to which 
Ih .. ~Ll\ I' tradl' lultls, "ould, by promoting peace among the people in Africa, 
\·'Hltrihllll' n'r~ much to increase their internal prosperity and industry, and 
C\lIhcqul"ntly thdr po,wr of producing articles for export and import :-1 have 
Illli the sli::!;hte,t doubt of it. 
3 Jl Ila~ that bl'<'n found to he already the case in parts where the slave 
trn\l~ l,,~ been either extin~ished or matprialh diminished?-le ; it has 
1l\O~t lllat,'riilly ou the Gold Coa,t, where trade eii ~,and the nati'-es get all 
their "ants supl'liNi hy kc;itimate trade. There i, a Yer)' large extent of coast 
0 11 "hirh thC'rc i ~ no ,lan~ trade whatev"r, from Cape Palmas down to Cape 
8{. I'alli. If IH' contine oun,dve' within tlJo;e two capes or prolllontorips, 
<'.J.i. E E 3 I suould 
2L! MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
W. lIf. Ii l/,itUI/, I should suppose that, except in the Dutch settlement at Elmina, there has not 
[sq. been a slave exported there these dozen years or 20 years. 
3833. Mr. W . Patten.] Has the legitimate trade between those two points 
increased more rapidly than at other parts of the coast ,-Yes, it has decidedly. 
3834. Sir T. D. Ltcland.] To what trade do you particularly allude?-The 
trade in palm oil, ivory and gold. 
3835. Chairman.] You mean that the increase has been proportionably 
greater I-Proportionably with other parts of the eoast. The trade at Bonny 
is rathel" remarkable ; it is a trade that has sprung up at a particular spot, where 
the slave trade has gone on with it. 
3836. Sir T. D. Ltcland.] But you stated that the slave trade has greatly 
diminished at Bonny ?- Yes. 
3837. Mr. Evans.] Is not palm oil now the principal ingredient used in making 
soap in this country?-It does not come into the composition of all soap. 
3838. Are you aware of palm oil haYing been used to generate steam ?-No ; I 
have heard of gas being procured from palm oil, and it is used for making candles. 
3839. Mr. Wood.l Is the use of palm oil in the making of soap rapidly in-
creasing 1-1 should not say rapidly; within the last two or three years it has 
not inoreased. If we compare the present time with eight or ten years ago, 
there is a considerable increase; but there has been no considerable increase 
the last two or three years. 
3840. Do you contemplate much increase in future i- We contemplate a pro-
gressive increase; but it depends upon contingencie~; upon the prices of arti~ 
cles which come into competition with it. 
3841. Is there any likelihood, if the trade in palm oil extends, of its being 
supplied upon cheaper terms than it has hitherto been, so as to come into more 
effectual competition with other articles ?-I am afraid there is too much com-
petition in obtaining it. When there are twenty ships in Bonny in one place 
wanting it, it is not very easy to get it on cheap terms. 
3842. Is there mucll trade in pahn oil from the Gold Coast to other foreign 
countries, in addition to the trade to this country ?- There is. 
3843. Have you any idea of what proportion it bears to the trade with this 
country 1-1 am not aware. 
3844. Is soap made of palm oil imported into Africa/-It is. 
3845. Is that extending ?- It is; very lm'ge quantities of soap made of pahn 
oil go to Bonny. 
3846. Mr. F07·ste,..] Your floating trade on the coast has usually been con-
ducted by the captains or supercargoes ?-By supercargoes. 
,,847. Have they been in the habit of selling their goods to all persons on 
the coast who could pay for them in legitimate returns ?-Yes; I believe I may 
say that they ha.ve. 
3848. That is to say, in produce or money?-In produce or money. 
3849. Has this been the general custom of the trade ever since you knew it? 
-Yes. 
3850. Have any of your captains ever informed you, on tlleir return from the 
coast, that they had refused to deal with any person on account of that person 
being engaged, or suspected to be engaged in the slave trade?-I have had 
remarks made by masters of vessels haYing that tendency. 
3851. You have knOWll instances of yow' captains on their return, informing 
you that they had declined to sell goods to traders on the coast, on account of 
their being engaged, or being suspected to be engaged in the slave trade r-
I have had it r emarked to me in this way; "We might have done business 
with such and such a person, but I did not like to do it." 
3852. Clta'i1'7nan.] Was it on the ground of slave trading ?-It was on the 
general ground that it was considered contrary to their instructions. 
38.53. As connected with the slave trade I-Yes. 
3854. Mr. Forster.] Have you any obj ection to state who those parties were? 
- We had the master of a vessel here some sLx months ago, and I remember 
his making the observation, " I could have sold a parcel of goods to Mr. De 
Souza, but I did not like to do it." 
3855. Which of your Captains was that '-That was Captain Ormond. 
3856. Is he ill this country ?-He is not. 
3857. Are there any of yow' captains who have been engagljd in your 
service who are now in this counb'y?-Yes; there are two masters here, both 
of whom have been before this Committee. 
SELECT CO\IMITTEE ON WE T COAST OF AFRICA. ~l'j 
3858. Did they c,'cr inform you on their return that they had declined to iV.1<1 Hul/on, 
deal with any particular indi,idual on account of hi being u pected of being E,q. 
engaged in thc slavc trade a well as in legitimate tradc ?-There is only one 
of them who i~ a trading ma,ter, anel he has been but one voyage, and he had • JUDe 18+ •. 
not any amount of cargo, and therefore he has not had an opportunity. 
38!i9. I not Captain Bailey in thi country?-Ye. 
3860. IIow long was he in your ,,,rviee ?- I think about 10 years.  
.386 I. Is not aptain Sewarcl in this county?-Ye . 
3R(i2. 11 ow lonl!," has he been engaged in your 'crl'ice ?-Three or four yeal'S. 
)~I>J. 'Ir. Wood.] Arc those two captains now in your service ?-No, they 
an' lIot . 
.1 8('4. \Ir. For,.tfr.] Did you ever learn from ither of those captain, that 
th!') hnd e!<'c!ined to trade on those grounds ?-I nevcr heard anything from 
tl1<'lO abollt it; they were never instructed to do it, 
:18(;;,. Ilavc' your captains canied on the trade on the coast of Africa for a 
gl'('at many years, in the same manner as the captains of other owner have 
dOllc' I-I dare 'ay thcy have. 
3800. Wa.- the Report of Dr, Madden communicated to the committee of 
mc'rchantH previously to its heing printed ?-No, it was not. 
:JKb7. You were not roade acqUlunted with it till it wa sent to you, on ac-
count of your being a )Jarty interested in the charge of Dr, bdden ?-It has 
not hc'('n H{'nt to the committee of merchants at all; it was sent to our house, 
upon Ill(' h'TOlllld of our hein" " personally intere ted therein." 
3XI,H 'I'1l!'n, b(,forc the printinl' of the report, for the purpo e of being laid 
IwfnT!' I'nrliallJc'nt, the Colonial-office did not call upon you for any e,'plana-
tinll, or milk" )'OU acquainted with Dr. Madden's accusation ?- o . 
.l~I"l. Then it was not until thi Committee had met that you received a 
copy nf that Report I-Just so. 
;lH7Cl. ~Ir . /I onrl.1 What was the datc of your receiving it from the Colonial-
officl' I-The 20th of April. 
JR71. Mr. Forster.] Are you manufacturers as well as shippers of cotton 
goodti for the lrad of the coast of <\Frica I-Yes. 
,18 7~. Arc) au acquainted with the de eription of cotton goods manufactured 
in Lanca,hin' for hipment to Cuba and the Brazils, and usually nnderstood 
to be jntt'nded for the purpo.e of the sla,e trade I-It is hardly fair to de ig-
natl' them a being for the purposes of the slave trade absolutely; but there is 
U RPl'Clrti of goods made in Ianchc ·ter, which it is suppose"d are adapted either 
for t Iw purchase of slave, or for the clothing of slaves. 
J~7J. Mr. Wood.] You mean the purchase of slaves in Afriea?-Yes; and 
th., "'othinl!," of lave in Brazil. 
:lS/~' Clwinnall .l You arc not aware of any distinction made between those 
ml"II(\(oel for con~umption in Brazil and those intended for re-export to the 
CO,I t of Hrka? - 1 think not. 
y; , ..\ rc' you a,,·arc of an) cla'" of goods sent to Brazil, commonly known 
h)' I h., name of .. ,law good~"?-\ es; there is a c\egcription of goods sent to 
Ilrozil that arc intcndcd dtha for the purchase of slaves or for the clothing of 
\.IH~ 
lSi"· \n' thl'V lmown genera II) by the namc of "slavegoods"?- No; I 
n • l' lit onl the t('rm ,I gla\'(' goods." 
J S 7i, . Ir 1/ ·nod.l An' th,,), known under the desil!,"Oation of" African goods 
f'll th., Ilrllzll trade"? -I '0: they arc' not kno\\n uudl'r that denomination. 
,J i , II) hnt ~"nl'ral krm are tlll') spoken of, in this country, in the 
tl~lll < l'Iiol1 of ('omm.'rc,' :-1 am not aware of an)' general tcrm, the par-
til'll\.I1' ood 1,,1\. particular designations, an. 1 the designations are East Indian 
It, ntl's, 111 .'. II , th.,) nn' imitations of East In.lian good. 
'l'il), ('k" mum.] When )'ou ('."porl the !;'ooc\s to I.Irazil, you arc not aware 
\ hnt rln , of good, nn' to b" ('onsum('d tlll're and \\ hat arc to be exported 
to Ih,' • O,I-t of \fn,',I' C.'rtainh not. 
l' Sn. \i r. II ,,,,d J loU d.'s('ribc tl e p:oods g('nt 10 Brazil as being equally 
"1'I'Iil'. hi,' to till' c1othin>: of thl' ,1,,, l'''' ill the Brnzil and to the purcha.o;c of 
-\'1\, on th., ('oo,t .)( \fri,':\; hnn' on an) hit-a of tltt, rdath e proportions 
in IIllldl c:oo.h n"" 1l1'plicd for tho", t"o sources of cOllsumptioll 1-1 ha.e 
nol thl' ,h/!ht",t jel,,,\, 
,I' SI, 11' /',r.l(o ] "hell you '''f that goods m,ulUfncturcd in Lancaolllrc, 
1:: h 4 ,md 
21n MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
W. M. 1/,,1/011, and which are exported to Brazil and Cuba, are for the use indifferently of 
Esq. the sluves in Brazil and Cuba, und for the purcha;.ce of slaves on th~ coa."t 
of Africa, do you speak from any knowledge of your own as tq the description 
a Juno 184" of goods uscd in Brazil and Cuba for the clothing of the slaves ,-I have very 
little knowledge of the low description of goods alluded to. 
388~. Chairmau.] Arc you yourself an exporter of those low goods to the 
Brazils and Cuba I-No; 1 am not. 
3883. Or a manufacturer of them I-No; I am not. (Some cotton goods 
IUC1'e shown to the Witness.) . 
3884. Mr. FOTster.l Are those the description of goods which are usually 
shipped by London houses for the trade of the Gold Coast and that neighbour-
hood?-No. (Oth Cl' cotton goods were slwwn to the Witness.) 
3885. Will you look at those and state whether those are the description of 
goods which are usually sent out frum London for the trade of the Gold Coast) 
'- Yes; those will suit t he Gold Coast; the others will not. If you sent a ship-
load of those to the Gold Coast, the supercargo would bring them all back 
again; they would not give even yams and plantains for them. 
3886. Chai1'111all.] Is that a class of good~ which would have been good 
enou§h for the Gold Coast some time ago ?-Not within my memory. 
38~7. What pru·t of the African trade are they calculated fod-For the 
South Coast, Loruldo St. Paulo. 
3888. Mr. Wood.] To what do you attribute the circumstance of that part 
of the coast taking inferior goods to what are required on the Gold Coast)-
Because their knowledge of good on the Gold Coast has improved; they have 
sufficient discrimination to prefer the finer. 
3889. Chai·rman.J Does your observation apply to the whole of the trade on 
the north of the Line, or to the Gold Coast solely I-It applies to the whole of 
the trade to the north of the Line. 
3890. To the whole coast frequented by British commerce?-Yes. 
3891. Mr. Irood.] Has the difference in the two descriptions of goods sup-
plied to those two parts of the coast which you have described. any connexion 
with the carrying on of the slave tra.de from the coast of Africa ?-1 do not 
know sufficiently how the slave trade may be cruTied on to answer the question, 
but 1 should supppose that those goods would not pass now even for slaves 
anywhere. 
3892. Viscount Eorin!Jton.J That is, anywhere north of the Line I-I do not 
know whether they would pass south of it now. 
3893. Chairman.] With the progressive increase of commerce the natives 
have become more critical, and require a finer class of articles : -Yes. 
3894. Whether in t he lawful trade, or in the slave trade ?-I should presume 
that it is so in the slave trade as it is in the lawful trade. 
3895. Are you sufficiently acquainted with that trade to be able to state 
whether, in the trade north of the Line, those go!?ds would be taken in pay-
lUent for slaves I-I have said that if a ship went loaded with those, she would 
bring them aU back 3suin, even the slave trader woulU not buy tqem. 
3896. Mr. Forster.J Do you mean to say that such goods are not manufac-
tured in Manchester, and shipped to Cuba and Brazil, and conveyed from those 
countries to the coast of Africa for the purchase of slaves I-I do not know; I 
have no knowledge of that. 
3897. Chairman.] You have not sufficient acquaintance with tbe export 
trade from Liverpool to know the qunlities of the goods Wl1ich go from thence? 
-No. 
3~98. Sir T. D. Acland.] Do you uppose that tllOse goods are taken to Cuba 
for an)' purpose ?-1 never had any dealings with Cuba, and therefor' I do not 
know whether the)' go there at all. 
3899 . :tI'Ir. rv: PattclI.] Is th ere in general any considerable competition with 
us in those goods by foreiguers /-The competition is increasing evcry yeru·. 
3<)00. 'ilfhere from, principally?-France and America. 
3901. And from B<.'lgimn 1-1 am not awru'e of much fTOL~ Brlgiul1l. ., 
3902. C/l(lirlllall.J Do they export ru·ticles of as good quality as the Bnttsh I 
-Some of thc French vessels take articles of very nice quality. 
3903. Viscount Borillgton.] Do you understand that they are of French 
JlllUlufacture I-or Fr 'nch mauufacture. 
SELEG'T CQ}UlI'ITEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 2 I 7 
3904. Mr. Wood.] Are those "\"\"hich go from the United State of American IV.M.Eull ..,  
manufacture '-Yes; they take a cloth "\"\"mch they call domestics, "\"\"mch they Esq. 
sell in large quantities, but very little cotton cloth, I under tand. 
:<90 5. Are the principal goods which the French and Americans take to the 
coast of Africa imilar to the goods of which you ha,-e been speaking, of wmch 
pattern are no"\"\" upon the table?- They are not generally; there may be orne 
particular goods which approach them in imitation, but generally goods manu-
factured here for the African trade, upon the whole, are of a different character 
from those made in France. 
3906. Cltairfltall.] As to pattern or colour, or in what re pect?-They are of 
a different character. 
3907. Mr. Wood.] As regards the goods of which pattern are now upon the 
tab le, do you ex:perience any formidable competition from France or America ? 
- No; it is in the production of novelties. 
::1908. What are the kinds of goods which the French and American take 
there i-I am not able to describe them; we see very little of them. Occa-
sionally wc hear of them, and small patterns are sent to us to imitate. 
3909. Do thc French or American merchants convey to the coa t of Africa 
('otton goods for sale to any e:-..tent approacmng that wmch is supplied from 
this country?-No, they do not. 
3'110. fr. II'. Patten.] You say you have pattern sent home to you to imi-
tnte; are the French and American then taking the lead in the trade on that 
('oast I-By no means; but occasionally some pretty thing of a straggling cha-
meter gC't, into the hands of an indindual, and he wishes for some more of it. 
3(11 I. " ' jth regard to hardware, is there any great exportation of hardware 
to that country from England ?-Ye . 
3912. Do you know whether in the upply of hardware there i any compe-
tition by foreign nations upon that coast ?-There certainly is competition, but 
I do not know that it i. of a formidable nature. 
3913. It is not gaining ground upon us )-1 am not aware that it is. 
3914. From what quarter do you think the greatest competition comes I-
I think it i from the Germans, if we have anything to apprehend; but the 
great opposition we have upon the coast of Africa is from the American, and 
that is in the articles of spirits and tobacco. 
3915. Chairman.] Does it include guns ?-No; the gun are all made in thi 
country. 
3916. Were Captain Pilcher and Captain Stanfield in your employ?-They 
were. 
39 I 7. Did you ever give them instructions not to deal with slave dealers 1-
The} had the book of instructions. 
J~)18. :\11'. Forster.] H ad those captains of yours, whom Dr. :'I1adden accuses 
of haying had dealings with slave dealers upon the coast, that book of instruc-
tiono, or imilar instructions in the papers delivered to them ?- Yes, they had 
precisely. 
:lll 19. \re you aware that a considerable trade has sprung up lately from 
Ilmnhur!\"h to the coast of _\frica '-There is a trade sprung up from Hamburgh, 
\\ hil"h eommenced some four or fiye years ago; 1 hope we need not call it a 
<'ol\,i,kruhh' one yet. 
llllO .•\ re you aware that there are fi"e or ~ix vessels from Hamburgh, and 
" man} marc from Brl'meI!, ah'eady in that trade I-No, I was not aware of it.  
• 0 I. \ ft' ) ou aware whether the Dutch have also engaged latterly con-
sukra!>!) in thnt trade ?-1 am not aware of that fact. 
'30' ~ - :\11". Wood J " -hat is the nature of the trade which has prung up from 
lIambure;h It mUbt be for such commodities as we export ourselves to pro-
('ur(' thl products of .\frica.  
.lO·lJ. C/lairlH(m. ] Do you apprehend any serious competition from Hamburgh 
in those dl"scriptions of goods which we now export from thi country to Africa, 
indeJwndenth of" hat) ou haw heard in this room to-day?-No, I do not. 
3~1~4. Sir T D .• Idal/d.] Do the Hamburgh w 'sels trade with the Gold 
Coa,t '--Thl'Y go nenwhlTt' 
.>'D.';. b tlit'~e an) clistinction upon the Gold Coast between goods adapted 
to til\' ,laye trade and those for the legitimate trade '_~o; as far as 1 have 
ulldentood, if" e onl) ship good- for the Gold Coast trade and the,- are sold 
to the ,law trader. they are applicable to his purposes. therefore there i. no 
rli~tllH'tlL1n. 
FF 
:'118 MINUTES OF IWIDENCE TAKEN BE[i'OIlE TIm 
11', fI1 , 11,1110., :j!)~(i, Mr, fVood,1 YOII do nol. know any dlKtinctioli in tlto II'UlJity of the 
1'''1' !(oodH ""it"hlo f(lI' I h(' Ic'p;iI illmlc ' Il'Illh: lind tit" qlluJity ijuitl1hll' for thn Klave 
II'IICk, 011 tl,,' purt, of 1111' AfJ'ic'lUl dC'lllc'I'H, wltc're, those cimllc'rH 1"".1 both 
ill k¢tirnutc ' !(O!)eI~ Ilnd in MI"V('H 1 No, I do 1I0t.. Will tllC' ('omtnitt('() 
nlluw ttl(' It) l'c-fc 'J' 10 HOIIII' /iuc 'HlioHH of Dr, Mlidelc'JI 'H, in pugl' 7H of hiH It''l)l)rt, 
TIIC' IIi MI. qllc 'Htic", III Ih. , Imti om of JI"p;c' 7H iij to Mr , Mude'lllI, 1)1' , ~1 1"lcll'Tl 
IIHkH, " IH il pOHMil,Io 10 cli Htill j.( lIi Hh hl,l'c' IlClt wC'('tl gOOdH ariaptc'd for IIIC' Hlavc' 
tl'ucll ' II lIeI IhuHI' IIIILI. III'C' illl " JlcI. ,,, fol' lawflll COlIllrlCl'('I'i" Mr, MIlI'I('an'H 
""HWC'I' iH, "'1'11(' 1'(> ill'" man y Il indH of gOO ri H (h ilt 'I nKWI:I' for hoth IILwfli1 .ind 
illil,jl. 11'11(111, I Hlto\llel Hl\ y IIt",t [I'W, if' any, gOOclH ael' ,ptc'" l'xc:lIlHivI'ly for the 
HI"vo Il'/ulc ' II"C' il npol'iI'cI illlo thiM col ouy ," 'l'hn next qllcHtio)l iH, " 1Mi t CUI-
t,ClItllll 'Y HO 10 d iHlill j.(lIiHh Ihc'llI in II Il' l'Otr\lOC 'rt:O !'hllt iK c:iL J'I'iwl on with the 
fln(i vC'H? Not ill l hiH oololl Y," '1'11/' HIlIllO (I" "stion is put !OO Mr , Topp, who iM 
tll/ ' l'OIfIlYHlnd llrit. Itt. Anc'l'fL, li t pl1g" fW, " 1M it pOH~ilJl(' 10 disting uish hc'rc he-
l,w('c'U j.(OOciH Il ci lll' ll,rI for I,ll( ' NlcU'(1 1l'lIcic' 1I11r1 I hOHC' that nrc.: intc'ndc'c\ for lawful 
C'Ollllll/ 'I'I'(' 1 No, Ih (,y 11 1'1' 1111' HII IIl(, ci c'Hol'il' l ion or I-(OociH," " 1Mi t c' lIHtomal'Y HO 
10 cii M(ill l-; ui Hh I h('1 1I ill till' l'OWln l'rl'c 'l hu.t iMc ll l'l'ic'ci (Ill wit h Lit l' 1Ialil' l'H1- No," 
:l q ~7, D" Ih oHI' ""HWC'J'M whic'h you hIlVC', JUHt I'l'acl from tlw Itc'port of 
Dr , Mll cldc'u 1'0111'111' " ith yllllr ow n "\ ll1'l'il 'II(,(, r· - Tltl'y ci l) , 
:111:,lH, ( '''(l irmll ll, I You h"vI' Mlllie' ,1 (h ll ( you Hl'C' n mC'lldH'1' of III(' l'Ol rllllill\' C) 
of 11I('I'"I' Hlll s fol' th" 11I" '1IIg(')II C'1I1 of I.I 'C' Imd(, on 1.1"1 Gold COl" I ; how long 
hll\ (' yo u S('I' Vtel \l pon (.1 "11. ('o ll lluittc'c' 'I ·foi (' VC'1I Yl' II1'S , 
:1!1(! !), Do YO Il I\!- r il' c' li ll y Iwc'lIllinl'), n<\vll l1 tugc' fro ln it 1 1'h ~ I'(' iH no pny 
wl' I1 IC 'I< 'I' Il tl ll c:i H'cl 10 Ihc' ofri!'('; hilI. Oil tho Hhirm('Jl tH of gOOdM nlJd storcs 
IIl lld(, to CU IIC' ('OII HI, It) d(of)'II Y I lie' C'X Ilt' I,"C'S of Ill(' p;1l1'1'ison, nnd oLhe' l' ch llrg~s 
ill Ih" C'O Il II I1 ')" n ('Olnmi SHioll of :.!! IH'I' (:(, lll.. is ('11111'11;('11 u Jlon th e Illnouul of 
III( ' Kh ipll1l'1lIK by Ih" Hc,(, .'C'l ftl'y, Il l1ci t hiMc 'Oll llni sHion iK cii vicic' II ILIl)()ngst lho 
1IIl'I 'c' 0 11'11<1)( '1'/\ of 1\11' ('oltlltl itl( 'c' , rt is but II tl'ifi C', bdllg ilL I h(' Itgj.( \'l'gatt: 
/lot, " Y(,II I', \V It il'll 1i 1l11« 'H :.!O t, II YC'ltl' to I'lli'll IHc'mbt'I', 
:l l) :Jo , Do yO \l t\(' l'i\(, 11 11 ) II dvll lI l.tLg C' ill l radc' fl'o)}) ocellpying that po~ilion ?­
NO llc' whull' l C']" 
39:) 1, No UIlI',,"ln !!;lI IOWl\I'dK IL 1I10110Jloly of Ihr tl'lIell'i-Noll e> whntr n 'r , 
:i!U " , W l\IIl lI l'(' Ih(, cluli l's of 1111' l'olllll lil1 C'(, '1 'I'll<' romllliU('1l (11'(' ill fuet 
h ul II'UHkc's fol' II", """I1IA'I "H C' 1I 1. o f' Ihc' I'lldi ll lll cnl m'y g rnn t of 1,000 /, 1\ )I'm', 
111 1( 1 I h I\' lin ' II", Ill('ciiuUL lI f I'Ulllllltll '; I',, 1i OIl IJdw~c'n th c' Colonial·offico and t il t, 
hll'lI l l\'c;\'t' l'1l1lll' lI l.. 
:1 !1,J:j , You npl'oinl. Ih(' (JO I' ('\'T1 01', Hltl lj l'e t to 1I1l' sanction of thl' ('ololl inl-
ollie,'I, WlI 110, 
;J! I:I.I, I I" ,V\\ ),011 Ih" Pll WC'1' of l'c, ltl(lVing I,hc' f:Ol't 'I'IlOl' wit houl thnl Hnncl ion! 
- III I'IlKC' of IIt 'I'd, 
,1 !i :l!i , \Vhlll 1:111<1' of lIC'l'd do yo u c'oll lt,lltplntl ' ill I hot OIlSWt'!' I, If tho 
(;'" l' I'lI M wC"'(· 10 r un ill tilt' [lIt't' of lilly l" l)1'('SS ol'dol':o\, 01' to do IIll.l'lhillg thM 
\\'tI MO llll'llgl'ously "l'lHlg , 
39:) (i, 11111'(' you t'I I'1' hn<i oC'(,lIsion 10 1''(('1'1 l,h'lt pOWtl!, 1· No, 
:1 1):17, lilt" Jilood,l ' l'ht' C'()111Jllit(I'I' sitting in London woulcl COJl1ll1l1nirnll' 
illll lll 'ciill\t'l), lIil h lilt' ( 'olollitti oUic',' in well Ii rll "t' I - Th(') \\ould , 
: Jtl:l~' )-;0 Ihllt you wO ll lci IU\I'e 110 ll('('II HiO)l 1'01' licling inlk p('lHil'nlly of tIll' 
( 'olollilll ofli('I'I, 0, 
:1!l.l' I, li lt. . W, J' ({ fI"II , j Is Il l(' gOVI'I'Il Il LC' lIt of thc' ('ousl rss{'nlinlly in yotlt' 
11111111s liS II C'Ol1l1l1i(\c'I ' hen ', CII' dn you 11'I II't' il " 'l'y Illlll'h 10 Ihl' cli ~(,I'C'li (\ n of 
Ih l' p" l'lil 'H " hoHl ),011 IIl'pHill1 upon Ihl' I'ollsl I, W., llI't' Hl{,l'l' ly II'ustl'('S for thl' 
")IpliC'lI lioll of' 11 11 ' 1-(1'11 111 , II llci Ihl ' IlIl 'ciill llL of (lOll\ll\ullielllion, "Vt' nppoi lll 10 
(1t1i('I'~, II l1d 11' 0 1'1111 d islllis" II hl'lI III 'PI'SHII I'\,; h ut WI' clo 1101 t' olltmil OUI'",'1I I'" 
lt l' 1111 1' II I'! lI' ilhoul 111(' MII II{'l ion " I' Ih" (~OiOllill l · ofTi t' I', 
':lq,io , Fol' III I' ]lUI'pOSI' of \"I'l'('isi ll l\' Il l/~I. IltlWl'\' ov ,' \, III(' Offi('P\'H upon II", 
( \ (l n~t , " hut iN jill' l\nlUl'll of ti lt' (' 01H ll\ \lni(\ lI ti on~ bolw l' l~n )' llll Hl1d tlw ~OY l'l'il ­
IIII 'n l "1"111 Ihl' coust ; e10 lilt'.\' ntlll,c' \'('p;nl ll l' \'t'portH of l'V ~" ,) Ihilll-( Ihnl tnk"s 
1'1 111 '11, IlIlt l do r Oll (" l" '('H" Jl n op inioll IIIHlIl I hOSt' \'t'PO rt HI , \ t'S, 1\1' do , 
:1 1).1' (," (/ ;,:/1/(/11 , 1 III Ih l' C''' H(' of 1I 1l \' h{ling t'lI;.:;nl\'<,\1 in b): 1I~\y of your 
l'Onllltlnlllll nl s, Hhoultl )' OU 1',,('\ )'(1I1I"'I,I\ \'S wll n'nuit'ci III Hllllt'lltIlIllIg slIeh II 
('tlt ll'SI' "il!toll l t'ollhu ilill l-( Iht' ( 'ololl ill l-ot!i c'(' 1- ( \'riailll) ~\Ol ; Wt: "ho\llclILI" 't' r 
HII11p1i(l 1l oll l' lIsil'" 1I11'IISIlI'('S of 11I1) killd , ( li n' l'(H\"lnnl 1II ~ I!'u(' lltlll S IIl't" thnt 
il i ~ OJl I\ IhofpII~h " JII" ""III'I 'H Ihlll 1Il'(' 10 lit' IIlIl'Nlh'C\. 
it) , ,,, DIl )0\1 ('nt\ t-l itl tll ' 11It' I H" \~\ ' 1t t :-I y ~ h\n\ of 1 \ltl l l11~('nH'll t "ntl l'(\~nlnti(lns 
fol' ,'ollciu C'l illl-( I ill ' "trait,. "1'0" Ih t' (lolt! ('(111, 1 " " Ill'll t'nlt'uillit'ti 1" ' 1' Ih., I'llI" 
I' t>~c 
SELECT CmDUTTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 219 
pose of promoting the welfare of the settlement, or hould you wish to suggest W. /If. JIlt/ton , 
any alterations? - There is a code of regulations, de cribed as " Rules for the Esq. 
purpose of conducting the affairs of Cape Coast Castle and Accra, and securing 
the appointment of fit and proper persons for the charge and management of 
those forts." The president and council ha,e tated to us that these rules have 
be~n found inefficient for the purpose, and they have very strongly urged upon 
us the necessity of alterations and amendments bein~ made, but the committee 
of !n('rehants ha\'e no power or authority to alter the rules. In 1837 we ub-
mitted to the Colonial-office some alteration which "ere then thought desirable; 
but nothing has ret been done. 'Yith the permission of the Committee, I 
sbould whh to read some extracts from the corre'pondence that took place. 
TIle fir.t letkr is from the president and council, dated the 20th of June 11:>36, 
which introduces tbe subject to our notice. The president and council wrote 
to u~, "aying, that in any consultation respecting any contemplated changes 
in tbe formation, or any contemplated increase in the powers of government, 
which should come under our consideration, and which, under present circum-
tnncc,;, they could with confidence say that Mr. :Maclean's advice and opinion 
would he of the greatest value to us. In consequence of that, therefore, we 
requested that Mr. Maclean would tate to us what the alterations were that 
1, would recommt'l1cl; and this is the substance of his letter. It is dated Lon-
dOll, the 30th of -oyember 1836. :\lr. Maclean was then in London. He 
, .. In the president and council's despatch to you of the 20th of June 
(\\~itt'n ut,equt'ntly to my dt"parture from Cape Coast Castle), tbeyearnestly 
I rllll'llc,tieallr ilirect your attention to the necessity of certain altera-
·n, 11<1 mll~ndm,'nt· being effected in the present constitution of tbe 
"'mlll ,t of British settlements on the Gold Coast; and to me, as being 
lull) 1'0"<,,,,·,1 of their \\ishes and sentiments upon this m05t important 
,ubje,·t, thc) refer yuu for a statement of the alterations required, and for an 
dlll"'Haliorl of the canSl'S \\hich ha\"e rendered these alterations indispensably 
m ce.' ary. In fuUilnH.'nt of the duty thus imposed upon me, and being myself 
d("q;l,r impr.essed with the conviction that an improved code of regulations is 
e~ "'lItia]])" nccl'"ary to the fnture welfare and prusperity of those settlements, 
I ,hall now proceed to point out wherein the present rules and regulations are 
deficit"nt, and to suggest such amendments as appear to the president and coun-
dl requisite. The local goyernment was to be administered according to a code 
of rull'S and regulations drawn up in London, and sanctioned by the Colonial 
, erdar). This code is in itself crude, badly digested, and but ill adapted for 
the ~oYernmcnt of a colony under any circumstances; eJ.:perience has since 
I 0"",1 it to be utterly inapplicable to the state of the Gold Coast settlements ; 
[, .111) of its provisions ha,e been in practice necessarily neglected, and others 
h:lhitl1all) violated. TIle great means whereby the local go,ernment has been 
t'IIahkd, dm;ng the last seyen years, to establish and maintain peace and order 
tIll ol1~hout:;o extcnsiye a country, with such feeble and apparently inadequate re-
pun'{'S at its command, ha\"e been the strict and impartial administration of jus-
t: . I t is this which has had the happiest effect in maintaining peace, encouraging 
hi\. tlon and commercl', lind promoting the ci,ilization of the natives. Let 
II t tIll loeal govcrnment deny or cease to administer ewn-handed justice to the 
I \ popUlation for a single day. and the whole country would again become 
, f \\arfire, rapine, and Opprt'ssion. Yet, acconling to the rules and 
1111\, he powers of the local authorities do not extend a yard be~ onel tlle 
,f tllt' ".\ eral forts. that i" the mac;istrates are empowered to exer-
('1 tit r 11111 +lOns on the only spots whl're their exercise can ne,er be 
I ' I 1 , I T Ir forts are only oecupit'd hy tho,e in the employment of 
• \ i 0 an' goveme,! by the rt!!;ulations usual in all garrisons. It 
t th t the cl'ief objcct (though by no llleans the only one) of 
Ib" fl'r~ ... nd a local gO\ ernment, is to afford protection and 
('11('01 r~ nnel1t to c,'mlllerct' But no trade is curried on within the walls of 
th, f"r '. tIlt' ",erc lants or traclt'!'" rt'side or have factories in the towns, and 
8t '.!MOll st ti(ln throu~hout rOll iduable ~.'tent of country. According to 
th r I , Ilnd n gnlatlOll>, thn fore, they are beyond the pale of the protection 
It rel«! h~ the l~rirj,.,h fiac;, and the <lnthoriti," are l'muarra,sed in performlli" 
thp dill f dut, till" \' hid, the) were cOl ,titu,f ! I \ l'uld must earnestly u,,, 
upon ,on th' Il~Ce'~ltr of bC'sto\\lIIC; upon thil most important subject tllat 
I \ t(!ltioll WhH"l , It ~o llnp.'r.lti h ,ter1un,ls; \ 0111' intimate conneXlon 
F ,._. with 
220 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
"'.M.Huttoll, with the Gold Coast, your practical knowledge of its social state and commer-
Esq. cial value and capabilities, will readily enable you to appreciate the truth of 
!l June 18'12. wh~t I .h~ve advanced in this letter; and if convinced of the justice of the 
clalms whIch I have attempted to advocate, I trust that you will most strenu-
ously endeavour to impress the same conviction upon Her Majesty's Secretary 
of State for the Colonies." We sent a copy of that letter to the Colonial-office 
and we received a reply on the 31st of December. This letter is from Si; 
George Grey, addressed to Mr. Reid, Mr. Hut ton, and Mr. Nicholls: " I have ' 
received and laid before Lord Glenelg your letter of the 5th instant, with a 
communication therein enclosed, from Mr. Maclean, on the subject of certain 
changes which he suggests should be made in the present constitution of the 
go,rernment of the settlemen ts on the Gold Coast ; and you request me to 
appoint an interview with you for the discussion of this subject . Lord Glenelg 
has attentively perused the various proposit ions set forth by Mr. Maclean, and 
desire;; to do justice to the zeal and ability with which they are supported; but 
without now minutely adverting to the par ticular statements contained in the 
I letter, I am to offer a few general observations on its purport and character. 
Mr. Maclean conceives, and proceeds to argue on the assumption, that the 
forts on the Gold Coast are placed in the same relations with regard to Great 
Britain, as those which al'e enjoyed by the regular colonial possessions of 
His Majesty. To such an opinion, however, it is impossible to subscribe; 
the forts in question have but few of the elements which constitute colonies, 
and can hardly be rega.rded as more than factories. When, therefore, Mr. 
Maclean states, 'That the mother country is bound, not less by justice 
than by distinct and positive engagements, to provide the means of good go-
vernment, and to encourage the prosperity of her Gold Coast settlements,' the 
! remark is inapplicable on two separate grounds; first, as it implies an undue 
, estimate of the extent of the liability under which this counu'y is placed in 
regard to those settlements; and, secondly, because it might be clearly shown 
that the utmost liberality has already been extended to them by the King's 
Government. It further appears to Lord Glenelg, that the majority of Mr. 
, Maclean's suggestions are of such a nature, that a compliance with them could 
not fail to invulve the British Government in an expense, and expose it to a col-
lision with the natives, for the which no adequate justification could be offered. 
With respect to the proposed change in the existing con titution of the 
Council, it is Lord Glenelg's desire, before offering any opinion on that subject, 
to be favoured with a statement in writing, of your own views in regard to its 
adoption, and of the points in which the present mode of election may be held 
inadequate to the object in view. Should you subsequently desire an interview, 
his Lordship will be happy to fix a time when it will be in his power to receive 
you." Mr. Maclean was absent from London for some time, and it was not till 
the June following that the committee were able to forward a statement of the 
!!Iterations that were proposed . I do not think it necessary to occupy the time 
of the Committee with reading those alterations; but, with the permission of 
the Committee, I will read the reply of Sir George Grey to that second ietter. 
This is from Mr. Stephen, dated the l Oth of July 1837, and addres ed as the 
preceding letter: "I have laid before Lord Glenelg your letter of the 15th inst., 
with the papers therein enclosed, relative to three distinct topics which you have 
been de irous of submitting for his Lordship's consideration. With regard to 
the alteration of the rules and reguiatiulls for the management of the forts and 
castles on the Gold Coast, Lord Glenelg has directed me to tate, that he would 
be glad to be favoured by you with a distinct explanation of the particular 
import and object of each new rule as amended by you. The principal altera' 
tion r~lates, as you have obser\" d. to the mode of appoint ing the pre-
sideut of the council of magistrates; an appointment which you propose to 
vest in yourselve" instead of leaving it to the selection and v?te ?f the 
council. The queslion therefore arises, whether nny and what pract!callll?On-
vt'nience has arisen from the mo<1e of appointment now established; and If no 
such inconvenience has nrisen, what advantage would be qained by placing 
the selection of the president beyond the control of the council . L~rd.Glenelg 
would moreover wish to be apprised whether you have reason. fo~' belie' 'lng th~t 
the alteration which you have suggested of the mode of appomtmg the counCIl 
wou Id be acceptable to the majority of the traders resident on the ?O~st. On 
this point his Lordship would naturally incline to thmk that theu' mterests 
wotlld 
SELECT COMMITTEE ON WE T COA T OF AFH ICA. 221 
would best be secured by con ulting their wishe ; but if it hould be their w. /II. Hutton, 
dc·sire that the council hould be filled up on the principle of seniority of Esq. 
residt'nce, it would til.! remain to be well considered whether that principle 
is calculated to ecure able and zealous ervice. IIi Lordship doe not pre- g June lS4~. 
sume that it has entered into rour contemplation to propose that any but 
subjects of Her Majesty should be qualified for eats in tbe council; but it will 
occur to you as desirable that no mi understanding bould exi t on that point. 
Witb reference to the proposal which has been made to you, that orne legal re-
medy should be provided for protecting the merchants who are engaged in trade 
with the Gold Coa t again t fraudulent or insolvent debtor, Lord Glenelg has 
directed me to state that he ,,;11 reaclily con ider any uggestion which you may 
have to off r with a view to that object. It appears, bowever, to him, 0 far as 
he i, at present ad';scd, that no effectual remedy of that nature can be provided, 
whirh would not involve the establishment of a court of judicature; and his 
LOfcbhip dors not suppose tbat it would enter into your vieYI"' to appropriate 
UTI) portion of the grant which Parliament has as igned for the maintenance of 
thl· forts to the ,upport of judicial officers. IIi Lord hip therefore appre-
IH nds, that the onl), remedy against the inconvenience of which the merchant 
(,(,llIl laill, must be found in their own prudence and caution. I am directed 
10 ariel, that Lord Glenelg will transmit your application for ordnance store, to 
r, pial"· till· guns which have become un ervic able, and the tore which have 
1)(, n t· )It'lllkd, for tile consideration of the Board of Trea ury." " 'e inter-
I'rt t, cl I I at kUrr ns a sort of intimation that we should proceerl with the ad-
nJilli tration "ithout altering the rul s, and that matter then dropped. I read 
11." It ttlT with Ihe desire to show thc Committee that I wanted to fulfil the 
"i,h, " of the prc>ident and council upon that occa ion. But I beg to observe that 
SBUT that timt>, tbough Lord Glellclg did not seem to apprm·e of the ugg s-
lion, \' hieh Mr. Maclean offt>rld, every individual connected with the manage-
nH'nt of the fort s has contributed hi ' best exertion for the good order and 
"dfaft' of the ettlements. In estimating Mr. Maclean's conduct, it seems 
to me that it should not be forgotten that the government at Cape oa t 
i8 one of moral iufluence, more than of legal authority. I therefore think 
till' [(',timonr "hich i giH'n by Dr. Madden ought to be particularly noticed. 
(n pag(' ·1 of Dr. Madde\l'~ Report, he says, "The controversi s of the 
nath l'S of tho adjoining district are frequently reft>rred by the consent of 
both parti~s to the pre8idt'llt of the council for decision. There can be no 
qnt"8tinn but the native' find their advantage in bringing these palm·er before 
('''ptnin ;\Iackml, the justice of "hose decisions is aclmowledged by all parties, 
rnt Il( r than in placing themsdvc ' in the hands of their chiefs or kings, who e 
rapa,·it) nnd ,enaJity is but too familiar to aU their subjects." Now, to the 
1"00nmittl'e of merrhants, it i important to be informed by such a witnes as 
Ill". '\Incldm, that the Castle of Cape Coast is krpt in excellent order and repair, 
nnd like"is!' "hat hr say, of the troops. He ars, "The troop at Cape Coast 
( ,"II<- arc commanded b) an European. They nre natiYe of the place, en-
Il It II h} the colonial authorities; are well-behaYCd, and for order and di ci-
plin,·, full) I'qual to any of our 'Yest Indian regiments." I ha,e thought it 
11 ht to truubl~ the Committee with this testimony on ;\1r. Maclean's behalf, 
• I ,'l'ialh liS it pfocCl'ds from Dr. "'Iadden, "hose e\~dence may be supposed to 
ht 1l111HIl ttnlll]lon th(' 8ubj(Tt. As rrgards the management by a committee of 
lllt 1 111111lt , 1 think that ,ystem has answ('red 'cry fairly thus far, but that the 
tllUt HIIIl nn'U\1I,tances hay\" arrind which call for a change. \Yh n the 
-<I 1" 'Ill! nt IIt'n' placed under this mode of management, the trade wa much 
Ir~" "',111 to tl\<'1\\ and to thl' coast of :\frica generally, than it now i '. The 
1'111'11 itkt art' hilt ngl'nts or tru,t('es deputed by the Goyernment for the di -
11111"1 1111 nt t tIl Parliamentary ~rant, and conducting th~ rorre'pondence with 
Ih., pn',iolf'llt OIHI l'OUll\'il. 'llH'yare mudy the mcdlllm of communication 
hllll' t 11 the lattl r and the (,oloni"l DCl'artllllnt It will be .een from the 
"UITS I hnll n ad, hat til(' cOlllmittt't have no pO\llr to olter or to amend any 
( f the mk, . [t is tnl(, tht,) appoint to Yacant offices, and can di mis where 
."dl i 1.1'('""ar}, stili, tbty \\ould not n.erc;'e these pm l'r' without the sanc-
tiolt ,11101 "I'pro" I of the Colonial Dl'pl\ftm~nt; and where am party considers 
hm .11' n~!iriI'\Td, dthlf hy tIll authorities at (ape Coa,t or by the 'committee, 
11 'I r< 01 uf C mpl int i. nil ~1' made to the authorilil" of 1l0wlling->lre!'l, 
l' J F F J .. ud 
222 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
IV. M. liUt/Oll, and such appeals oftentimes involve a bulky and troublesome correspondence, 
Esq as the committee are called upon to justify the Cape Coasttovernment, or their 
own decisions, as the case may be, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 
2 June 184'2. Judging from the experience I have had, I do not see any difficulty or objection 
to these settlements being directly under the control of the Queen's Govern-
ment. 
3943· Viscount Courtenay.] What is the amount of grant now made by 
Parliament?-The grant made was 3,500 l. a year, and it is now 4,000 l.; we 
found the lesser sum was quite inadequate. I may take this opportunity of 
remarking what the grant was in former years: I have noted that from 1750 
to 1807, the Parliamentary grant averaged about 13,500 l. per annum. In 
1807, at the abolition of the slave trade, the grant was increased, and it was 
augmented from that year till 1821, when it reached about 30,000 l. I think 
it ought not to escape notice, that the Government of that day, I consider, 
must have had in view the encouragement of an innocent traffic with the 
Africans in the lieu of the slave trade, which had but just been abolished; and 
it was no doubt in pursuance of this object, that in 1822 Parliament 
abolished the African Company, which may be said to have subsisted since 
the time of Charles II. It was first under the denomination of "The Royal 
Adventurers to Africa," then as "The Royal African Company,'" and lastly, as 
"The African Company of Merchants trading to Africa." The latter was 
'abolished by Act of Parliament in 1821, and the forts and possessions of the 
African Company were vcsted in the Crown. An unfortunate war with the 
Ashantees, in which Sir Charles M'Carthy was defeated and lost his life, preju-
diced the Government against the coast, and that led to the transfer of the 
management of the forts to a committee of merchants, with a limited annual 
grant for their maintenance. 
3944- How many forts are now kept ilp i-Cape Coast Castle and Accra 
Fort only are speciallr provided for by the grant; but two other forts are kept 
up by the president and council; those are Annamaboe and Dix Cove. The 
commandants of these forts do not receive any portion of the public grant by 
way of salary, but they derive such protection and advantages in their trade as 
the command and possession of a fort is presumed to give. 
3945. Is the commandant of Accra appointed by tbe committee directly, or 
by the governor of Cape Coast ?-By the governor of Cape Coast. 
3946 . And is subordinate to him i-Yes. 
3947. Are the communications frequent with England?-The communica-
tions are often very frequent, but they may be said to be irregular. We are 
sometimes without any despatches for a very long period, and then within a 
short space again we are quite overwhelmed with letters; but as regards dates, 
it may be said that the communications are very frequent. 
3948. Is it your practice to give the governor ample discretion, or to give 
him special directions applying to detail('d points ?-He has the rules and regu-
lations for his guidance, and when IH" requires special instruction, it is gil-en to 
him as occasion ari cs. 
3949· Do rou receive regular and periodical returns of the imports and 
exports? - Y CR, we do; retnrns of the imports and exports are transmitted 
half-yendy; I helieve the statements in pages 43 and 44 of Dr. Madden's Report 
are correct. Those statements emhrace a period of 10 years, and the imports 
into Cape Coast, as tllere stated, considerably exceed the export-. The imports 
for the 10 years al'e put down at 2,272,6541. 128. 7ld., whereas the expohs 
are but 1,69J,3031. J4$. sd., and this shows a balance of trade against the 
settlement of 58J,350l. 18$. 2 h d. Now, some explanation is necessalT there, 
anti a statement of the mode by which those return are made out by the 
authorities at Cape Coast will throw light upon it. The accOlUlt of imports 
embraces the cargoes of vessels sold at places both east and we t of Cape Coast, 
whil~t tht> account of exports does not include the retw'n cargoes of many 
·\'c",,[s which clear homewArd, or which make a final d('parture fro~ other 
parls of the <'onst. The attention of the Colonial Department was awaKened to 
the increase of the imports into Cape Coast for the years J 8,39 and 18,10, which 
. wtre cOIl~idcl'UbJy larger than any preceding ones. A letter of Mr. Stephen's on 
that 
SELECT CmDH'ITEE O. r 'VEST COA T OF AFRICA. 2 -·',~) 
that subject, and the reply of the committee of merchant , I think are in the IV. 111. HuUtm, 
printed papers before this Committee. L q. 
39.10. Do you believe this statement in Dr. lIIadden's Report to be correct) 
-I do. 2 June IS.p. 
3951 . Is this statement derived from your offi cial r eturns I-I should sup-
pose that it is derived either from statements in the Colonial-office, or from 
the originals at Cape Coast. 
39.)2. Mr. EWl1s.] Do those imports and export relate to the whole of the 
Gold Coast ,-The import- probably do, but the export do not. The exports 
('orne from a wider range: but the e:\."port~ in that return are simply of those 
hips that tah their final deearture from Cape Coa t. 
::;Qj3. \"beount Courtella!J.J Have you a list annually returned to you of the 
nuulher of \"('sscl- that arrive at Cape Coast?-Yes, I have ; I have made it 
f!'Om the returns that have been tran mitterl. 
[The same was delivered in and read, as follows :] 
. \ LlST of YESSELS arm'ed off Cape Coast Castle during each Year, from 1st J anuary 
1"33 to Slst December 1841; disting-uishing British !\Ierchant Vessels, Foreign 
Merchant Yes.els, and British Ships of War. Extracted from the Official List of Arrivals 
"nJ Dl parturcs tran.mitted periodICally from Cape Coast Castle . 
.i\It::RCHANT YE~SELS. 
BRITIsn 
TOTAL. 
SHIPS OF "r AR. 
British. foreign. 
l ~;I;~ 67 10 83 
J,...:\ 1 66 30 2 98 
IH3~ 65 33 II 109 
1836 58 25 8 9 1 
l B37 75 21 103 
18:18 ~a 24 10 87 
lH3H ~8 22 II 1 2 1 
IB·W 8R 25 15 128 
1811 87 27 15 129 
TorAL 6~7 217 85 949 
86 1 
J. G.1Yicholl. 
In mnkin11: some r~marks upon that r~turn, I should wish to refer to page 49 
nf Dr Itachlen\ R~port. Dr. ::\fadden there gives a list of vessels, which he 
('nIb a • Return, ~howing the number and names of vessel that might be 
II p'Th.j nf being engaged in the slm'e trade, which have touched at Cape 
('n ,st ( I til- during th~ ~h year" ending "ith 1840." I do not know how 
Ill'. \1.,,1<1,·,,\ >uspil'ions arise, or what his 11:roumls are for saying that all those 
\ b 'H rl' 'II IWetl'd of being engaged in the slave trade; but r see one in 
I ~ j7 tIl< l]lo!t>nn-h-·(lranJ, ",hich I have the strongest reMons for believing 
"". not'. \ l'orl"t"pol1,lent of OUI"$ chartered the vessel, and sent her with 
a ,nt l l r ("om to a port in th ... Brazik I think she was not concern~d in 
1.\lIl'~. • Ill' i a flrench H'sset as the name implies. But the chi~f allusion 
I "i,h to 1t.1 tl th.lt return b, that on comparing m)' list \ ith Dr. ::\Iadden's, 
t l tl t III I t<~., thl rl' '\I'fl' :l:l forci~ wsst'b touched at Cape Coast, and 
nul pi tl ,lsI' :13 ,('cord n~ to nt" .. l.ldden·, Iht, there were 23 suspected in 
that ('"Ir of ')('ill.~ 1'11~,I!(·tl11l tIll' "law trael,'. In the y(,ar 183(), according to 
Dr Intl,"'n', I t, titere 'YCfl' 13 """cis su'pe('\etl out of 2;; fOt"l'i~11 ye;;sel' in 
1lI~ li'l III I. 'r. 21 tOrt i';l1 H"s~b tOllcllt"d at C Ipt' Coa,t, 11 of which are 
'u'I" cll"d h\ Dr 1,<ld,'I1. In the followin11: yenr, lR:l~, 2~ forei!!;n ye.sels 
t"U.-!·"'1 ut l.,I"· (,>:,,1. uud ouly t"o an' put down u' suspected by Dr. ~Iad­
<I I'll \"". I think we huye here data for t"o important conclusiollS. Iu 
" }'Y4 1t->35 
224 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
TV. M. Hutton, 1835 we have calling at Cape Coast 65 British merchant ships 10 foreign mE'r-
Esq. chant ships that were legitimate traders, and 23 SusPflCted vessels. Three 
years aft~rwards, in 1838, ~e. have 53 British merchant ships, 22 foreign mer-
• June 184• . 
chant ShiPS, that were legitimate traders, and two suspected slavers. This 
appears to show a decrease in the British legitimate trade, and an increase in the 
foreign legitimate trade. I t is, however, consolatory to see such a decrease in 
slave-trading vessels touching at Cape Coast; indeed I think it may be said 
that the foreign slave trade to the northward of the Line is all but entirely 
suppressed . 
.3 954. Mr. Wood.J To what do you attribute the decay in the English legiti-
mate trade, and the increase in the foreign 1-It may possibly be that some 
who were slave-trading merchants have become legitimate traders; but I cannot 
give any accurate account how it has arisen. 
3955. Sir T. D. Acland.] Do you suppose the suspicion of Dr. Madden to 
be just with respect to those vessels i-It may be tolerably accurate; I dare say 
that it is not much out. I have only instanced one vessel, in which I take it to 
be incorrect. 
3956. Mr. ,,,Tood.] The conclusion to which you have called the attention of 
the Committee, as drawn from the results of the two tables, is founded upon 
Dr. Madden's table, and its supposed accuracy ?-It is; I am about to draw a 
little comparison between the slave trade as it was some six or seven years ago, 
and as it now is. The documents from which I draw it are letters that I have 
received from masters of vessels in our emplOylllent. 
3957. AJ:e you speaking of the Gold Coast only?-The Gold Coast and 
Bonny; it relates to the south coast, Angola and that neighbourhood. The 
captain of a merchant vessel in Bonny River, in January 1835, writes as fol-
lows :-" We arrived in the River Bonny in May last, and remained there three 
months. On our arrival there were at anchor in the river three slave-trading 
vessels, and during our stay five more came, making altogether eight slave ships. 
In the above-stated time four vessels sailed with full cargoes of sla'l"es; the 
other four we left in the river." Another letter from Bonny, dated November 
25th, 1835, says, "We a.re doing but little business, for the slave trade is carry-
ing on with the utmost vigour; we have now in the river ten Spanish vessels; we 
have fresh arrivals and departures every day, and every other part of the coast is 
the same. I consider this to be the cause of the present scarcity of palm oil, 
for, in consequence of the great demand for slaves, the natives here and in the 
interior abandon cultivation; the trees go to destruction, and no yonng trees 
are planted." Another extract of a letter, dated in December 1835, from the 
coast of Africa, says: "During my last voyage to the coast of Africa, you are 
aware that we sailed considerably to the southward of the Line, ~~siting several 
rivers on that part of the coast. During the whole of my stay in Africa, I have 
seen much of the slave trade; and I believe the number of foreign hips 
employed in it now to be three or four times a.s many as there were only three 
years ago. In September last there were lying in the harbour of Loando 
18 sla~~ng vessels; I saw two of these an-ive with American colours fl}~ng, and 
in two days after these were lowered, and the Portuguese flag was hoisted by 
both ships." The next letter will illustrate something of this; it is dated the 
9th of March 1836: "Having lately ro'rived from the coast of Africa, and 
having, during my stay there, witnessed the extent to which the sla'l"e trade is 
still carried on, I consider it my duty (knowing that your interest is affected) 
to give you some lllformation respecting it. On my first arri'l"al upon the coast 
in December 1834, I fell in with several slavers in the vicinity of Cape Palmas; 
they had factories on shore; and I passed close to a small schooner, unckr 
Spanish colours, whose decks as well as her hold were filled with slaves for 
the larger vessels. We passed Whydah Roads in the latter pro·t of Mro'ch; 
I did not anchor there, but I counted nine ves els under Spanish colours. 
Whilst lying at Popo a Spanish vessel arri'l"ed from Quitta, and landed about 
200 slaves; His Majesty's ship Curlew arrived a few hours afterwards. At 
Badagry, during the months of May, June, and July, there lay a store-ship, 
which supplied Mr. ---'s faclory on shore with goods for the purchase 
of slaves. I left her there in the latter part of July. She was boarded 
by the Curlew whilst lying there, but was snpposed to be trading. On 
my return to Whydall, in August, 1 found about 13 'l"e els there, 8~ld 
nearly all of them under Portuguese coloU\"s. I nsked an Ame~'ican captrun, 
who 
SELECT COM:vIITTEE o:-.r WE T COAST OF AFRICA. ~25 
who had been lying there all the time, how it happened that three or four UF• ITI. Hutton, 
"essels which I recollected to ha"e seen under Spanish flags should then Esq. 
wear Portuguese." It will be nece sary to recollect the time when this hap-
'2 June 1842. 
pened; the Spanish Equipment Treaty was just coming into operation, there-
fore the Spani h colours were lowered, and they hoisted Portugue e. " He 
told me it was getting a regular practice with nearly all the Spanish ve els 
to go from Whydah to Prince's Island, and there obtain Portugue e papers. 
It appears to me that the slavers in Whydah Road, and also those which are 
cnli~ing in the neighbourhood, land their iron, e:-..i;ra water casks, coppers, 
&c., in order that nothing might be found on board which might render them 
liable' to ~cizure. I also observed that, within the last three months prior to 
m) leaving the coa t, every craft that came from the Havannah had a cargo 
on board, generally consi ting of rum and tobacco. Four days before I left 
'Yhydah I saw 400 slave shipped on board a brig named La Fortuna. I ha"e 
lw~n informed that there has been, and that there is at present, a very great 
demand for slaves. When that is the case the natives abandon every other 
~mplorment, and the con equence i , that the British ves els trading on the 
coast rlre lying i(lle for want of trade. The laving busine s i so profitable, 
flnrl attended with so littlc trouble, th>!.t the natives allow the palm nuts to rot 
upon tllf' trees, and also neglect planting fresh tree for the next eason. I am 
informed that the English ships, which are lying in the rivers, are this year 
doing nothing." 
.ll).i~. Do you understand that the palm tree i- phnted much for the pro-
t1u<'lion of palm oil :-1 ha"e great doubt about it. Thi show the state of 
the , Ia\'p trade upon the ('oast in 1836, and I tllink the evidence already before 
tl\t' (ommittee is ~onclu hoe as to its now existing only in a very moderate 
d('~('(' at Whrdah and al 'o at Bonny. 
3<);;'1. Haw you any similar communication from the master of your 
\-ps'eis as to the state of the slave trade now ?-No ; they only write when they 
hnvp matters of complaint. At that time it is elident that the operation of the 
,Ian' trade Ins a grie'i'ance to them . 
.l9llo. Sir T. D .•J eland.J At present you have no repetition of account of 
,ueh 1.\TieYnnce : -No. 
3~)\i I. How long have those account of grieyance from the slal-e trade 
et'ascd 1-Ther have graduallr  ceased ince the operation of the Spani h Equip-
ml'nt Treaty . 
.l'lG2. Mr. If "ood.J You consider that treaty to ha"e been "ery effecti,e in 
dilllini,hin1' the lave trade ?-It has cut the throat of the slan' trade. 
3tlb,). 1f it were in uni,ersal operation what do you think would be the state 
IIf thl' tnulc I-It could not be carried on. At the time I recei'i'ed those letters, 
f,ll' th .. purpose of bringing them into notice, I waited upon Sir George Grey and 
_ho\\ ed him the original letter-, and I had them printed for distribution to those 
fri"nfl, "ho 1 thou.,.ht were active in their endeavours for the Euppres ion of 
tIl\' ']Hl' trade. 
'1)"4. ~ir T. D. Aclalid.] Ha\'c you had great los es on board your hips, as 
rp~.lnl the hcalth of the men ?-·I haye a paper that will show the preci e 
I I"' , It i,. !l statement of 3;) ve sels which have been fitted out for the coa t 
II \Inl'a fly Ill) firm, between the year, 1836 and 1842. It tates the time of 
h, -\111'" rd\ll'\l home, the length of ab'cnce, the hips' name, the number of 
111\ (n". tht d,ath, through accident, and the deaths through other cau e . 
I ,Iv nor hnm, that I need read it. There are 35 vessel' in sb: rears; total 
1111mb, r III fTI'W , 3 .• 1; fiYe drowned, 34 died ; total 39 death , out of 351, in 
t h,' "hill. lll'rioti. 
,J"IlJ' \\ hat i, the a\crage length of the voyage ?-The a"erage length of the 
\ I It-t lila' bt' takt'J1 at about nine months. The lo"\\e t i ' si:, month ' and the 
t',t rt'lll " ~1;lIllt I~ . 
3')11(1. C/wirllll1l1 .] llan~ you had sewral no.el. in which no life has been 
lo,t h'lHll th. . l'lfl'ct of the climate?- L"\.tecn ve ->:els out of 35, in I"hich no life 
ha, IWt'll lo,t at all. 
.)~]t>i "11'. (r"od.j re an)' of your "cssel na\;gating under temperance 
l't "ulation, :-:\ 0. tht,) arc not. 
Q·J.l Gu 
2 26 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Veneris, 3' die Junii, 1842. 
MEMBERS PRESENT. 
Sir T. D. AcJand. Mr. Hamilton. 
Viscount Courtenay. Mr. Milnes. 
Vi scount E brioglon. Mr. Mitcalfe. 
M r. E vans. Mr. W . Patten. 
Mr. Forster. M r. G. W. Wood. 
LORD VISCOUNT SANDON, I N T HE CHAIR. 
Lieutenant R eginald L evi,ige, R. N., called in; and Examined. 
Lieut. 3968. Chai1'11UZn.] YOU have been engaged in the cruising service upon the 
Il. L euinge, R.N. coast of Africa, have you not 1-1 have. 
3969. Will you state the periods for which you have been so engaged?-
From 1826 to 1829, and from 1839 to 1842; I do not exactly recollect the 
months. 
3970. You are just returned i-I am. 
3971. H ad you the command of the Buzzard in your last cruise ?- Yes. 
3972. Over what range of coast did your cruise extend ?-In the bights from 
Cape Coast to the River Cameroons. 
3973. What was the range of your fonner cruise ?- About the same. 
3974. Did you find any material difference in the condition of the slave trade 
between the two cruises ?- Very great; it is now very much reduced. For-
merly there used to be 20 slaving "essels at anchor at Whydah at a time; now 
you do not see one. 
3975. Can you state at all since what period the slave trade at Whydah has 
eeased, or virtually ceased )- Within the last two years it has beeu very much 
broken up, since the Equipment Act was passed, under which we were allowed 
to take Portuguese vessels wherever we found them equipped for the slave trade. 
3976. Had you, during the time you were on the coast, an opportunity of 
becoming acquainted with Monsieur De Souza, at Whydah I- No, I had never 
any communication with the shore, further than that at one period there were 
two slavers in the offing standing in for the anchorage; they had escaped from 
me, and wcre coming iu to communicate by signal with the flag staff, for orders ; 
and when they made the signal, I fired at the staff to make them haul it down. 
I succeeded, and afterwards captured the vessels. 
3977. Is it your impression that th,'re is no slave trade now carried on at 
Whydah I-No, there is a good deal still. 
3978. Wllat number of cargoes of slaves, do you suppo e, may have been 
shipped from Whydah in the last two years ?-Within the last year there have 
not been more than four or five ves els got clear off from Whydah and Popo, 
but a great many have been taken. 
3979. What is the average number of slaves on board each vessel ?-The 
average is about 400. • 
3980. You have no means of knowing whether Monsieur De Souza, or any oilier 
parties engaged in the slave trade in that part of the coast have come to the 
resolution to abandon it?-No, I do not think they would abandon it; it having 
decreased is owing to the vigilance of the cruisers and the increase of trade; 
there is a good deal of legitimate trade about that part of the coast now. 
3981. Mr. Forster.] Do you think it desirable to encourage trade there? 
-Certainly; whenever our trade has increased, the slave trade has diminished ; 
witness the River Bonny. 
3982. Chairma.n.] You look upon the grOwtll of the British trade as efficiently 
co-operating \vith the cruisers in putting down the slare trade /- Yes, I think 
it is a very great a i tance. 
3983. Will you explain in what way I- The natives are anxious to obtain 
goods, 
SELECT COMl\lITTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 2"2; 
goods, and as long as they can obtain them by giving palm oil and corn, and LieuL 
ground nuts in exchange, there is less demand for laves from the interior. R. Lnnnge, R .... 
3984. You would not think it desirable to prevent a lawful traffic on the 
part of English merchants with ports which also carry on an unlawful trade /-
No; if we top our trade, the French and Spaniards will only carry our goods 
there, unles~ we declare the whole place in a state of blockade. 
3985. Have you found assistance in putting down the slave trade from the 
presence of English vessel~ engaged in the lawful trade I-Yes, we frequently 
leave our boats alon!!"Side a merchant hip and then cruise in the offing, and 
have a double chance; the boats keep the vessel out of the roads and we 
watch an} that come out; it was in that way that I took two vessels, my boats 
being left on board the Robert Heddle. 
39~6. Therefore in various ways you think that a lawful trade efficiently co· 
operates with the cruisers I-Yes. 
3~87. Mr. Forster.] If you were to prevent trade at tho e places, they would 
have no other mean of getting the goods they require than through the slave 
traders )-No, or by French and American ve sels; the French and American 
have a gTc'at deal of trade there. but their trade is principally in carrying over 
the goods for the slaver'; the fa t ve sel that come for the slaves eldom or 
m'nT bring any cargo, but the cargo is ent over ix weeks before in other 
bottoms. 
3'lX8. Mr. Patten.J Is there much done in that way in French bottoms:-
\P", ttll'rI' is no doubt there is; an Austrian captain also admitted to me that 
thp ('arg'o that he brought over was to purchase slaves; he had a Brazilian 
bUI'<'r("argo un board. 
31)Sn Cllllirlllall.J In what war would such cargoes be paid for 1-In money 
allli hill:: the slavers bring the money over. 
3~)90. You believe that the French and American trade is not, generally 
'lH'aldng, [l. barter trade ?-No, for they almost alway go away in ballast. 
39') I. Are you aware of Engli h ves els pursuing the same practice ?-No ; 
Englbh I'e, l'ls gent'rally take in ome return cargo, either palm oil or ground 
nut,. 
3')92. Mr. Forstrr.J Have the Americans and the l?rench also a legitimate 
trmk, a trade of the usual description, a floating trade ?-I think not; they land 
their good" and go away in ballast; they take nothing with them except bills 
upon house,. 
JI1I),l . •\ Ie there not French and American ves els carrying on a floating 
track for produce on the coast, in a manner imilar to Engli -h ves els I-Not in 
t hat part of the const; I have seen only one that took any cargo in, that is the 
.'.lIlericnn barque Active. 
3<1<1 I· Chl1irllll1l1.J Have you een many go back in ballast I-I have seen 
St'l .. ral; onl' au \mericall chooner came, with a Brazilian supercargo on board; 
th.. hole of her cargo IVa>; to purchase slaves; I had the information at Quitta. 
l'h!' ''''nt off with nothing but sand in her hold, and wa to be back again in 
i l\l'~h, and he keeps regularly going . 
.1<111;. \ ou do not believe that the ~ame traffic is canied on by Engli 'h 
Ill. n'" nts '-:\0, I do not; certainly not. 
,1)0)" \11'. Forstfl·.J ,\Ie there not great conveniences in the neighbourhood 
• 1. 11.1 for shipping slaves; uppo ing that Whydah itself wa..~ effectually 
1>1 "Kn,l. tl,. ther(' not an inland communication running parallel with the 
<l·t t 'I.,; it d(l,,' not cOlUlllunicn.te on to Popo; there is a rh'er run2 to 
\,r:lIId 1'" '0: } ou cannot go aU til(' way hy water from \Vhrdah to Little Popo, 
p,,1 I' t f t\H' , 'l) : but it "ould be of no u e blockading Whydah alone, 
lth"llt hi • l,.a,lllIg; tlw coa..,t :]0 miles on either side of it. 
~"9i (h /rI1I,';I.] Could. ou mainl.'lin an effectual blockad!' to that e.·tent ; 
• n, 1 trinl, ami eould not uo it, because they communicate by sirnal· if a 
\t.", 1 ,'(111"'- in th,' offing, they mak(' a long tdeln'aph to her to pro'c;ed t~ sea 
fo,' . , )111' du)', (1f h' nllne UpOll the eoa.,t at Apee on a giyen day where their 
,Ia't. nrc, ,11tiHQ. fl)f thern .... . ) 
.,I)I)~ litn e ~ on md ony trure of the ,lnye trode off the Gold Coast Proper: 
1)<111. ) OU tl) not h .. liel e that that i, carried on there :-:'\0. 
'I' "'ll. \\ ith ft'"ard to the Bight of Biafra, "hat is the present condition of 
tl1\' ,1;1IC trade '-It i~ t:H'l1 lUore reducul than in Benin. Formerly at Bonn), 
0 •. ),). G G ~ • I haye 
228 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Lieut. I have seen 20 vessels in the river all engaged in the slave trade' now there is 
.R. L evinge, R.N . not such a thing there. ' 
. 4001. In the River Gaboon is there any slave trade ?-There is some very 
little; but I have not been at the Gaboon lately. I know from the'o ther 
cruisers that there have been one or two vessels taken there; but the slave 
trade in Gaboon is principally carried on in small boats carrying them across 
to Prince's Island; and when a sufficient cargo is collected at Prince's and 
St. Th.omas's Island, they are shipped to the Havannah or the Brazils. 
'4002. In the Cameroons is there any slave trade ?- There is none there at 
.all, I think; I made a treaty with the king to stop it. 
400 3. Should you consider yourself materially assisted in your operations by 
having an English fort or two planted on particular points, such as Whydah ? 
-It would be a very great service, because we then should get any information 
we required along the whole coast ; the presence of English persons or English 
vessels anywhere always annoys the slave trade. 
4004. Have you been 011 the Kroo coast ?- No, I have not. 
4005. Do you know anything of the state of the slave trade at the Portuguese 
settlements south of the Line?- That is where the greatest slave t rade is 
carried on at present, about Cabenda, and Benguela and Ambris. 
4006. Have you reason to know whether that is increasing or decreasing r-
I think it is stationary; the head slave merchant declares that he has two 
vessels sailing every month from Havannah. 
4007. What is the cargo of such vessels )- They come for slaves, giving rum 
and tobacco in exchange. 
4008. What is the number of slaves on board of such vessels ?-I should say 
that they would average 500; they are mostly large vessels that go there. 
4009 . So that you would say 12,000 go in the course of a year?-Vessels 
come there, but they have ahnost all been taken ; an immense number have 
been taken there. 
401 0. Whereabouts is that ?-Ambris and Cabenda. 
40 11 . Where have the seizures taken place of vessels trading from the Portu-
gue.se settlements)- The vessels have been taken immediately off the places 
about Benguela; the boats used to be under a point of land, and as they came 
out of the harbour take them. 
40 1 2. Does your authority extend equally for seizures north and south of the 
Line, under existing treaties ?-·Yes, equally the same; it was not formerly, but 
it has been so for two years and a half. 
40 13 . You said that a number of vessels had been taken off the Portuguese 
settlements )-Yes; the Fantoon, Waterwitch, Persian, and Brisk, have been 
very successful there. 
40 14 . Do you recollect what number they have taken ) - No, I do not. 
4015. Having the same authority for eizures on that part of the coast as 
northward of the Line, how is it that the attempt to put down the trade has 
not been equally successful?- I think that the slaves are more easily procured 
there, and are cheaper; that is the reason the slave vessels resort there more 
than to other parts of the coast. 
4016. Do you conceive that the absence of a lawful trade to any considerable 
extent upon that coast, contributes in maintaining the slave trade ?-Yes, that 
has a good deal to do with it; that and ha\·ing the protection of the Portuguese 
flag in the harbour, within gun-shot of the fort. 
401 7. You would, therefore, be very glad upon that coa t, to see the co-
operation of English lawful traffic ?-It would do a great deal towards annoying 
and putting down the slave trade, not only by the assistance it would give the 
cruisers in enabling them to leave their boat on board the vessels and in 
getting information, but the legal traffic itself would assi t in putting down the 
~lave trade. 
40 J S. Are the POI'tugue e ettlements open to legal traffic ?-I do not know. 
4019. But you know that the same amount of legal traffic is not carried on 
south of the Line, in the Portuguese settlements, as northward ?- No, I think 
thero is no lawful trade . 
..0 20. MI'. IV Patten.] You have observed ayroportionate dec: ense in .the 
slavc trade as the legitimate trade has extended ,-Yes, especIally ill the RIver 
Bonny. 
402 J. Chairman.] Arc there any other places besides Whydnh on which 
you 
SELEC'T Co:\L\IITTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 229 
you would reco=end the planting of a fort?- The people at Quitta., under Lieut. 
Cape St. Paul's, are very anxious to have an English resident there; it is a R. Levinge, R.~. 
sheltered place, where you can generally land in the ship's boat; the Danes 
have a fort there. 
4022. Would it be po sible, with a view to the afety of health, to plant 
a fort at Laro-o , or at the mouth of the River Bonny i- It would be very 
unhealthy in both places. 
4023. Do the Danes prevent the slave trade being carried on at Quitta ?-
Yes: there is no slave traue there. 
4024. Mr. Forster.] Are you acquainted with Popo?-Yes 
4°2.5. Do you think it would be desirable to establish a Briti h settlement 
there '-Yes; it would btl a very good position for a fort, but I think it would 
bf' wry unhealthy; I do not think Europeans could live there; it is a swamp 
all around Popo. 
4020 . Has it been the practice of our cruisers to land the crews of captured 
,laye vessels on the coast nearest to the place where the capture is made ;-Yes. 
4°27. Is it your opinion that many of those men mu t have peri hed from 
this cause ?-A great number of them die that have been landed near the 
Bonny, and the River Tiger; but 1 do not think they die when landed about 
\Yhydah ; they are generally pretty healthy, and that is the principal place where 
WI' land them; but at tbe Bonny almost all clie. 
4U2R. Chairman.] Do you know what becomes of those who survive ?-They 
art· scnt off in ~mpty Yessels to the Brazil and Hannnah. 
402g. n~· whom '-Monsieur De Souza sends them from Whydah; for in-
,tance, if an American or French vessel has brought a cargo for a slave vessel 
that is ('oming, then that vessel will take the paniards and Portuguese back; 
but they have no means at Bonny of getting rid of them. ' 
4030. What could you do with them if you did not put them on shore ?-
".e  ha,e no other way of disposing of them; it i unsafe to have them in our 
"essels, for sometimes we have 20 men away out of our complement, and if we 
met another lave ve el we should not be safe with these men on board, and 
besides, they would take u from our crui ing ground by eating our victnals and 
drinking our water. 
4°.11. ~Ir. Forster.] Do you not think it a very barbarous practice, and alto-
g~ther unworthy of a civilized people, to land men in a de titute condition on 
a barbarou coa t, lem'ing tbem to perish from hnnger and destitution ?-It 
would be ' 0 if they did not know what they bad to expect when they come 
th~r~. Tbose landed at Whydah, Popo, and Prince's Island, are always fed by 
tilt' Portugue e and Spanish residents. 
4032. Chairman.] You think they come there knowing the risk tbey run?-
Tht'} do perfectly. 
403:). ~Ir. Forster.] Do you think that an uncivilized people like the chiefs 
and the native of Africa can believe in the sincerity of a country professing to 
art on motives of hnmanity, and pUIHling a sytem of thi kind ;-I cannot -ay ; 
It may gi' e theru a bad idea. 
4034. Chairman.] Tbey might consider it as a punishment for being engaged 
" an ullIl\\yful businr" ?-They have asked me whether we are at war ~vith 
Ill! Ill, ana I "aid, No; and they cannot understand why we take them. 
"~). It" difficult to make them understand the unlawfulnes of the busi-
,,~., in "hich the) are enO'aged i-We carried on the laye trade so shortly 
run' onr,elYl'" that I do not think tbey clearly understand wby we bould 
b ... () (l1\:inn'" t\) ~uppre~s it no\'. 
, oj",;tl, 'If. II Pattfll.] Do you think it would tend to the abolition of the 
,hI' I ' tnuh if th~ Illiwd cOlllrois,ion was removed from ierra Leone to .\.ccra? 
- It II (luld ht' ,prJ eomenient to the crui 'er'; it would be the sa,'ing of a 
BUIllI",r III Iii t" of "camcn, and it would be a yery good thing for ns, because 
OHr ('''Hi,.'r' an' clo'l' to the place; we could get our prize crews back imme-
diatch. 
4"ii' lIan' ~ou hr.'nilluch at Accr,} '-It" 
40,;$. llan) ou becn l~d to make ob'enations on the difference of climate 
l)('t""'1\ \Ccnl and ~it'rra Leone '-We consider Accra the moot hea1thr place 
nlone; th ' coa,t 
'(1';11. Do) ou know ,,,hether lUan} of the crew, in t~king up the slaves to 
Sil'rra L('OIW, hal"(~ beeu lo,t in their pa~,age along the coru;t ,-The~ are gene-
fall) healthy on the pn>sagc, but number:, die and get fever at ierra Leone, 
').35. G G 3 4040. In 
~30 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Li(!ut. 4040. In your opinion, would it he an expensive proCetoI for the Govl'rnml'ot 
R. Lt:tJ;"gt, n.lf. to establish It mixed commission at Aocra I-Certainly not; there are plenty of 
houses. 
4041. Is there cvcrythillg requisite for a mixed commiseion i'-1 think 
there is. 
404:.l· Would Accra be better situated for all that eoast than Sierra. Leone) 
-It would be a very great advantage to the cruisers; but I do not think Accra 
Roads are very ' nfe to anchor a vessel in; vessels constantly part there; I have 
lost two anchors there. 
40-13. Upon the whole, which part of the coast, looking to the safety of the 
vessels and the convenience of the cruisers, would you say was the best calcu-
lated for the residence of a mixed commission ?-South part of St. ThomM'R 
Rolle Island ; but it is yory unhealthy ; it i very nearly as bad as Sierra Leone. 
4044. But not quite so bad I-No, I do not th ink it is so bad. 
4045. If you were asked to recommend a position, which would you recom-
mend, considering all the advantages aud disadvantages ?-Aecra, I should 
prefer. 
4046. Chairman.] Would Accra have the advantage of being nearer to the 
place from which most of the captured slaves would come, and therefore be 
more convenient for restoring them to their own country!-It would be a great 
deal out of lhe way for vessels from the southward, but it would be very con-
veni.ent for all ves els about the bights. 
4047. 1\1r. Forster .] Would there be any difficulty, on account of the inse-
curity of the roads, in landing slaves there I-No, certainly not; the only danger 
would be to the vessels; if the vessels were well moored, there would be 'no risk. 
4048. Mr . .iI1itcaife.] Does the wind blow off the coast ?-It blows along the 
coast. 
4049. If you port from your anchor, is there much probability of the ,es~el 
going on shore I-No, not where there al'e four or five people on bOUl·d to hoist 
a sail. 
4050. Chairman.] Would it be serviceable were each cruiser allowed to have 
sUjlernumcrUlT officers and petty officers to fit out as a tender upon the cap-
tured slaves ?-It would be of the greatest assistance, for it would save that 
exposure in the boats where almost all the men ru'e 10 t. 
4051. Could you tru. t the Kroomen as sufficiently interested in the bU' i-
ness I-Only to a certain extent; they are useful to work the ves el; but on 
several occasions tlle), have hung back. 
40';2. They cannot be trusted for the fighting part ?-Some few nre as good 
n any men; but generally speaking, they are not. 
4053. Should you conceive that the usc of steam-vessels would be advan· 
tageous on the coast ?-I£ I were to go to the coast again, I . hould like to com· 
mand It steam-vessel; I lost nine vessel that I should have taken, if I had had 
It steam-ves ' el. 
4054. Would they be useful witl\ the willd ?-They would be faster than any 
oiling ycssel; thc winds are generally light. 
4055. Vi ' count COIl1"I,·/lay.] Would there be any difficulty from th en!!"iuc 
gelling out of order' -There must be some (·stablisluneut to repair them. 
4056. Chairmall.] From whence could they clrnw the fud ?-From wood; a 
ves el has not the ' arne power with wood as with coal, but we might have 
depilts at Accra Or el,cwherc. 
4057. Yisrount COllrtell"Y,] Would tile llecc sity of h:wing those dcp,lt ' 
mat"riaUy increase the expeMe I-I beli 'v\, steall~-ve se.ls would be mom (O"pen-
sive than others, but tl1<')' would bc more u eful, and fewer vessd' would do 
til<' work. 
4058. Mr. ErmiS.) You would never u.<e the steUlu except in chase ?-No; 
we should hcp th,' tirc bneked up ready for getting the ~teaUl up. 
405'1' Viscount Co II rlell 11.1/.] You have been at Whydal\ !-Y:s. . 
4060. 'What is till' popull1uon of vV1\) dab. I-I have no "'0)' 01 tdhng; I hare 
nerer l)('en on shore there; an Enn-lishmnn is not safe on shore. 
4061. You eannat say what nUl;ber of English residents ther arc resid,' nt 
at Whydah ?- 1 do not think there i. one. 
406~. Mr. TV Patt(·II.] What is the parLiNllar cous!' of their being unsaf., :\1 
Whydah ?-vVhercver there are so many Spaniard ' and Portuguese about, th,'.I' 
fire 
SELECT COMMITIEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 231 
are liable to stick you witb a knife. One or two masters of ,e els are tbe only Lieut. 
persons that can land there. R. L ev;ngc, R.". 
4063. Viscount COllrtenay. ] To wbom does tbe country belong i-To tbe 
king of the country ; M. De Souza i hi viceroy; be has tbe power of life 3 June ,842 • 
and death. 
4064. Chairman.] HaTe you seen the Report of Dr. :Madden?-Y f:. • 
4065. V\' ill you refer to page 24, and read a passage whicb concerns a state-
ment tberein alleged to ba,e been made by you, and state whether it i a cor-
rect report of what passed ?-It is correct, except" entered tbe river" is wrong, 
because Whydah is an open roadstead. 
4066. You went on board the Sea Witch at Whydah to inquire about a 
laver whicb bad recently sailed, and tbe master of the Sea Witch declined to 
gi,e you information '-Yes, he positively refused; he said it was no affair of 
bis and he bad nothing to do with it. 
400j. Did you apply to the master for some planks?-Yes, which I aw 
alongside, and he said they were sold to De Souza for ome purpose, 1 think 
it was to build a house. 
4UOS. If you read tbe whole para"arapb, you will ee that it i alleged by Dr. 
Madden that those goods were intended to supply tbe tore which were em-
ployed in rai 'ing the temporary decks of slave ships; should you imagine that 
uch "as the purpose to which those planks were to be applied ?-1 bould not 
thillk that it was: they may have been to huild a house, as he said, but they 
"ere the same plank as are used on board la,e ve sels; but all sla,ers come 
O\"(>r with their planks all ready now. 
4""9. So that you do not consider that hming planks on board i any indi-
cation of an intention to supply the sla,e trade ?-I tbougbt at firt tbat they 
had no right there, and for that rea on 1 mentioned it to the enior officer. 
-I0;lI. Are you atisfied that that wa not the ca e --I do not think that 
they were for the assi tance of the slave trade. 
40jl. Did you convey to Dr. Madden the impres ion that you imagined that 
they werc intended for tbe slave trade 1-1 said to Dr. Madden, "What would the 
Spaniard~ [md Portugue e say to us for seizing their ve sel for having planks 
on board when we were landing the ame things ourselve 1" It was the fir t time 
1 had ('yereen a plank landed from an English ve sel, and 1 thought it .ery 
extraordinary, especially as the master had refused to give me any information. 
-IOi~. Ir. Forster.] Did you ever ee that master on the coast before ?-No. 
40j3. Did he tell YOll where he bad came from ?-He had come from New 
York to the Gambia, and from the Gambia to Wbydah; he had landed his 
cargo at the Gambia, then reshipped it, I understood him. 
4'); 4. "\.re there hou es at vVhydah"-Yery large houses. 
4(';.). They ha,e no plank on the coast of Africa '-No. 
IOjl>. Chairmall.] Therefore if a man wishes to build a bouse, he mu t import 
plan\.., Blust he ?-Yes, the nati,es lI"ould not understand the cutting it up. 
I" i7, \"ou wereati fied, upon inquiry, that this was part of the ,es'ers 
r, '[(ubr caru;o 1-Yes: "he had a manife t and clearance from an English port. 
III;X. lpon inquiry, you are satisfied that thi transaction bad nothing to do 
tIlth tIll" -hl'e tradt'~-Yc" I made inquiry from }Ir. Gro,e" wbo wa the 
trfillH ~ master of hath ,essels; and I was convinced that it was not for the 
l1 , tr·,,1t 
:\Ir W Patte>!.] Do the sla,e ws el ever purchase plank on the 
(It now, they u 'cd to do; they bring their plank already laid.  
• >I,,, (l Irn all .• They ba.e not now the opportunity, since the Equipment 
\l'I , (II I !lI111~ 11 Oil the coast ?-X 0; they come in, and in half an hour the 
-lnl ,'S .m Oil ho Irll tIll' Yessel: they come with tbeir dinner already cooked. 
oX 1 Dl(l YO\l 'l'e Dr, :I!adden after being satisfied that this had notbin"" to 
do II ith tl" 'InH trade '-. o. '" 
4 ,g2. :\lr. Fontlr.] Did Captain GrOHS ~ise you the history of this plank? 
- l) fnrtlh'r than to Sa) , that he brou~bt it to build a hou e for De ouza; that 
" " II lwn I "m him th,' 'clond time. 
~o~ ,,\.n' ) 011 I ourself now satisfied that that plank wo.., not eon,ered to 
\Yl" d III with a lie\\" to the "lale trade '-Yes. 
(I~ ~Ir. JIitcIlljt.] Ha\'e you been ashore at ::;ierra Leone ' - Yerr little: 
twin' 
0·,)5· G G-1 ,wSs. Had 
23 2 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Lieut. 4085. Had you ever an opportunity of knowing whether the Gold Coast was 
R. Leringe, H..N. equally well governed as Sierra Leone ?- Equally well; I should think better at 
Cape Coast. -
4G86. Mr. Fm·ster.] The communication between Sierra Leone and Cape 
Co~t is very infrequent ?-Ver~ little; so~e vessels that have been purchased 
at SIerra Leone, condemned pflzes, occasIOnally touch at Cape Coast, having 
condemned prize goods for sale, bought at auction at Sierra Leone, or men-of-
war come down; I do not think merchant vessels do much. 
408 7. Is the communication difficult ?-It is not difficult; but there is very 
little communication. 
4088. Viscount CO!t1·tenay.] What length of voy~e ordinarily is it from 
Cape Coast to Sierra Leone ?-It is very uncertain; I should say that the 
voyage would be from 18 to 20 days ; in the harmatan season much less. 
4089 . And the other way ~-That I do not know; a few days. 
4090. What length of time does it take going up from Sierra Leone to the 
Gambia ?-·I think about a week, but it is some time since I was there; in calms 
and light winds it would take much longer. 
4091. Cltai1·man.] Will you refer to page 22, the case of the Robert Heddell 
is there stated ; Captain Groves is said in that passage to have stated, "that 
pre\iously to his going to Whydah, he had asked the opinion of Captain Mac-
lean, and likewise of Lieutenant Levinge, of the Buzzard; and his going to 
Whydah to trade with De Souza was with the express sanction of both these 
gentlemen." Do you recollect the transaction ?- He never asked me anything 
about it. 
4092. Should you have thought yourself entitled to prevent his trading in 
lawful goods with De Souza ?-No. 
4093. Should you have thought yourself entitled to prevent any \'essel 
trading in lawful goods with De Souza ?-No. 
4094. Mr. Forster.] Did you ever have reason to suppose, from anything 
you saw in Captain Groves's mode of carrying on his business, that he was 
ginng any encouragement to the slave trade ?-No; I do not belie\'e he 
was; he was shipping palm oil in place of the goods he had landed. 
4095. Mr. Evans.] You have stated that you thought that steam-vessels 
would be much more efficient to prevent the slave trade than sailing vessels. 
Supposing there were a general governor constantly going his rounds visiting 
every station, attended by a lieutenant-governor, each accompanied by three 
iron steamers, haling the judges of the Civil and Admiralty Courts on board, 
for the purpose of trying causes; do you think that such a system as that would 
have a good effect in promoting the legitin!ate commer<:e, and in putting an 
end to slavery I-It would be very useful to commerce that merchants should 
l,a\'e protection, and that men-of-war should go to them occasionally; but I do 
not think it would do much in stopping the la,e trade. I think that ve sels 
stationed at particular parts would be more efficient, keeping up a communica-
tion witl! one another, and a floating coal dep6t at Quitta would assist all the 
ye sels at that port. They could get their coals from there, and I would also 
mention that vessels are constantly dri,en by the current against their will; they 
steer in for Popo, and it falls a calm, and they will be off St. Paul's the next 
morning, and by ha\-ing two large boats on board the dep6t, we could easily 
take them. 
4096. I there an abuudance of wood near the coast ?- Y e!' . 
4097. Would there be much difficulty in navigating the vessels with wood r 
-It would take a great quantity of wood, and longer to get the steam up, and 
it would be very unwholesome on board, from the steam arising from it. 
409 8. Would it be easy to get tlle nati"es to cut it .and stack it ?-1 do not 
think they would ever keep a sufficient quantity; but it could easily be done by 
haying Kroomen at Fernando Po. 
4099. Mr. Fm·s/cr.] You have spoken of the captain of the Sea ~'itch having 
refused to giye you some information that you required from hun ; are you 
aware that he was a mere sailing captain, and not engaged as a supercargo Oll 
that part of the coast :-Yes, I was aware that Mr. Groves, ~f the Robe.rt 
Heddell, was the persoll trading for the cargo of the Sea ~ltch, but shll 
I thought the othcr mall was the master of the vessel; he was IU charge of the 
vessel. 
4100. But 
SELEC,"T COrvL'vIlTTEE ON iYE T CO.\ . T OF AFRICA. 233 
4 10 0 . But not as trading captain ?-No; Mr. Grove was trading with the Lieot 
cargo of the ye sel, but he was on hare at the time. R. LetJi1~ge, R . N . 
4 10 I . Chairman.] DUring your cruise, did you often put into Accra and 
Cape Coa t ?-Yes. 3 Juue 1842. 
4 I 02. Have you always received as-istance there ?-Every assistance that we 
could require from Governor :\Iaclean ; the forts were always in very nice order 
a.nd clean , anu tbe people vcry kind; we receiyed every assi tance we wanted . 
.-1103. Mr. l V. Patten. ] And also from the merchants on the eoast ?-Yes. 
4 1 04. Your opinion is, that the merchant are intere ted in co-operating 
with you in putting down the slave trade I-Certainly. 
Captain Thomas Jiidgley, called in; and Examined. 
4 105. Chairman.1 WILL you tate what acquaintance you have had with the Capt. T . Midgley. 
coa,t of Afri('a, and in what capaci ty ;-1\.s master and supercargo of a vessel, 
from the early plU't of the year 1830 to the latter part of 184 1. 
410G. 'What par t of the coast have you been acquainted with ?-Generally 
t he coa,t between Cape Mount and tbe Equator , all along the line of coast. 
4107. In whose employment have you been during that period ?-For about 
even or !'il!:ht years in the employment of Mr. Laffer, of Liverpool, and ubse-
quently in the employment of 1\11'. Bold, of Liverpool. 
41 ()~. Have you also been at Fernando Po ?- Frequently. 
410f). During that period, ha,e you obsened any change in the course of 
trade upon the coast of Africa I-Very great. 
4 1 I n. irill you ta te in what re3pect ?-There has been a great increase of 
palm oil , and it has got much dearer than it was some years ago, owing to the 
()pposition in the trade, a greater number of merchants being embarked in it.  
.p  1 I . The native have become mor e aware of its value I-They have. 
41 J 2. Have you found the trade making its way }uta place where, in the 
b ginning of your acquaintance with the coast of Africa, it was not known ?-
I know it only from hear ay, not from my own knowledoe, that the trade bas 
very greatly increased in the interior, and has extended further back, a greater 
distance from the sea coast. 
41 13. The palm oil is now, from what you hear, brought from a greater 
distance up the country 1- It is, a much gr eater distance. 
4 11 4. Do you know in what way it is conveyed I-From inquiries that I have 
made (for the Europeans are not allowed to go into the interior), it is brought 
O,",'r a 'andy tract of country; it first comes down from the interior a certain 
db-tance by ,Yater, it is then carried on people's heads o,er a certain tract till 
it ('ome to the banks of the Niger. 
4 1 I .) . Have you eyer heard how many days are occupied in conveying it 1-
.\ well-manned canoe would take eight days to go to the extreme point. 
41 16. What distance would that be?-The nati"es would not pull to a greater 
distance than probably 50 or 60 miles a day. 
4 I 17. Lp the rin'rs ?-Yes; down the riYers they would go a much greater 
(\btancl'. I spoke of eight days, up stream, in a well-manned canoe. 
4 I 18. \ au imagine that the palm oil is drawn, in some instances, from a dis-
t '11<'" nf 5UO or 600 miles? -In some instances a greater distance than that, 
in al''lll'lllillt' direction along the ri'·el'1'. 
411l) " ith what points of the coast haye you traded yourself I-In the bight 
of Cap., "fount, along the coast from Grand Bu;:,a to Balam; and commencing 
t1~.,in at (lrnnn Bassa, going along the whole line of the Gold Coast to Whydah; 
c:IIl111J{'nl'11lg t\1('ll from the :\un RiYer to New Calabar, Bonny, the Cameroons, 
the Prinl"~., nnd F,'ruando Po Islands. 
412(1. 113") ou found a difference in the extent to which the lave trade is 
carrkd on from the period of which you have spoken ?-.\ few years ago it was 
c;lIri('(\ on to a con,iderable extent, but latterly, in the last two or three years, 
it has, nY greatly dl'.Tca"ed. 
4 1 ~ I 11aH) ou found the ,laH traue an advantage or inconvenience to you 
in ) lIur tmde /-It 1m, cert:tinly acted, in my opinion, as an inconvenience. 
\ gr(',lt numb,'r of the principal slaw dealers in the Bonny River (I speak more 
partie-ularl} of tlw Bonny), at that time traded Yery little in palm oil, and 
1I1l\\ th.·} haw gin'lI all tlwir energies to tIl(' palm oil, because there are no 
outkh to till' Bonn) , at lea.,t no "laver.' ('ome there. 
(l J) H H 412;: Ha,e 
~34 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Capt. 1'. Midgl'!J' 4122. Have many of those pEople who have tl'adpd in lawful produce been 
also engaged in the slave trade ?- A great number of them. 
3 JUD. 18+., 4123. If you bad been prohibited from dealing with those parties you would 
not have had an opportunity of giving them a taste for lawful trade I - No ' if 
we had been probibited from dealing with them, we should not have deri~ed 
those advantages which we have done. 
4124. Do you believe that, to any extent, those who are now engaged in 
lawful trade, having been formerly engaged in the slave trade, are sensible of 
the superior advantages of the lawful trade in itself I-I cannot say that they 
are universally so; there are some of them that are very bigoted in their ideas 
that they derive more advantage from their slave trading than they do from 
trading in palm oil. 
4 ' 25. Are there others who are sensible of the advantages of the lawful 
trade I-There are some. 
4126. You are now speaking of the Bonny River ?-Yes. 
4 127. You have been at Whydah I-I have been at Whydah twice. 
4 ' 28. Have you ever carried on . trade there ?-Only on one occasion, to a 
smail· extent, a few kegs of gunpowder. 
4129. Are you aware whethe any lawful trade is carried on there ?-I cannot 
speal{ positively as to Whydah ; there was no other English vessel there. There 
was an American vessel, which had landed a quantity of rum and went away in 
ballast, and I think there were 14 or or 15 (1 am not sure, but certainly fully 
that number of vessels), under American, Spanish, and Portuguese colours. 
4130. 'When was that I-In 1838. 
4131. Have you had any acquaintance with Whydah sincei-Nb. 
4132. You cannot spea1c of the present state of the trade I-No, I cannot. 
4133. Can you explain at all the different classes of slave traders in the 
Bonny, whom you say entertmn a different view of the respective advantages of 
the slave trade and palm oil trade ?--I ca'n explain it merely by this: they go 
under the general denomination of traders or chiefs, but in fact have no more 
a.uthority than priva.te iudividuals who may happen to be a little more afIluent 
than others, and can mmntain a few boys or slaves about them. 
4134. But is there any distinction' in class between those who prefer the 
slave trade and those who prefer the oil trade ?-None whatever. 
4 135. Do you know the nature of the dependence of thDse who are called 
chiefs ?-Peppel has the supreme power of life and death in the country; the 
greater number of the chiefs have mostly been the bought slaves of his father; 
in fact tbere are but very few men who are free, in the strict sense of the 
word. 
4136. Do they all reside at the same part of the rirer }-The principal town 
is Bonny, where some of them reside; but there are several influential traders 
who reside at small villages in the neighbourhood, two or three riles off. 
4137. Doe the authority of King Peppel extend many riles 1-The autho-
rity of King Peppel extends over a very large tract of country, for there are 
various nations of people to whom he pays a certain yearly tribute, or sum of 
money in goods; there are other tribes agilln who pay him a certain yearly 
duty. 
4138. Is the palm oil brought down to Bonny by chiefs resident at Bonny, 
who send up for it, or is there a distinct class of traders who come down from 
the more distant parts ?-It is brought down by the boys, or slaves, in other 
words, of the Bonny chiefs from the interior. 
4139. Is there any system of traffic from the interior outwards, in send41g 
from a distance the palm oil to receive good in exchange i-No, the people of 
Bonny are very jealous upon that head; if a nati,re of the interior should come 
t,o Bonny, he is not allowed to come on board a ship, unless there happens to 
be a Bonny chief with him. 
4140. Are the tradcrs in Bonny all natives, or do strangers settle there for 
the purJlose of trade I-Some settle there for the purpose of trading; there are 
a few natives of Calabar there, but geuel'ally speaking, they are natives of 
Bonny. 
4141. Are there any Europeans settled there ?-No, they cannot live on shore 
for any time. 
4142. When you go into the river, do you allow any of your ",hite snilors to 
go on shore ,-No, not unless it is On SOUle very particular occasion indeed; 
and 
SELECT COMl\IITI'EE ON WE T COAST OF AFRICA. 235 
and then T invariably accompany them myself, or send an officer of consequence Capl. T . ~!Jf;dgley. 
with them, to prevent them going up to the town and getting new r um, and 
becoming intoxicated and sleeping on shore. 3 June 184" 
4 43. Mr. Forste?·.] 1 it healthy on hoard ship in the Bonny IUver?-In 
som'e sea on' a great deal more healthy than in other'. 
4 144. Do you think that an Engli h resident, a consul. or a Government 
officer, would be of service there ?-He would be of infinite service, but he 
could not reside long in Bonny. . 
4145. Could not he re ide on board a hip in the river?-He might do so, 
and haye his health for a few months, but after living in that vessel for five or 
six months, those best accustomed to the climate are ver]' glad to get out 
of it.  
..1 146. Cllairman.] Have you lost many men ?-Latterly, I have had a vcry 
healthy ye~sel, but formerly I used to lose 25 per cent. of the crew every 
voyage. 
4 147. I las the increased health arisen from a different system being adopted? 
-There is a different system of medical treatment; formerly immense quantities 
of mercury were giYen, and sali ation was pursued to a great extent, but 
lattl'rlr there is a difference in the medical treatment, and 1 believe it is a 
betH'r ~rstem . 
..1 148. Have YOU traded to the Cameroons ,-I hm·e. 
~ 149. Is therr much "laye trade carried on with that point 1-1 never saw 
hut one lave ws,el in the ('our -e of the three ,orages I have made to the 
C.llul'foons. 
II r,1). b it a promi.illg place for the regular trade (·-They give their attention 
mOf(' (0 th i,ory trade than to that of palm oil; in fact the counh")' does not 
pro<iuc(' so much palm oil as it doe in other places in the vicinity. 
4':; 1. Vicount Courtenay.] Does thei,ory come from a distance in the interior? 
-It does come from a great distance, but how far I have no mean of knowing. 
4 152. ~Ir. FIn"ter.] Are any elephants seen on the coast I-I have known 
elephants to be brought up to Bonny that have been shot in the interior; I 
baye never seen them my elf, but tbey frequently make their appearance on the 
banks of the ri,ers. 
4 153. Mr. Wood.] Has ivory become more scarce oflateyears I-I believe it 
has; but I am not competent to speak of the ivory trade. 
11 64. Chairman.] You ha,e been acquainted ,vith Fernando Po; can you 
.tatc the nature of your acquaintance with it I-I have called there for refresh .. 
Dwnt, and when I had lost my \viudlass and \vindlass .. bits, I have called there 
to repair thl' vessel, and also to do a little trade there, and to secure a little stock 
of pron~ions for the pass~ge home. 
oj I 'i!i. In what condition is that island now, are there any white men upon 
it? - Th,'rc are three, I believe, at present, but it is in a much worse condition 
than it \YaS some years ago . 
.. p.'ili. In what condition are those white men ?-Tb.l>re is one gentleman, a 
II'. \\ hite, that is superintendent or agent to the "YestAfrican Company; there 
l~ tl", sur~eon, and there is Mr. Lanseller, who I rather think is a German or 
a ton iP;III'r who has been long resident there. 
4'.,'. ilow i~ the island peopled /-It is peopled by natives from the neigh .. 
homin;.; countric"; there are a number of Cameroon people there, and some 
1"10111 Ohl ('"labar, ~ome few from Bonny; there are several Gold Coast people, 
mill tIlt' ",,,jor part of the inhabitants are Kroomen, except the natives them. . 
'" h. ' . who an' ;.;cnerally called 
11:;8. 11" yot; I-no\\ ,,'hat the whole amount of the population upon the island 
i~' -1 h",,' heard it stated at ,arious numbers; I have heard it stated from 
;1,000 to i .000 or ~,OOO or 9.000, and I do not know ho\\ to reconcile the dif-
kn·nl' .... 
oj I ).). Is it Wf) unhcalth):- I do not con,ider it so; I con ider it the 
lwalthil"( pial'" in "-estern .\.£rica, north of thc equator. 
Ill", "hat ;.;round" haye you for forming that opinion ?-:\Ierel~ that you 
('all p;o til almost any hl'i;.;ht abon' the len'l of the sea; the north part is pretty 
\ dl ell-arcd in tlw 'icinit) of th,' ,ettlement, and you have a regular sea-breeze 
(ill're 
} Illl On which "de --On the north side; the breeze eome~ from ahout 
R H 2 \w t-
236 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE T4KEN GEFORE THE 
Capt. T. Midgle!l' west-north-west, sometimes from the north-west, not very often northward of 
that. 
3 June ,84', 4162. Have you ever conversed with the white men settled on the island, 
and learned from them the opinion they have of its helLlthiness ?-I have, fre-
quently; they considered it healthy; I have never heard any dissent; the cli-
mate is certainly African, but it is more healthy than any spot in the vicinity. 
4 163. Mr. Wood.l Has there been much mortality among the English resi-
dents in the island I-There was formerly a great mortality, but in a great 
measure caused by misconduct. 
4 164. CILairman.] Has much clearing been carried on I- Yes, in the northern 
part of the island. , 
4165 . You say the condition of the island has been very much changed; In 
what respect?-The Kroomen, who formed the working part of the popu-
lation, have become very much disaffected, and in consequence the houses are 
tumbling down for want of repair, and nothing appears to be looked after. 
4166. There is, in fact; no government upon that island ?-No. 
4167. Viscount Ebrington.] No police I-None at present. 
4163. Cltail·man.] The English Government have resigned the island to the 
Spaniards, and the Spaniards have not taken possession of it I-They have not 
interfered to take possession of the island in any way. 
4169. So that it is left without any government I-It is left without any con-
trol or authority over it, except the superintendent. 
4170. Viscount Ebrington.J Who is the superintendent I-An Englishman, 
of the name of White; he is merely agent of the company. 
4171. Mr. Evans.] Are there no Spaniards at all there?- No; the superin-
tendent lays claim to the country, on the ground, as he says, of having a grant 
from the British Government, which authorizes the West African Company to 
take possession of the soil to a certain extent. 
4172. C/lairman.] Is the extent marked out /- I do not know-whether it is 
particularly marked out or not; but he says that it extends to an indefinite 
distance inwards, and comprises the whole of the north coast of the island. 
4173. Mr. F01·ster.] Did he contend that the West African Company derive 
their authority from the British Crown ?-That is what he says. 
4174. Mr. Wood.] Does the superintendent exercise any jurisdiction in the 
island over the English residents ?-Merely a system of oppression; I do not 
know what authority he has there. 
4'75. Mr. Evans.] What power has he in the island ?-He considers every 
person upon the island to be a paid servant of the company, and that he has a 
control over them; they, on the contrary, say that the company pay them 
nothing, and they do not know why he should exercise any control at all. 
4176. Viscount Ebl'ington.] Is he supported by any force I-No, there is rio 
force at his command, except I believe there are three or four men that call 
themselves police; but in the event of a drunken row or anything of that kind, 
they are never to be found. 
4177. Are those constables called the servants of the company I-They are. 
4178. Chairman.] Do the Kroomen cultivate the land I--Only to a small 
extent; just a little corn for themselves. 
4179. Have you had any opportunity of ascertaining whether they are good 
agricultural labourers I-I merely judge from the nature of the ground round 
Clarence which is cultivated by the Kroomen; that is the only tract of culti-
vated ground. I have not been on shore myself to ascertain that, but I should 
think they are good agricultural labow·ers, for they raise their own rice, co~ 
and plantains, and the produce of the oil. 
4180. Have you had a good number of Kroomen in your service 1-Yes. 
418 1. I-lave you found them active and industrious I-Very active and indus-
trious men. 
4182 . Hal'c you ever suggested to them the expediency of emigrating to 
another country I-Some years ago I was requesteu to make inqulries for Mr. 
Glad tone, of Liverpool, and I interested mysclfin the matter, and I found that 
with a little persuasion I could have got 300 or 400 to go from the Kroo 
coast. 
4183 . Would they have gone alone, or have taken tbeir families with them? 
- They could not have taken their families; I made a particular inquiry upon 
that point; they saiu t.hat the meu must fu'st go and look at the coullLry, and 
lem'n 
SELECT OMMJ'ITEE 0 WE T CO,\ T OF AFRICA. '23 7 
learn tbe sta te of thc country, anel ome of them wo uld go back a fter a 
ti me, anel if thcy liked the country, there wus no doubt that thc wOlllen would 
go to. 3 J UD IJ l Si '.! . 
4 1 R4· 'With whom did ),ou communicate ?-It was more particular ly with 
the Great 'csten; P('op!l'", anci I mentioned it to the nlC'n about Cape Palmas. 
4 1 8.5. Did yo u communicate with any chief · !- I ment ioncd it to 011(' o f the 
headmen lit Great 'estprs, and he said a great many \\ ould b~ w ry ~Iad to 
go, becau~e the ri ce ·cru;o n had failed tbat yea", and there \Vl'rc hanUy any 
m cans of supporting thenl. 
4 1X l. llaY!' you any reason to know tha t there is n difficult y of suhsi 'lenee 
among tIll' KroonJ l"n on their 0 \\ ncaa t ?-Certainly; they sometimes make 
" ar upon ea h other, and seize thc rice and plan tains belong ing to a n\'ig h-
homing ('O llntry, ancl th en when two coun tries fall out, thc canoes of one 
country keep the otber in shore, and they cannot get any fish. 
~ I X7. W ould yo u think that t he chiefs would be likely to oppo e their going 
to th(· W cst lndies I-They do not make uny objection. 
4 18R. Should YO Ll be obliged to make any payment to th em I-I shou ld 
haw had to pay a month's wnges ill adTanc('; and to the chiefs \I hom [ 
ht·k,·l<'d ax headmen over them, 1 should have had to give two months' wages 
in nclnlnC'e . 
.\  , 8(). \\ ould the aclvanc(' have been an advancc to th e chiefs or the men l-
It would han' be<'n an advan ce to the men, but it would hare been [laid to the 
chilof, 
\ 1 1)11. \\ (l uld tlwy ba,'c gone accompanicd with tiH'i r chkf., or have bee1l 
".'nl (Jut "ithollt their ch iefs I- Some of their ,!tiefs woul[! most likely have 
galll' with tlwm as hcadmen. 
II!) I. Ilnve) ou turned) our attention to this que' tion of emigration I-I 
han', some years ago. 
4 I 9 2. lla"I'"C yo u allY suggcstion to offer us to the bl'st mode of carrying it 
on so as to be free from the objections which might be o/fer('[1 to i t on the 
ground of it~ becoming a :;Ia,-c trade I-The only suggestion which J have to 
m akc is, tha t a r eBidl'll t on the coast WOUld, I think, be of adl'antagl' in leading 
them to cnligratc to a great('r (''(tmt; it wopld be necessary that some person 
should go 01','1' wdl acquainted with the matter , ancl if in tlw ir confidence so 
much the b(,ttcr ; a stranger would never succeed. 
\ 193· Arc yo u acquainted with Sierra Leone I-No. 
4 I !)4- 'Woulcl there not be ~reat difficulty in having a r esident u pon the 
COtlst, as re~nrd ' lll'alth 1- peaking from my own observation on the CO(lst, 
and from thc sea breeze blowing 10 months out of the 12, I do not think thl're 
1.11 . he ti n) cloubt that it would he nearly as healthy as !Iny other part of thl.: 
('Olls t to rI'8i[l<" upou, am! more healthy than Sierra Lcone. 
-I I<).S. Do you hclieve that thn(' would he any amount of the population on 
tli ., sllu tlll'rn coast, thnt woulr! he willing to cmi~ratl' I-It would he a rliffieull 
mat !<or for t 11<' first) car or two to get any great number to go ; in thc first year 
YUII lII i ~ht c; .. t 1,000 or 1,200 nwn. 
I' q[l. IlaYc YOII l'wr cnieulat(,11 the number of Kroomen altog-ether at any 
IInc tinlt' in various ">''I'ls, ,,1H'thcr of war or cn~~ed in commerce r-Gene-
nllt. I"'nkill//:, I b .. liI"Yl' C'pl'akin!!: of the g('ncral Yessels, not speaking of the 
lll"" III' \\ar), the') Ink., e'i~ht upon the average, that would be nearly 200 of the 
liB Il III ont l time ulto.!!;t.'thrr. 
I Ii. Il l) \ 011 lin.\ them incr('asine; as you go on the coa.st) They do increa.se 
i ll n\ll\ll1('r. I hnH' in\"(I\'inhly rl'jl'cll'd JO or SO men nt the Ic'ust, as I have 
run dll\\n thl' I'llast, nnd I have tak"n eight, and to and 12, and have never 
h.Tn dl tnintl ,'11 hour. 
I' IS. \ rt th"T< till inereas"ll nllmb('r of Hricans in amploy , Y s. 
1'1)t] \ ,,('olmt J,brinqlnll.l Tho. (' ml'n are' [iPsirous of bt"ing employed at 
'. a 1 " ', I1ltl in "·"ill(\ up the rinr>t to n",bt in thl' lonrlin~ of cnrgews. 
pllll, ('/" ,.,11,"/ \\ "n' )"011 I'n'r ,'n!!;"!JI>d in IIii' trnlJHf~r of the l\ roomen to 
F. . rnn nllo Po 1 hnlt' kft Ih"111 at Fnnanrlo Po at th .. ir own request, and 1 
hall tnk"n thl JI1 IIp fro\1l I"tTnnnr1o Po to their own country. 
I ~(ll, Hnt ) Oil lit 'er :lrrll'c\ on any 'pt m of ~migration from th(, coast I 
- \0. 
I~'\l, " .HI \ll·rt' 'Illt a\\an" fro11l all) thint!" thnt pa,,['d l1<'tw(""n }<l11 nnll 
th 'II' ill int. l"l'Ollf'l' at l \rn:lllllo 1'11, wl"'ther they ' H'l"C dc,iro\l~ of cnknll 
0.3,), 1I" ') illlu 
238 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE TIlE 
Capt. 7'. Midgle!J. into agricultural as well as maritime employment I-I have made repeated 
inquiries to that effect, and from those inquiries I should think there is no 
3 JUlie 184" difficu~ty to J:'e apprehended whatever, that they would enter into employment 
as agnculturIsts. 
4:203· Viscount Eb1·vl1gton.] The same class of individual ?- I cannot say 
that exactly; but I have inquired at Fernando Po, of the natives from various 
parts of the Veroo coast, as to their feelings, and they all stated that they would 
wish to go; they said they had no objection to go to any part of the world, so 
that they were fed and honourably dealt with. 
4204. Cltai,·man.] Do you imagine that any of those who are now at Fer-
nando Po would be willing to quit it for the West Indies i - Certainly, there 
is scarcely a man that would not be willing to go. 
4205. Do you know at all what wages they receive at Fernando Po, an (I what 
their condition is?-They arc generally paid at Fernando Po, according to 
what I have heard, from 4d. to Sd. a day, according to their ab.iLity. 
4206. Is the produce of Fernando Po admitted on the f~oting of British p~o-
duce into England ?-I cannot say. . 
4207. Mr. W. Patten.] You said that you would have to pay two months in 
advance for any emigrants upon the Kroo coast ,-That is to the chiefs. 
4208. In what way would it go to the chiefs; as a right claimed by the chiefs 1 
- In general the advance goes to those people; each chief has a number of 
adherents or boys, who place themselves under him to get them a ship; it is a 
system of apprenticeship, in fact. 
4209. Tbe emigrants would come under the same rule ?-Yes; a number of 
boys upon the coast will go to a chief or headman, who speaks English, and 
ask him to get them a ship, and, accorcling to the custom of their country, the 
first advance that is given they claim. In the case of a man who 11.'\S never 
been on board a ship, the month's adyance goes to the headman, as a perqui-
site for shipping him; they probably give a small trifle to their relatives, and 
in fact it is generally done. 
4210. Is it your opinion, that if emigration was carried on to any great 
el!'tent on the coast, it would be a temptation to those chiefs to encourage slave 
trade fol' in the interior of the country ?-The Kroomen have got such a great 
objection to slayer)' in any shape, that if it was thought to be touching upon 
that we should not get a single individual. 
42 J 1. It would not lead to a system of kidnapping in the interior of the 
country ?-Decidedly not, for the boys are at their own will; and when they 
come on board, unless they voluntarily enter, if there is the slightest force 
employed, they are never taken. 
4·112. If that system were pursued to any extent, is it your opinion that you 
could induce an emigration from the interior I-I have no doubt that the 
natives at some distance from the sea-coast would be induced to emigrate; but 
I am not prepru'ed to say that it would extend to a system of kidnapping; I do 
not think it would. 
4213. You think that it would introduce a system of emigration from the 
interior ?-I think there is do doubt, that as the sea-coast became thinned or 
emigrants, if I may use the expression, other natives would flock to the coast 
for the purpose of emigration from the interior. 
4214. Have you any knowled2;e of the population of the interior of that 
country?-No, I think it is very little known. Those in the interior are what 
are called Bushmen, and the population is not known to the inhabitants of the 
sea-coast. 
4215. Is it thi6kly or thinly inhabited ?-It is thickly inhabited at the dis-
tance of some days' journey from the ea-coast. 
4216 . Ha,'e you never formed any calculation yourself of the scale upon 
which a system of emigration might be carried on on that coast?-It might 
be cal'ried on on a very extensive scale after a yeal' or two; but they are a 
cautioull people, and all would depend upon the report that the deputation 
who first went might make on their return. 
4217. Are you aware of auy report having been made ?-I am not, for I do 
not think any hm'e emigrated to the West Indies; I do nqt think any Kroo-
men have ever been seen there. 
421 S. Arc you confident that in the vessc.!s that have gone to the West 
Indies, thcr0 ha,-e been no Kroomen ?-No, I am not confident; but I mean 
to 
SELECT CO~IMITTEE ON WE T COAST OF AFRICA. ~;9 
to sny, that within my own knowlodge there has never been a Krooman in the Capt. T. M idgley. 
West Indies. 
42 I ~. Mr. Evans.] Do you consider the Kroomen in their own country per- 3 J une 18+2. 
fectly free from all manner of bondage or lavery, or arbitrary power of the 
chiefs of the country?- TO, I am not prepared to say that, for the appren-
ticeship system may be considered a a sort of bondage; for in tance, a youth 
will attach himself to a hendman, and he will probably go thrl'e or four 
voyages in diff('rent kinds of ships; he will be shipped in those ve els by tm 
headman; nnd this headman take his earning' when he returns, as an equiva-
lent, probably, for the debts of the family. 
4.:2<). If he wished to emigratc, would there be any ob tacles in his way?-
Tht'T(' would not be, bccau e immediately upon hi r eturn, whatever d('bts he 
migh, ow" to the headman who shipped him, would have to be paid out of the 
money received by him as wages [or his labour. 
4~2 1 . Yi~count Courtenay.] You have had communications with the natives 
upon the subject of their emigrating; did they make any stipulation as to 
returning after a certain time?-They said they would not like to stop in a 
Mtrangc country long, that they would likt> to go ancllook at the country, but 
th('y would not like to remain long r than going in a palm-oil vessel and 
rl'turning; that b to say, they would not object to stopping sL'l: or eight 
month .. 
~~22 ('//lII,./I/(/II.J You think you might hav(' security against kidnapping by 
hm illg an officer on the coast of \ [rica, to s('e that no man was put on board 
"((aill this \ ill 1-T do not think under present eircum tances, without that, 
th,·,,· "Duld Iw any fear of a sy ·tem of kidnapping, [or they arc very greatly 
al,r',' to any thine; of the sort. 
,~·22;. ~ ir T. D . .tIelltnd.] That is, they will not be kidnapped; have they any 
oilj (·ction to kidnap otlwrs /-1 do not think that the Kroomen will have 
fi n) tbing at all to do with slanry, good, bad, or indiffer(,llt; upon that particular 
part of the coast, it is true, that Spanish vcssels do go and supply them 
with rice, and thry go down and assist thl'm with tl1('ir canoes on the coast; 
l et I ha,e nt>YC1' heard of an installce of their selling each other [or slaves. 
422 \ . C'hrlirlll((II.] The ]\roo country is goY('rncd by a number of little 
chi(.fH /-\ ('S; but there is a general heaclman to whom they appeal in their 
Il itf('f(·necH. 
plS. There is no ont> sovereign who ('xercises an authority over the whole 
rOI.,t I-I 0; ench headman has authority O\-er the part of the coast where he 
i. itUltted. 
42 ·~ h. There rna) be a difficulty, therefore, in their collectin.e; together to 
1lI,'~" nar a~ninst their nt'ighbour~ who may be ('n~ag('d in the slave trade /-
'I'\"'rl' 1I1n\ he some difficulty; the tribes arl' now almost always at variancc, 
I,"t I hm';' \11'''''1' hcltrd of any of the h.roomen being sold as ~lavc~. 
j ~ n. \,i,,'ollnt Ebrill.r;lolI.j 110'1'> do the chiefs acquire their authority 1-
I kr. . tlitnrih in the rh-(,1'8, but on the Kroo coast I am not prt'port't! to statl'. 
~J '!'. Cjlllirlll(lII. ) llrne you ('Yer gone to land on the Kroo coast?- o. 
\ "I) .• ir T. n. ,leland.] Do you know how far the Kroo lant! c.\.tl'ncb into 
th. intI nor -Only It wry short di.tance; it is a very nan-ow belt of land 
nilln tlu ['oust. 
Ii')' \11'. l/(lJlIIltOlt.] !lave you any idea of the extent of the population i-
I C/I II II lit prtTi~d) ,ay tlll' number; but at the distance of l'wry dc;ht 01' ten 
nil. thel' i. a "'ry populous plact'. ~omt' of tho"e plac('~ will prohably 
I OJltHill' ",nlll a 1.(lOIl or tl,nno inhahitant" others probahly (),OOO or /,000. 
Th"r,' is II <lift'. r ntl'ttknll'nt at m,arly t'\'l'ry I·ight or tt'n miles, anrl in almost 
11 1'1' Iho .' th. r .. i, " little Iliff.'n·nce in tIwir lal\((uag~. 
p')!. ("'lIrmoll.1 Do tbost' 11U'~" nllaa;es subsist by n!:(ricnltun', or hy track, 
or h) fi. hin I-TI1I'y ""b,i t portly by tralk, but chi~tly hy agrieuIturl' and 
Ii hi1\L!; . 
• .12. no )a ll kno" in "hat mann(,r tilt' savings of tIl( ]\roomcn who arc 
.'na;n' ('11 in Ena;li-h ,,' "l·b nrc IUsI'IN'c1 of on their rl'ttlrn '-They ~ye " 
I'ortioll til I hpjr f.IIJlilir-, anll the,), han' a f"11 t, anrl ('al1 th('ir frit'ncb and rela 
thlll nhollt tl\l'l11, nnd thr 'I,TI'nler p' rt of it is \'('ry SOOll ~P('llt. 
4- ,;. Tlw) ~n' not eOlUlwll,',1 to ~i ... · it to their chid, 1-If it is tlw fir,t 
'0 I'" of tl,,' ho), hr mnl,r_ n cl'rtaln pn" nt to the chief who ha- "hip'" d 
hilll 1I11t, nn I tlH'Y lI.i,., numh T (If pre., nt" to 1\i1f~r nt other elm f., :u n ,;ort 
o. ,). It 11 4 <-' 
• 
240 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Cnpt. T. J1Jidglc.y, of bribe, if I may so call it, to get their influence to get a ship again; the 
rest is spent in dancing and rejoicing with their family. In the course of a 
very short period after the return of the Krooman, he has not got a single 
article left. 
4'1.14· Mr. Dewison.] But the Kroomen arc generally paid in goods and not 
in money ?-Yes, invariably so, in the oil trade. ' 
4235. Cha'i1'7l1MI.] Arc there any means that you would suggest for the 
improvement of the moral condition of the inhabitants with whom we are 
brought in contact in Africa r-The only means of improvement will be by 
commerce, and by showing them the capabilities of their own land, in point of 
cultivation, to make them a return. 
4236. Sir T. D. Acland.] I-lave they any implements of husbandry?-The 
natives of the windward coast hal'e several implements of husbandry; but I have 
not seen, however, any sort of shovels, for the natives of Bonny have a sort of 
prejndice to the cultivation of the soil; as I have understood, they do not even 
grow their own plantains, they all come from Ebo. 
4237. Mr. Forster.] Is not the soil in the neighbourhood of Bonny a complete 
swamp ?-Jt is thickly timbered with mangrove. 
4238. Is it your opinion that any cultivation could be successfully carried on 
in that neighbourhood?-There are tracts of land that are very capable of cul-
tivation at a certain distance from the coast, but whether from indolence, or, as 
I have been told, they have religious prejudices to the cultivation of the soil, 
and I do not know any other reason, they do not grow anything, but purchase 
all their provisions from the interior; they subsist in Bonny entirely by trade. 
4239. Chairman.] Do you conceive it very important, with a view to put down 
the slave trade, to make a treaty with King Peppel i-Highly important, if King 
Peppel would carry out his treaties. 
4240. Should we have increased control oyer him in case we had a treaty 
with him I-If the men-of-war act up to it there is no doubt that, even under 
present circumstances, it would be a benefit to British commerce, but unless 
th.ey act with more energy than they have done they had better keep out of the 
river altogether. First comes a captain and makes a treaty, and then another 
comes and says, "This treaty sha.!l be null and void," and he tears it up. 
4241. Sir T. D. Acland.] Where has this happened ,-I allude now parti-
cularly to Bonny. 
4242. Do you know exactly what the captait1s of men-of-war ha"e done ?-
Prccisely; because I have been party myself to several agreements; I piloted 
one I'e sel up and was party to a treaty, and in the course of a month or two 
afterwards, another captain comes and says, " I have orders from the Admiralty 
that this treaty shall be null and I'oid ;" and King Peppel turns round and says, 
"One white man come and make book, and another white mM come to-morrow 
and break it; white man be fool, best treaty is in my head." 
4243. Ho\~ lately was this ?-I think it would be the year 1838 or 1839; 
when I took the Pleiades, Captain Cft ·tle, into the river, at the time when 
I first commanded the J ohn Campbell, on the fil t I' oyage, Peppel wanted me to 
trust him with 60 or 70 puncheuns of oil; I told him that I would not do it; 
that, in accordance with the treaty, I would lie a certaiu number of days in the 
river, and at the expiration of that time would buy palm oil; his reply was, 
that he would like to see who would bring me a cask of palm oil on board the 
ship. I remained oyer that time without doing anything, and as I knew my 
casks would not bc safe unless I had prm-iously broken trade and paid him t.he 
coma, and I dare not land my casks for fear of their being plundered, I went 
on hore and asked the king whether he would not allow me to trade; he said 
he would, but he must insist upon my giving hitn 60 01' 70 puncheons of oil on 
credit; I gm'e him, I believe, fifty, uncler protest, protesting against his con-
duct before I paid him the casks. 1 tben, in conjunction with two or three 
other masters of I'essels, wrote a complaiut of Peppel's conduct to Captain 
Popham, of the Pelican, at that time senior officer upon the coast; Captain 
Popham directed Captain Castle, of the Pleiades, to investigate the matter, and 
I piloted thc Pl<' iades into tllC river, and afterwards, when Captain Castle went 
on shore, 1 went on shore with him. He asked Peppel how it came to pass 
that he hn<l made this ycry unjust demand upon the Engli 'h ve sels trading ill 
the Bonny, aud told Pcppel that he expected he would make u treaty, und.er-
taklug 
SELECf COMMlTIEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 241 
taking never to be guilty of uch exaction in future, and telling him that tho e Capt. T. Midgky. 
matter were given to him, especially my tru t, under protest, and that the 
man-of· war would ee it paid. The king made thi treaty, binding him elf not 3 JUDe 184~. 
to make tho e exaction in future; and in the course of a month or two after 
Captain Craigie came in, in the Bonnetta, and tore the treaty up. The king 
certainly con ented to the treaty being destroyed, after a great deal of per-
uasion. 
4244. Chairman.] Was there then any tipulation in hi fa\'our in that treaty? 
-There was no particular tipulation in the king's favour, it was merely that 
tbe king undertook in tbis treaty not to be guilty of tbose exactions in future, 
not to insist upon the British vessels giving him a certain portion of their 
cargo on tru t. 
4245. How IVa it then that he wa unwilling to abandon the treaty ?-They 
are always of opinion when a book i once made it ought to remain, they do not 
like it to be de troyed. 
4246. You mean that the country has been injured by the treaties having 
been broken ?-It ba , and British commerce has been injured by it. 
4247. Did Captain Craigie a sign any rea on for annulling the treaty ?-He 
said there was no nece sity for tIiat treaty, for the particular evil was provided 
against by a clause in a treaty which be had made when he had placed King 
Peppel in authority; he was placed in authority by Captain Craigie when he 
"ll' in cOlllmand of the Scout. 
4~4S toiir T. D . Aclm.d.] Did rou ee the treaty that Captain Craigie had 
mad. . -Ye,. 
-\qy Did it include that provi ion ?-It did not include that particular pro · 
\'i··doll 
42';0. Clwitman .] Are you aware of a treaty tbat has been subsequently 
mack hy Captain Tucker :.-Ye , I am; the question, I suppo e, alludes to a 
treaty by which a um of money was undertaken to be paid to King Peppel; 
I am aware of the treaty; I was at Fernando Po at the time, but I bave 
s('en it. 
425 I . I lave YOU been there ince?-Yes. 
4~52. Do lO'U believe that King Peppel has himself executed hi part of the 
treaty ?-I really do belie\'e that he has; he has not been to my knowledge at 
all connected or concerned with slave trading since that treaty. 
4253. You are not aware of the transaction which led to the as ignment of 
a c('rtain sum to him in consequence of his abandoning the slave trade ?-I am 
awarl' that Captain Tucker undertook in that treaty tbat a certain yearly sum 
~hollld be paid by the Briti h Government to Peppel, as an inducement to him 
10 put aside the slave trade in Bonny for ever; I am also aware that he has 
,Ira\\ n a bill upon the English Government for one yearly payment of it . 
.J.'!.')-\. lou are not aware of the circumstances which led to that sum being 
fixecll-No. 
4~5S. Mr. Porsta.] Did you bring the bill home ?-No, it came home in the 
::iall) , wit h Captain Lingham ; Peppel had a certain quantity of tru~t from the 
~ll}, nnd did not par it, and he all along expressed his doubts of the bill being 
paitl; hut it appeaN that he has held this trust of the Sally as a ecurity that 
tho hill \lill Ill' paid by the Govcrnment. The captain of the Sallr, Captain 
II, 1If) Lingham. ad\'unced a certain quantity of goods to Peppel, in trust for a 
.. tTt 1111 quantity of palm oil, and Peppel owes the owner of the aUy at this 
t1l1ll I tlO puncheon, of palm oil; but as he could not, or rather would not, pay 
it, h .. !!'," \' them thi' hill as a security for the 100 puncheon:; of oil which was 
I h. n 0\1 Ul"; he drew a bill upon the British Government . 
.j lj (l . ('h,lrIl/(/Ji ] He dre" a bill upon the faith of the ratification of the 
In'(I!' \ e,. 
I~ ;. '''hat "a~ till' amount of the hill i-I ha\'e not seen the bill, but r 
bdil',,' it i tor :3,000 I. sterling. 
-I 2 ~,'. ~ [1'. For ttl Cannot the) conny their ,laws from the Bonn} to tht' 
Bra" Hi, cr for ,alt'. and <lyoid an)' appearance of 'Iaye dealing in the Bonnr: 
Th. I (an be don" wry l'l'adil , and I am awar(' that it ha been done; for, 
,,111'11 I haw b,'cn in the creek~, I hUYel'en canoe loads of men going along 
thl'1'i\,,1' 
\_ iIJ Cl"rinne1/.. "ho hm, authority in the Brm" Riwr :-It was formerl) 
\llllkr ("0 kill ", h.in<T Boy and King' , "hen I traded there in 1~32 
0,3 ';. I I .+2'10. Arc 
242 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Capt. T . Midgley. 4260. Are they in any way under the authority of King Peppel I- No. 
4261. Therefore you would have to make separate treaties with those 
3 Jon. ]84" princes ?-To put a final stop to it, there must be a separate treaty with King 
Boy, who has the chief authority at present, though not the rightful authority, 
in the country. 
4262 . Mr . Evans.] When King Peppel required the merchants to provide 
him with oil, was he in the habit of making good his engagements ?- No, it is 
seldom he makes good his engagements; he goes to the merchant and asks him 
to lend him a canoe and so many boys; those boys are acquainted with the 
interior, and the goods are put on board the canoe and are taken off from the 
coast: in other words, they trade with the goods for the king'S use. 
4263. Mr . F01'stm"] You say that you think King Peppel is not now carrying 
on the sla,e trade; do you think that he is not disposing of slaves by sending 
them to the Brass River I-I have no doubt that the slave trade is going on in 
the interior, and probably Peppel may be concerned in it; but what I mean to 
say is, that there are no Spaniards, and there is no business in the Bonny. 
4264. Sir T. D. Acland.] Do you.know whether it has been carried on in 
any of the neighbouring creeks connected with the Bonny ?-It has been done 
very recently, within the last twelvemonth, out of the Brass River . 
4265 . Was that before or after the treaty with Captain Tucker ?- Not since 
the last treaty with Captain Tucker. I have not Imown of anything since that 
treaty. 
4266. Mr. Forstel·.] Have you any means of knowing, since that time, whe-
ther there has been a change in the system of carrying on the slave trade in the 
Brass River ?-No. 
4267. Sir T. D. Acland.] But you do not believe that anything has been 
done? -No, not in the Bonny River, either by King Peppel or anybody else 
within the last two or three years, that is to say, with vessels; though I am of 
opinion that slaves are bought in Bonny, and go through the creeks to the 
Brass; there is no doubt about it. 
4268 . Chai·rman.] To anything like the same extent as formerly I- Not a 
twentieth pru:t the extent to which it was carried on formerly. 
4269. Sir T. D. Acland.] The contraband trade, so to speak, through the 
Brass River, does not equal the whole regular trade in the Bonny ?-Not a 
tithe. It was formerly common for the slavers to go empty from the Bonny 
and beat up to windward, and take up their cargoes in thc Brass River. I dare 
say J am peaking within bounds, when I say that from 3,000 to 4,000 slaves 
I have seen in the barracoons. 
42iO. When the slave trade was active at the Bonny, was it more or less 
active in other creek Itt the period of which you speak ?-It was, unquestion-
ably. 
4271. Was it more or less active at that period than the present, in those 
creeks 1-It was much more active in those creeks. 
42i2. With the slavery in the Bonny going on also ?-Yes. 
4273. Then there has been a great reduction on the whole, both of the 
amount of sla" er), in the Bonny and also in the creeks of the Brass River ?- A 
very great reduction. 
4~74. Cliai·rman.] Would you recommend any authority being established at 
Fernando Po for the purpose of keeping order and improving the resources of 
the island I-I should certainly recommend a British consul or magistrate to 
be appointed there a residl'nt, witll power to visit the differl'nt rh'ers, to see 
how the English commerce is carried on. They are subject to a great marry 
oppressions from the kings and head people; the pre ence of an authorised 
magistrate, particularly if he went up there in a vessel of war, which could 
e.asily be in his service, would have a "pry great effect in gl'tting the debts of 
the English paid, for a great dl'a1 of tyranny and oppression exists even 011 board 
the mcrchant ves els. 
4275. You mean that a consul going out from Fernando Po would ha,e that 
('ffect r-Yes, I mean to • ay that if a British con ul, or magistrate, was to reside 
at Fl'rnando Po, it would be a very great advantage. 
42i6 . Do you mean for other parts of thc coast besides Fernando Po I-I do; 
it would be a great advantagc, as well to Fernando Po as to British commerce 
in the various rivers. 
::iELECT Co}lMITTEE Or 'VEST COA T OF AFRICA. 243 
42i7. It would be more com 'enient that he ~hould be placed there than any- Capt, r. Jfidgky. 
wht'rp ol el-Yes. 
4278. And you think he might reside tht're without danger to his health r- 3 June 184" 
If hp wa~ an ab terniou' and careful man, he might residl' there for some time 
without clanger to hi8 h eal th. 
4279. II'. Forster.] lIe would require a team-boat, would he not I-Yes, 
that would be of senice, if placed at hi ' command. If the senior officer was 
instructed to "isit those river~ ouce in tbrcc months, it would be of great service. 
4280. Clwinnall.] Do Englbh VI' 1'1' of war frequently touch at Fernando 
Po ? -Very frequently, 
421l I. The)' might, in doing 0, carry thi ' officer to the different points of 
the' coast /-WithoLlt any difficulty; aves el of a light draught of wat r could 
pass til(' bar of most of the river . 
12R2. Nlr. Fors/a.] Is it not the duty of the offic(>rs in the British service 
to rend('r assistanc(' to commerce where it is required l-lL is; but there i 
wr) gn'ot difficulty in ommunicating with them on c!'rtain occa~ions; and 
though it may be true that they come into the river once ill two or three 
months, th('ir time is generally so v('ry limited that they have hardly time to 
inVl'sti~ate those matters. 
1 'R;. :-lir T . D. Id'/Ild.) You mran to ay that an advant~e would arise 
rrolll luning r"gular and Ill'riodiral vi"it_ appointed by a regular authority?-
y( . 
4J, I. Not ttl [paw it to occasional opportunities I-No; I would havc a 
"(' Tillar "i.it made to differrnt rin'rs, Ray once in threr months, and the voyage 
to tl" "ill<lwl11'(1 would vcry materially contribute to the enjoyment of the 
h,' .lIlt of Ill!' consul or mabristrate, whoever might be appointed,if that was any 
cOII,hlt-rHlion. 
p~';' ('//(/irll/ (/I/.] \'ou stated that thrre was a want of z!'al and !'n!'rgy on 
the part of th" commanding offic(>rs, and you stated thr irregularity as to mak-
ing find confirming treati!'s, a' the in,trulcl' on ,\hich you rested that imputa-
tion. b that the' only ground, or an' there other ground, ?- l hayc no n'ason 
to say that t1Wrt' is any wry grl'<\t want of energy, unl!'ss they ha\'c more 
power gin'll to th('m by tbe Admiralty than they at present possess. 
I~~(i . By power do you mean authority or force I-I mean to cxercis(' forcl' , 
if it is m'ces 'ar) , 
~~X7. Do )OU m('an great~r authority or greater meanR at thdr command I 
-Tl11'Y hovc abundant means at tbeir command; bnt wh!'n they com!' in it is 
g\lll'rally undl'~too<l that unles, the British force may be' attock('d, th"y have 
1\0 I")W('\' to comc to ('xtremities. 
12~", '''hat particular power would you dl'lr,!!;at!' to tlwm i-I \\(lUlcl ~ive 
tlll'llI tl\(' pOWl'r of :;ummoning the kinp; and makill~ thl' kin~ giw sl'curity for 
tIlt' d('ht, which hc e"actcd of British 1I1!'rchants again>t tlwir own will. 
I~.'q \ ou mean a pO\wr, not to pul (loWII thc Imc trade, but to protl'ct the 
ill\( r"st, of British tranl' ?-E\.actly. 
12110. \ ou would hnn' til(' ('rui;('r, l'1I1plo)'('(1 in ('nforcillg the commercial 
"n",'grnll'nts that mil!;bt Ill' cnlt'n'll into i-\ cs. 
\ .( I '1'11\'11 tIl(' wallt of ~('[tl and ('nl'r~y 011 the part of th!' offic(,rs that ),011 
loke ('\ i lIot n "'lilt of 7.1';11 alld ('n!'rg) in ]lulting down tIl(' slave trade?-
o 1 do 1I0t 1TIl'an to sa) that, for tlwir c ertions in puttinu; down the slave 
1r ~clt lin (' IIt','n in(h·fntigahl!'. 
. I '.) ~'r '/. IJ le/tll/d.l Bllt ) ou do not think thnt thn have suffiei!'l1t 
,,,,Ilionl I, l'!'OIf'l't lOU in ~ elur ('om111eI'Cilll (kulings ,--I d;, not think th(T 
lIa 
121\3 \ I COUllt I;"rill.'llol/] \n<\ }Oll think British commer!'(' has suffered, 
It It nth-n,d matniull) in conscquenc(' of a ddiei('n('y of llIeans of carry-
in'" it (lB, 
1~114. CI,((/rmll1/1 \rl' )011 in the h:lbil of making adYnne!" to thl' chil'fs?~ 
'1'1" tr .It co1I1,1 not 1", "mHhl('kd "ithoul i1. 
1'1): n,) Oil mak., ,\(h ,111('(' bl'fnf(' ol)('ni11),( thl' trud .. ' Dir""th "ftpr th,' 
tr tit' 1 OpllH d. 0\1 ~rl pt rmi ,ion frotn thl' kin~ to tr:ul<·, nnel on ·(·tm~iclt'ra­
tlon of )ollr pa)in~ \\hat is rolled th .. (,Olll;!, Ihal i ,Ii,,' hnr, "hil'h i~ an imn-
)-:illl'r} ,'l\rr!'l\(' . upon thl' lonlln~., of th .. , "d, } 011 h. ('01111 ,'ntitled to I .~ 
pm ilt (', if 1 Ill.,. tl. '\prl" mptlf, of a 'uhjec 01 Bonn),. 
o. S. I I 2 
246 MINUTES OF E'tIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Capt. 7'. Midgley. men, naked, with nothing left upon them but a shirt and trousers and in the 
course of a few days lying upon the sand with their bare skin exposed to the 
3 June IS,p. sun, and blistering and fever immediately ensues. 
4334· Sir T. D . .deland.] Is this the general practice when slavers are taken? 
-I have seen repeated instances. 
4335· Mr. Forster.] Is it not the case that the English merchant captains, 
from motives of humaBity, sometimes give assistance to those men 7-1 have 
repeatedly rendered assistance to them myself; many mastel'S in dIe river have 
done so also. 
4336. Have you ever represented the condition of those men and the defectAi 
of the system to any officer of the squadron ?-I have; I mentioned it to Cap-
tain Tucker, the senior officer on board the Pluto. 
4337. What did he say?-His reply was that they knew, to use his own 
expression, that they had to bake their own bread, and that they were well 
aware what the consequences would be if they engaged in the slave trade if 
taken, and that he himself had not any compassion for them, because they knew 
the risk that they ran. 
4338. Chairman.] Are any of the' crews of the slavers black men I-A good 
many are. 
4339. Blacks taken up upon the (lOast of Africa ?-No, they are brought 
from Havannah; frequently American blacks are found on board of them. 
4340. Sir T. D. Acland.] Do the Kroomen refuse to be hired on board 
slavers )-1 never did know a Krooman to engage with a slaver. 
4341. Mr. F01·ste,·.] As a portion of the crews of slavers are blacks shipped at 
Brazil and Cuba, may not some of them be forced on board, they being slaves 
belonging to the owners of the vessels ?- I cannot say as to that; they may 
have been forced on board in Br3'.lil, but that I have no means of knowing. 
4342. Chairman to Mr. Nicholls.] Can you state what is the practice with 
rel?;ard to the crews of slavers taken on the Gold Coast I-We received in-
formation that the Portuguese and Spaniards had been landed at Cape Coast 
and the inunediate neighbourhood, and Captain Maclean communicated with 
us .upon the subject, and with the Admiralty; the Admiralty directed in future 
that those men were to be provisioned and clothed, if required, and that their 
respective goyernments should pay for it. 
4343. Sir T. D. Acland.] When was that order made I-Twelve months ago. 
4344. Mr. Forst~r.] Are you aware whether there is any sinillar precaution 
taken on any other part of the coast ?-No, I am not. 
4345. Rir T. D . .deland.] I-lave you the lDeans of knowing whether the same 
precaution is used ?-Certainly not; my observation is confined to the settle-
ment on the Gold Coast. 
4346. Do you know whether any sums of money have been received from 
the Spanish and the Portuguese 7-Bills have been drawn, I know, for the 
support of those parties. 
4347. And paid?-And paid, I believe, by the respective governments. 
4.'348. Mr . .F orster.] Have many men been so assisted on the Gold Coast?-
I do not know ; not to any extent, 1 think. 
4349. How many do you suppose ?-l cannot say. 
4350. Half a dozen i-More than that; probably from 50 to 60 on different 
part of the Gold Coast. 
4351. Where have they been sent to 0-1 do not know how they are dis-
posed of afterwards, 1 uppose they are sent home by different vessels. 
4352. What do th!:y do with them in the meantime O-They are provided 
until a passage can be found for them to proceed to any place they choose. 
4353 . Mr. F01'ster to Captai.n .1I1idgley.] How lately have you witnessed 
scene of this kind in the neighbourhood of Bonny ?-The year before last, 1839, 
and in 1840. 
43.54. Chairman.] You have bee.n in the West Indies, have you not?-1 have, 
ill British Guiana, and Demerara. . 
4355. I-Iayc you traver I'd the Atlantic, f~'om the Coast of Afnca to the West 
Indies I-Upon one occa ion only, when I went there with a disabled vessel; 
that wa from the River BOllny to Demerara. 
4356. What length of time were you on board ?-I wa" a ,ery long time, for 
the vctisel was disabled in hcr rudder, and she was 10 weeks. 
435i. Can you tate what the voyage generally is I-Much would depend 
upon 
upon tht' particular part of th,' ('on,t \hkh thl' \ 1,,,.,1 ",'ut thHIl ; shllUlt1 l'<\\I', 1'. \11 ', 1",. 
think thnt nbout n month or fi\'<' '\('l'b would b" tl\l' ,\\ "l'n~., pn""\!;l' fnllll l'apI' 
Pnh~u" . or the Yicinitr of Capt' I'nhll'b. tIl Hriti,h t:uilll1ll ,: but from lil'l' lumdu J Junu lS+'l, 
Po 1t \\oulli lnkl' a lllul'h lon~e l' tim.,; n fn , t",lillll>.!; 'I,,~t'l \llmld prtlbllhly,10 
it in foul' \\ t't'ks, 
\3 :iR, lIn\"(' you sl'l'n the ('onllition of th., \fl'i ,'nll frt't' Inbo ll\'(.'r~ nnt! the 
nc~rors in thl' 'f"st In,\i(',, ?,~ I h,p, 
1351), Do r ou thillh. thnt til\' \fl'it' nn en'!' Inhlllll'l'l' would "l1in b, l'llli"rt\tin~ 
to thl' ".'st Illlli,"; I think he \ tlu ld \ t't'.1 ~ren tl.l gnill b) it. 
t: till, In "hnt 1""Pt'.,ts i- Ill thl' fir8t plnl'l'. th.,) \"\Ilhl hI' h,'tt l" flIt! 111\,\ 
hettl'l' tn'nl''ll in tIl!' W,'st ll1ftil'" thnn tl\(') lI1'l' tn'n ll,.1 ill \fd.'n , nll,l tlwy 
\loul.1 hOII' SOIlIt' nwons of impl'oYiul!: thd1' mo\'"II' lHlllitinn b) illll'I'l'om,., "~ith 
EUroPI'IIIlS; thl') would nbo be 1llul'h bl' ttl'l' doth"II , nnd hI ,1,,1<.1\<"" ht'ttl'r 
nttl'n(lt-t1 to, 
.J:ll> I, \1 \\ hnt till\(' W01'(' )'0\1 ill thl' IY est h\llk~ )-1 \\ n~ t1'ntlill ll; C'UIlHtlllltly 
to till' \\ l'sl Iwlil's 1'1'0111 the) I'm' I tl~ l to 1 tl~(), 
I3h~, ) ou hnY(' not h"l'U thel'e ~in('l' thl' 1'1Ilnlll'lputiolll- '0, 
U(I;), 1 Ill\, I' }(l1I obsl'l'H'tI un) lIIntl'\'inl uitl'l'l'enl'C' bttwl','n thl' 1I11thl'H of th 
(loki Const 1111(\ othel' ports of Afl'ic'll 1-\ I'I'Y g'1'1'11(; thl' l<'nn tm's Ill'" 1\ ~\lp"I' iol' 
..Jns, of Ill'ople to Ihl' ltl\\l'I'-('\I\HS nlllin', of Bonn) ; thl') lIn' bl'ltl'1' illfnl'llll't1, 
nnl l, ~"lll'l'nll)' sjl,'nkinll;, n I1m'r mel' of m('n, 
utI" 1\11', /';""""',j .\rt'thl' Fllllt" I" fl" 'c ;-1 think tlll's),st"1ll of hnllt1ngl' 
is 1I0t (I IIl1i\l'l'",, 11) VIl1Til't\ Itl til" ("toni (hilt il is 10 \to,'wI" ',i; to !t"'WI\I't! of 
the Im\l'1' jIllrt of I{Ollll) , thl' 10\\,'1' 1,1"" of IInlil,'" Ill'" ill\'lIdllbl) , Inn's, 
\.;1>., IIlr, /'ill'x/",,] Do) 0" 1"10\\ 1111) thill~ of the I'Olltlltioll llf th l' IlItLiv('" 
ill II\(' inl"I'iol' or (\\1' (;oltl COllst I I do not. 
I:lhlJ, Ch"irJl/fI!/,l 'on hl1H' ne\l'l' 1'('\11111) Sl'l"Ul'\tO ill tmdill C( O il lhl' "Ollst 
of fricn, Ii'om th, ' c'hnmd,'r of thl' pel'.on \~ith \'\ hom) ou Ilellll, PI'()\ ilk.1 thl' 
lIutuJ't' of thl' trniHe in \1 hii'll YOU) oUI'Hl'If ellA'n~I'I I WIIS hm ful ? 0; thlH'" 1l1'1' 
Homl' of th,' tl'lldl'I'S thnt n"l' 1101 d",,'ning or thut dq.:;rl'l' of ,'onl1l ll'III '" whil'h 
othl'l's nre, in n u\('f('untlk point of l'i1'lV, 
43117 , Bu( ),011 wonltl IIII\(' uO ohjl'l'I iou III tmllt' ltmfllll) witlt 1I111lill who 
WIlH nlso l'llgllgl'd in Ih,' IInltmfnl Iruck of ~I"\l'"? 0; I woulll h"\I' no ob 
jl'ction to tradl' with him , 
43t;8, You hnd no instruction 10 llI llh. l' 11ll) diHtinl'lion?- 0; bllt I WIIS to 
hI' n'I'Y cnutiolls in lIot ('ollntl'nnncing', 01' {liclin~, 01' IIs~i"tiu g in (I", HIli\'(' tl'lId." 
~,til), Do yO\l ronC'l'i,,'. li'om your llequninl lllll'l' \'Iith tlH' tmdl', tllllt II clif 
f(,1'I 'llt qunl it) of 1!,'00(\s is ,'mploY"11 in the Hlnll' tmd,' from tho",' \\l1i('h U1'C 
'1111'10)1'(1 in thl' ltmfultrndl'!- l" s; th,' ,[,1\'1' l1'udl' is eondud,'d hy an infl'-
\'IlIr dl'HI 'riplioll of good, : it u",(lto 1)(' Ihl' ('fiS(', 
,l?o, 1\11', 1~"fll/s 1 Is it till' ('fls<' Htill '/. Of lall' no HIIIY('I') 1111" h"t'n ('II1'l'i,'<I 
011 th"I'I ', thal lImo\\' of. 
I'li I, C/'air/ll(/I/ ,] Do) On hdi,,\'(' thnt thl' ,hl\'I'll'lld.' i, now l'Url'il'd on wilh 
1I1 'Ifl'rior l'l"ss of gOlllb, I IIlIl not PI'I'Il!U'I'c1 10 ~"Y \lhl,t llt'1' it is I""'; hilt 
I ""'nn 10''') thlll fOl'llll'1'I), lIud I nOli '111'''1.. of th., Hil I'" BOlin) pllrtil'ulnrly , 
till' lan' tmdl' \1 us rar1'il'd OTI "ith 1\11 infl'rior d" H!,1'iption of goods to thoHI' 
\\hi,,1t \\(\1'1' pHi,II(11' Ihl' pllr('hllHl' of palm oil. 
.J 7. 11mI' )OU :III) 1','Jlson 10 1ll'lil'\I' IlInt 1II1} or Ih,' ''lll'riol' t!""'riptinn 
ot "ollli. ~ l'hnlll;l'Il for palm oi l, \\1,)," 111,,1 1',nlUlIll!C't1 fOl' , 111\1'8 '- I Ill'lil"'" 
th t .. I'orti"u tIt thl' ('IIlIl'.I' "oml "lid (he tim' I4lJl)Jl~ \\"1'1' ~1'1I1 tip ililo til<' 
.'ounl1') ; ill ntlll'l' \\ol'ds, thl') \\('1'" iUit'l'Ini 1"1. 
i" Th.,,, tIll IIl\tlll'(' of thl' ~"'J(I. 1'11I[l11l)1't1 i. 1101 Ml 11I1Il'1t .Ii t;II/llIi,III'<1 
'V tlt"PUIl,ol for \\hit-h thl' 111'1 uftl'nlanls ('ll1l'ln),'d, 'I>!" tit" ]>""1'11' \\11Il 
, 'lIl i'IlIIl' 1111111 f 'l'I\I'1'l' is Il pI'(,lItiar '1"itlil) IIfgllol\s n''1"il'l'<I 1'01' I Itt' jlllllllO;1 
tnllil ', 11I1l1 tlto goot!. \llIultl "11"'er fur lhl' f. 1:I\I ' tral\. hll( lor tIll'" \>"11" 
IIH') \ Ollit I 10, too I' [ll'" 1\1 
lJi4, \\ h Itould thl'l'l' hI' II Ilitk"l'lH'C in Ih,' qllrtlil) of 'o()JIs I'l'qllin'tl i" 
l',d\llll)!;" lor II\HS IIlltl f,ll' palw oIl? 1lt-1'1I1I (\ thl' [\olllillUI {,lIlT('III'} of /I 
P"'I( 01 doth iutilar til this \\hil'h I 11"ltI ill Ill) Illllld 18 h,,' hllr~, 1I11t1 Ihi-, 
"It;"h is a \I'n IIlul'iur'ltllllil) or dllth, I Olllp"rl'r1 \ Ith th" oIIHT, "0111<1 al>o 
III \111111'11 .It h'" hnr!!; Ihis \\Oultll'o>t Ii,,, !I d" and till' othl'r \It)ultl ('Oot pCI' 
hilI' t , 
.li 1 Th.,) \\()u1d IHl\I' thl' 'alllt' <1I'uomination ill th .. 10"'.1 {'urrt'III'} 
Th.,) \\llltld 
",J j, I J 4 .1.l7(I, ' ir 
248 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Capt. T. Midgky. 4376. Sir T. D. Acland.]. But why is one paid to buy palm oil, and the other 
paid to buy the slave ?-It .IS the .sy~te~. Of course we might pay them in 
those goods for the palm 011, but It IS likely that they would put a portion of 
coarser goods if they were buying palm oil from the lower cluss, the boys, they 
would give them an inferior description of goods; whereas, in dealing with a· 
gentleman, as they are designated, they require a better quality. 
4377. Does the gentleman deal in palm oil, and the other kind of person in 
slaves ?-The gentleman deals in slaves as well. 
4378. Chavrman.] Is it then that the parties who supply the slaves being-
more remote and having less frequent intercourse with the coast, have less 
acquaintance Vlith the finer articles, and are more easily satisfied with inferior 
qualities ?-I cannot say that it is that exactly, for it is astonishing the discri-
mination that the natives have; they will feel the texture and examine the 
breadth of the cloth, and they will reject it or take it almost without the assist-
ance of daylight upon the subject. 
4379. Can you explain distinctly why it is that the inferior article should 
be used in exchange for slaves )-1 cannot give any precise reason for it. 
4380. Mr. Forste,·.] Is it not that there is greater competition in the lawful 
trade, and that they can make better terms 1-1 am at a loss to assign any 
reason; but such is the case, those goods are intermixed which are sent up for 
the purchase of slaves. 
438 1. Is it not the competition in the oil trade that is the cause of this 
superior description of goods being obtained by the natives in exchange for 
oil ?-It is no doubt the competition that is the cause of it. 
4382. Chairman.] You conceive that the slave trade, being a trade which is 
obliged to be carried on in a more clandestine manner, the person who supplie~ 
the slaves is less able to make good terms than the person who deals for a 
puncheon of oil, that they therefore must accept inferior payment to that which 
a person dealing for a puncheon of oil would accept 1-1 cannot say that, 
because they do not conceive that they are committing any crime, or going 
against auy legislative enactment in trading in slaves. 
4383. Sir T. D. Acland.] Do the English traders take out many of the in-
ferior goods/-Not of late; they used to take out more inferior goods than they 
have done of late. 
4304. By what channel do the inferior goods get into the market?- Through 
the medium of the palm-oil ships. 
4385. Do any come round by Cuba and Hamnnah 1-1 am not prepared 
to say. 
4386. Mr. Hamilton.] Do you think that those inferior goods go out in 
English ships ?-They do no doubt, but a smaller quantity of them; formerly 
a number of clothes of an inferior description came from America; 1 have 
heard the captain of a slaver say that they got them from the coast of America, 
but I am not prepared to say that they did not go from Great Britain, because 
an immense number of those vessels are builtin Baltimore, alld various parts of 
the States; tbey took in their cargo there, and sailed to Havannah and then 
came across the Western Ocean to Africa. 
4387. Mr. F01'8ter.] Are you aware that the whole of the manufactured goods 
used for the slave trade are manufactured in this country ?-I' har-e understood 
that they are manufactured in this country and sent to America. 
4388. Chai1'1lutn .] Do not the Americans manufacture auy of those qualities, 
-I cannot say. 
4389. In your expeIience of the lave vessels you ha,-e seen, do they generally 
come now empty )-1 have not seen more than a single slave vessel upon the 
coast within the last tlu'ee years myself, and that vessel ran iuto Bounr at 
night, about tlu'ee years ago, it was at the season of the fogs there, and Came 
out again the next morning. . '
4390. Then you do not know whether they come laden WIth cargo or With 
money?-I am not prepared to say, a great part of the trade some years ago was 
ill money; they paid at the rate of two doubloons for each sla.,·e, thoug~ I ha.e 
formerly knmV\l four, and e' -en six doubloons to have been pmd for particularly 
choice able active young men. . 
439 1. What is the value of a doubloon 1-1 ohtained 2/. 28. a doubloon to[' 
the la;;t lot 1 brough t over. 
4392. Haye you brought over much moue)' as compared with goods?-
Not 
SELECT CO~DfITTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 249 
Not to any great ~xtent; J have brought home 2,000 or 3,000 dollars. 1 have Capt. T. l>Jidgky. 
!dven Dlany dollar to the men-of-war in exchange for hills. 
431)3. You ha,e been ometirnes paid for goods in moneyl-Yes, in dollars 3 June 184'" 
and douhloons. 
4394· Wa that rno tly in the Bonny, or in other parts ?-In the Bonny. 
43<}5· Mr. Forster.] But occasionally a Jarge quantity of doubloons and dol-
lar have been brought into Liverpool from the Bonny ;-There have occasion-
ally been large quantities brought. 
4390. Clwirmall.] Is there a good deal of cultivation in Prince' Island 1_ 
There is; c hiefl y coffce and cocoa. 
4397. Do you know of what class those who cultivate the land consist ,-
Donna i\J aria is the principal, the widow of the late Governor of Ferrara. 
4398. Are the cultivators the natives of the island '-I think they are imported 
from the neighbouring continent. 
4399. 'fro /1'. Paltell.] What sized island is it ?-But a small i land, about ,-
nine or ten miles in diameter. 
4400. Chairman.] Does the palm oil grow anywhere near the mouth of the 
Bonny, or is the oil brought from a distance '-The whole bulk of the palm oil 
is brought from a great distance; the neare t place is about 30 hours' journey 
from Bonny, that i , the Quarl country. 
4401. Will it grow near the sea; I have only seen a few trees here and there; 
J hav!' never seen a forest of palms. 
440'1. Is there nny cultivation of palms in the interior ;-It is carried on to 
a great (·,tent, according to the report of the natives, and palm trees have 
been planted. 
Lieutenant R eginald Levillge, R. N. called in; and further Examined. 
4403. Chairman.] CAN you speak to the state of health of the men in your Lieut. 
own vessel during your cruise i-We were extremely healthy, as much a as R. Levinget R.M'. 
we ~hould haye been on any station, for I did not know one case of fever occur 
in the vessel for upwards of two years. 
440+ That wa in your last cruise I-Yes. 
4405. lIow was it in the former crui e?-We were very unhealthy. 
4406. From what cause did that difference arise I-I think cleanliness is the 
grcat thing; keeping the ship dry, and the men ober, and not expo ing them 
to wet. 
4407. Sir T. D. Aeland.] Were you crui ing in the ocean, or did you go up 
tIll' riYE~rs 1--1 have been into all the rivers; I have been in the Cameroons and 
til!' Brns~, and I was in the Niger; I went with the expedition 30 miles up. 
-1-1<)8. Chall·mall.] Is there increased cleanliness on board the ships ?-I 
think it i~ paid more attention to than formerly. 
14'H). h there any regulation as to spirits '-No; spirits are allowed beyond 
Ill\' ship allo"ance, and with proper precautions the men cannot get drunk 
)11th that. 
"1410. Are th!' vessels upon that coast fast-sailing vessels generally, or inade-
qllatl' to tht'ir object ?--They ,wre wrr dull sailer when I was there. 
I P I Ilaye you ever found practically that the bad sailing of your vessel 
it nf''fl'tl" ith your succes~ ?-Yes, in sewral cases; I should have taken si'l: 
llIOT! prizt's if f had had a good Yesse!. 
~ II • b 111\'1<' au) change going on in the character of the ve sels ?-All 
tI\I' It· "..I, that haH~ gone out lately are fast sailers. 
,II' I . ::>inl'" "hat Iwriod ?-All tile old ve 'els are being relieYed by newly 
C'olbtnH'tc'd 't, ... ~t·ls. 
-II' I • inr.' "hat period has this change taken place '-Four haye been just 
fdi"w.!. 
4-11.1. \r, those' four Ihe first that haye been replaced '-No; gradually as 
thl' tim" ha' ,''\pirt'd of serntude, the old vessels haY(' been relieved. 
4~ itl, '.11'. '.1. PI/rtfl/. J .T Ill' ,,-ate,rwitch has been the~e for 'ome rears ;-Yes. 
\ I 7. ~Ill' I' a fast-'filhng Ye"d --\ t',; the Dolphm and the Bonnetta are 
th(~ tir':'\t f:1:-.l-~aihn~ \ t:-.St is. 
-I-II~. (h"in",,,, . The sy~tem of l'eplndng the slo"er Yessels by fast yessels 
h:1~ t't't n ~onH~ on for .... (nne )'':-8r~;'- Yt;>s . 
II' ". II ,. ~ 011 nmthing to obs!,ITe IIpon tilt' s~"lem of putting slan's on 
~llPrf' -"\ f • It "ould '1'1" ar !rom the t' idel' t' tlw.t, e an' in Ille hah't of 
.) .; • h. " putt1ll3 
250 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
Lieu:. 
R. LetJinge, putting them on shore in any part of the coast; now where we put them on R. N, 
shore, there are always Spanish or Portuguese settlements. 
4420. Is that the case at Bonny I-Yes; there are several Spanish merchants 
at the Bonny, close to the Brass. 
4421. Mr. F01·ste1·.] Then how do you account for those men being seen in 
a starving state on the Bonny?- I can account for that case perfectly; the 
vessels frequently leave their slaves there in the mouth of the River Brass. 
Captain Tucker was passing by and saw a slave vessel, and sent his boats in, 
and they passed her; it came on dark, the boats passed the vessel, came back 
again in the morning and took her, but they had landed the slaves and the 
whole of the crew had left her. When they went to Don P--, the head 
slave merchant, he would not receive them, and he sent them on shore at 
Bonny. 
4422. Was that person engaged in the slave trade I-He was the owner of 
the vessel, and because these men had abandoned the vessel he would not have 
anything to say to them, and sent them back to Bonny, where tbey starved. 
4423. Sir T. D. Aeland.] That crew was not landed by a British cruiser l-
It was not. 
4424. Mr. F01·ste1·.] Is there any other case ?-That is the only case. As 
regards the prize I took at Bonny, 1 saw them all go into the Brass Creek, 
where they would be protected and taken care of by Don P--. 
4425. (To Captain Midgley.) Have you seen more than one instance of men 
perishing in the Bonny ?-In the course of the last eight or nine years I have 
seen it in two or three cases in two or three years. 
4426. Chainnan to Colonel Nicholls.] Have you any acquaintance with the 
mode of dealing with the crews of slavers which have been captured ?-Most 
perfect, and it was this; I had orders from the Colonial-office, when I was 
governor of Fernando Po, to receive all slave crews that were sent on shore 
from Her Majesty's ships, and they were invariably sent on shore with all their 
baggage, and 1 kept them till I had an opportunity of shipping them to Calabar ; 
but I frequently picked up others on the shore, left there by the slavers, that 
any person might have thought had been put on shore by the men-of-war; 
Dut we took special care of them, and I thought they were a great deal too well 
treated myself, I thought they deserved to be hung.-(Captain .Midgley.) 
1 have known several instances where those men have been landed at ; 
there were from l:l to 14 slavers in the river, and not one of them would take 
them on board the ships or give them the slightest assistance, or even nourish 
them; I have relieved them myself, when there have been a number of Spanish 
vessels in the river, and they 'l>ould not allow them to come on board their ships. 
4427-8. Sir T. D. Aeland.] In the particular cases which you allude to as 
having seen yourself, were they, within your knowledge, landed by British 
cruisers ?-1 merely have it from the statements of the men themselves, who 
were begging of myself and others to allow them to come on board the ship, 
for the Portuguese vessels said tht'y were fully manned and short of pro-
visions, and would not take them. 
4429. Chairman.] Tht'y stated to you that they had been landed by British 
cruisers '-They did. 
4430 . Sir T. D. Acla,nd.] In what tinle would they reach the main land r-
They stated that they had been landed on the beach, and a day or two after 
they had been landed, they made their way to the barracoons, and came up to 
the town of Bonny, which is three or four miles di-tant from the barracoons; 
they applied to the Spanish and Portugue e vessels in the river, and they '"ere 
refused assistance on the growld that they had not sufficient provision. Rud 
th ey gradually got a passage in two or three or more vessels to replace hands 
that had (lied. 
4431. Mr. Forster to Lieutenant Lcvillge.] Are not the whole of the crews 
of captured slave vessels, except the captain and mate, and the cook, invariably 
landed on the African coa t?-Ye . 
4432. Are they landed on the main land, or at Fernando Po I-Seldom at 
Fernando Po; they are landed upon the main land. 
4433. Sir T. D . Acland.] Where upon the main land ?-At the River 
Bonny. 
4434. How near to the Spanish settlement 1-1 think they can get in two 
days by the creeks, but I am not certain of it, to the Spanish factories in the 
Brass. 
4435. Mr. 
SELECT COMMITTEE O~ WEST CO.\.ST OF AFRICA. ~5 t 
4435 · Mr. TY. Patten.] Are there both Spani h and Portuguese factorie ?- Lieul. 
Thrcp . R. Le'Cing~, R.!'f. 
4436. Do you make any distinction, when you take a 'pani h slaver, in the 
plac!'" re you put them on 'hore i-No, the crew are all mixed; in a Spani h 
vc 'el half the crew will be Portugue e, and the contrary. 
4437. Mr .Forster.] WI1at proportion will be black 1- one perhaps, except 
the cook or one or two others in the vessel ; very seldom or ever is there any 
other black on board. 
Martis, 7· die Jltllii, 1842. 
MEMBERS PRESENT. 
lITr .<\ldHm. Mr. For.!er. 
Vbcount Courtenay. 1\1 ... W. Hamilton. 
Viscount Ebrlnp:ton. Sir H. H. Inglis. 
MI'. 'Y. E,·nns. !IIr. lI1itcalfe. 
Captalll Fi lUoy. Mr. Wilson Pulten. 
VISCOUNT SANDON, IN TIll!. CHAIR. 
Captain Charles JO"II Bosall'1"et, R. N. called in; and Examined. 
4438. Chll1l'mall.] HAVE you served upon the coast of Africa ?-I have Capt. 
4 1;l!). " hat Yl'S el did you command ?-The Leveret. C. J. BosQn9uct, 
44.[(\. From what period to what period ?-I commanded the Leveret from a.N. 
Sepkmher J 8:35 to July 1839. 
4441. Tl!wl' you been there since that time ?-No; I was two years there, 
previously. 
44 12. Did you perceh'e any change in the directiou or the system of the 
slaw trade during your stay upon that station I-I think it had very much 
increased the last time I went there, a compared with what it was the first 
time I 'wnt there. 
4 ~43. On what part of the coast I-On every part. 
4-114. Had you any means of ascertaining from what cause that might arise? 
-1 think one of the causes was that we had increased the number of cruisers. 
I \ t.'). lIow had that increased the slave trade ?-By the great number of 
rnplllrr~; the market was better supplied at the Havannah, although more 
" "l'i, \\ en' captured, so that more slav<.'s were sent out. 
'[1-11>. )ou mean that, as there was more risk of captur<.'s, thosc who were 
,I< ,;rl'lIs of ,,'('uying; tlw <.'ntrnnce of a certaiuuumber of slavc. into Cuba, were 
uhlig"!l to obtain a largl'r numh<.'r from the coast of Afriea?-Y<.'s, I think that 
"n onl' rl~ason. 
H4i. Did YOU hear wlwthcr the price of slayes had been in anr wa) affec1<.'d 
1I1'Oll tilt' I'oa~t?- I do not kno" c"aetl), the price of slaves, but should think 
11", 1''''''' was \ el') l1I'arly til(' samc; rather increa8ed than otherwise The 
trot IIlJW 1 \\'lS there was in thl' nal'S 1t'30, 1831, and 18:32; and I was after-
\ Inls 11I,'l'l' III 11':15.11'36, 18:Ji:,md 18:18. 
I . "hl'lI ) 011 sa)' that the slnw tmd,' has increa.ed, do )'0\\ mean com-
p lrut thosl periods \\ ith l'ach otl1<'r /-\ es 
. , It')· Hnt 1Iot comparing Ihl' latter part of your .<.'cond cruise with the early 
pMt I_It I11Hl illnc,,",'d upon the east coast bctwc('n thc carl)' part and the 
lalll'r pHrt ('tlllsi,IITnhl) ; it had been driycn more from the w.'st to the eru;t. 
1,[,,'" \\, n )011 j om"df upon till' ca,t coa~t I-I waH tlt"r,> three y~ars. 
41.> I. ",T" nu upon hoth ('oasts in th" ~ame cruise )-Yes. . 
44.'.' \\ hHI ""' till' (oun.e of your crui'e '-T arriwd a~ all the yesscls do 
\11'011 1111' \H-[ "0' ,t, nnll ('rui'l'd th,l'c a 'hort time. Then 1 was ~('nt round 
1(1 IIH' ,·"sl <'0",1, nnd tlll'f(' I n'lllailll'd tltrc(, yean.; and from there was sent 
b.ll'!I..'  to th.· Wl'st ,'0"'1. '\'llt'll ,ou eanllnt .p<'rk hom pl'l'sonal e.·p('ri('nl'l' of the conditioll or 
IIt( la ,. tr .t. upon the" ,'st ('0",,1 or ,Utica, during your last cruise, to an)' 
" Il'lit 'It to a(1) ,rl"lt \''\ trnt 
t.) )1, 44'~. H'IW 
25 2 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN DEFORE THE 
CflPl. 
C. 1. 4454· How long were you upon the west coast before you went to the east? lima/IIJ'/ct, -Three or four months; I ran down the whole coast. 
Il N. 
445.5· You cannot speak to any great extent, from your own experience, on 
7 Jun. 1 ~'f2. the west coast ;-No; hut from the number of vessels that I ~aw and that 
I captured myself, it must have increased enormously. ' 
44:;6. nut you imagine it has been driven f!'Om the W('st coaHt to the east; 
upon what circumstances do you ground that opinion?-Then, ar(' a great 
JUany vessels sent to supprl'ss it upon the west coast, and none upon the CB.'lt. 
4457· Did you find it progressively increase upon the cast coast;-Yes. 
445 8. Within what latitude did you cruise upon the east coast;-From 
Cape Delgado to Delagoa nay; from latitude 10 to lati tude 23. 
4459· Are you able to form any opinion as to the extent to which it is carl'ied 
on upon the east coast ?-At the time I left there were about 15,000 a year 
exported across the Atlantic, and a still greater portion to the northward, to 
Arabia. 
44(;0. Mr. Pm·ster.] Any to the Mauritius I-Not one. 
44 61 . ChaiJ'1I!(m·l Entirl'ly from the Portuguese settlements i-Entirely from 
the Portuguese settlements. 
4462. Mr. li01·.,ter.] Did you find mueh commercial intereourse carried on 
with that part of the eastern coast where the slave trade was carried on I-Very 
great. 
4463. ChairmG1l.] At what points ?-All along the Portuguese possessions, 
from the line to 23' south . 
4464. l s there much English trade with the Portuguese settlements ,-There 
was a goocl deal at one time, but it has been given up to a considerable extent, 
fl'om the Portuguese having put on an extra duty of 30 per cent., in addition to 
the five per cent. of the treat),. 
4465· Mr. A/dam .] Was the export of slaves with the sanction of the Por-
tuguese authorities ?-Quite, and they sail under the palace windows. 
44U6. Is it permitted by the laws of Portugal I-No. 
44(i7. Mr. P01·.,ter.] From what you saw upon the We tern Coast of Amell., 
is it your opinion that British commerce there has a favourable tendency to 
improve the countr), ?-Ver), much. 
44ti~. And the more that eOllllllercial intercourse is extended, the sooner 
will the slave trade be suppressed, ill your opinion ,-I should think so, 
certain ly. 
44(j9· Mr. Aldam.] What is the merchandise sent in exchange for laves to 
the l'ortuguese colonies from Arabia I-- From Arabia they send India handker-
chiefs, and a great deal of India goods that h,we come out from England to 
Bombay; lllallY of theJU come stmight from Bomba)', and a quantity of muskets 
from America, and gunpowd('r. 
4470. Chairman.] Have the Americans much trade with that coast?-They 
have more trade than the English. 
4471. Axe they liable to the same dutirs as the Engli h I-The same duties, 
but the duty of 30 per cent. was an illegal duty; it was from the want of a 
consul. 
4472. Has it been removed since 1-1 believe not; they ha,'e represented it. 
4473. Mr. A/dam.] Are the slaves brought from the interior ?-li'rom a great 
distance in the interior. 
4474. Did you ~~sit any of the Spanish or Portuguese factories upon the 
Western Coast of frica 1- one of the Portuguese or Spanitih. 
4475. You did not "isit Whydah ?-No. 
447li. Nor the GRllinas?-The Gallinus I (lid. 
44 77. At what prriod WIlS that? -The end of 1835. 
4478. Mr. W. PuIfCII.] Al'e you able to form an opinion of the st.ate o.f the 
slave trade {!;enerally, upon the whole COMt of Africa, at the ?me you !"ft It, as 
cOlllpared with its state at the time of the tirst ,risit you made ,-It has Il1cn'Med 
to an enormous extent. 
4479. Taking both coasts together i-Yes. . 
4480. Mr. Forster.] When did you lcave tho west coa't last ?-The last tunt' 
I kft it was iu 1839; 1 caUle to the wc'st Ollst froUl the t'!\st. 
4481. Were you then cruising upon the west coru>t ?-Not cruising, I IUl'rely 
touched at some of the port~. 
4482. Hnd you any mCIlII~ of forming an opinion of the state ofthe ,lnvc 
trade 
SELECT CO}D llTIEE O;X WEST COAST OF AFRICA 253 
trade upon that coast at that time ?-Onll' from accounts I received of the Cap" 
captures, and from accounts from mr brother officers . C. J. BfJbonquel , 
R.N. 
~4~·2·. Mr. W. Patten.] What is' the courst' the ·laver .generally take from 
til<" East Coast of Africa to the West Indies :-Round the Cape of Good Hope. 
44 83. Ilm'c they any particular ml'ans of evading our cruiser' there ?-If 
you fall ill with them off the Cape of Cood Hope, you have no means of form-
ing an opinion whether they are slavers or not, among't so great a number of 
vessels. 
44 H4 Mr. Forster.] " 11at did you do ,,;th regard to the crews of the cap-
tured slav(' wssels ?-They were alway' landed at the neare t port. 
44"5. Was that the system also upon the east coast ?-Captures are never 
macl(, upon tlt~ east coast; it was contrary to the treaty to capture them within 
the I ,o,"c"ions of Portugal, or even to the south of the line, 
44i>li. :\lr. W. Patteu.] You could not capture them south of the line ?-Not 
at that time; that Act of Pariiament has come into operation since. 
448,. Mr. Aldam.J Did you take the crew of the slavers to the neare t 
European settlement, or put them ashore anywhere ?-Put them ashore any-
wherc. 
4488 . Mr Forster.] Have you any opinion to offer to the Committee upon 
t11e .ubjcct of that systt'm i-I think it is a most barbarous system; but it is 
difficult to say how it could be prevented without detriment to the suppression 
of the slave trade. 
44~'9, :\Ir. Aldant.] vVhen you put the crews of the slaver on shore, on some 
<I<:ot rt part of tilt' shore, what became of them I-They found their way to 
SI("IT 1 L"Olll'. or across the Atlantic, as the) best could; many of them died. 
J rI'1ll(·1II1)('r Olll· instance where they were put on shore, and nine of them 
att('lllptcd to p ·capc in three small canoes; two of the canoes were never heard 
of; 011" wa> pickPd up by us after they had been l-1 days at sea; one of tbem 
had died, and almost in a flying state they were landed at Fernando Po. 
44~)o. The crew of what slaver wa' that;-The Marineto, taken in 183 1. 
~9 1 . lIow many slavers did you capture upon the east coast /-1 captured 
t\IO, but neither of them were condemned. 
IYtlliam IIamilton, E q. ealled in; and Examined. 
4-192. Chairmall.] YOU have been in the navy;-Yes. TV. Hamillo", Esq. 
44l)2". You went out to Siena Leone )-Yes. 
44;13. At what period?- In August 18:33 I went first to Gambia, where 
I n·'llained a month; I then went on to Sierra Leone, where I arrived ill Srp-
I mlll'r Ht3:3, and resided there till February 18:37. 
I II) I. Did you receive any official employment during that time ?-I was 
np»ointed first us·istant colonial ~urveyor, in which I officiated about six 
HiI.nths; and afterwards I was transfcned to the Liberated '\'frican Depart-
n.l"nt. in "hich situation I continued till my departure in 18:37. 
4 Ill.i. 't ou haH' suhsequ~ntly had 'ome conne,'ion with the experiment of 
,·n1igrntion from ,\'frica to Trinidad I-I have. 
41<11. , ·Will you state th" circumstances as they arose '-I was asked my 
ol'll1iull upon the practicability of carrying out emigration from the coast of 
IrH~1 In till' "",t Indies, hy some gentlemen rr iding in London, connected 
\lith Ih, I lund of Trinidad, and I expretised an opinion that it might be done 
, itb ".f) "\'(·at ndYantage to the settlement on the coast of \'frica; the result 
of 1,)1I·h \\,1', I WI nt out and 'ucceeded in remoying 182 emigrants to the 
I I, (HI of I rinida,\. 
1.~li I" II hat "ay' did yOU procced in inducing them to go ;-1 was autho-
riz,·'\ 10 "fTf. a cl'rlain ratIo of \'nges by the proprietors in the country, which 
rntr' \\., ai,,, c. utirm ... 1 hy a ktter" hich I had in my possession from the 
t.,,, !"rllnr .,1 'I rillid .. d, authorizing me to offer that rate. 
a I(} , ror a l'l"l"tninlwrivd;-l "as authorize,\ by gcntitmen in London to 
,t (, r !L,to all ugH·,·ment , ith the luhourer, for a ct'rtain period, if they wished 
to do 0; hut 11 \\(1' l'ontmn to lhe I bh of the COYernnwnt to so do. 
14"", "l'n II" labourl"r< upon beil,g hrought to Trinidad, to b~ engaged 
In PUI\,cular illlliYiuu,il" or to be at liberty tv \lork \\hen> they pleR-,cd i-
'I \r.) , tIc at puf'd lihnty to go wLne tiwy plea.,,'d. 
--I )' (l \ hut "tl"l" did ) ou take upon arrh ing at ~ iena Leone to collect 
h. Ii. J emigrants 
254 MINUTES OF EVJI)RNCE TAKEN BEPOltE Tflg 
'1'. /lfl",il/(JII, It.~q. 
e'mi/1;I'IIIIIM) - I i~H\H'ci f~ prodnllllLliotl pre'pflre't! in thiK IJ()untry, foulI ,I",1 upon 
11 lolkl' /1'0111 Sir 11('III'y M'L,'od, (love'fllOI' of Triuiellvl, to Lorci .J"IIn ltu ~l!('l1 
"C'!fll/dlltill/!; Lord .101111 HUHMI'II with IIU' rille of lVaKc'. C~UI'rc'lIt in tIl<: colour: 
I "ll'c'I'c'<I Ih,,1 I'lllc', with C'(' I'tllill IIllowfUH'(,H "pon Ihc'ir nrrivul tlH'rl', 
4:' oc , Jl uvillK i~HII"c1 Il,iH] ,,'c)(' llI tllfltiol1, did ItHllly I1H,iClIlhl" tC) olf,r th;lrI-
Hc'II' C'H'! I IlIId fli It'flst r,()(J 1)['OJ>It' olf"j'('<l 10 ~o, 
. t.r,o~, Of' dill'(,I'(',,1 HC'X " ~ I- Of' clift'(')'!'lll, KC'XCK , 
4 ~1I:j, Alld .1'01 ' HC' itod e·d Hueh 'IM YO Il thought most likely to he A('rl'iec'flhle ? 
- 'I h, ' IIIUHI h" "ILhy-loold nfl; }H'opl", nl,d til(' 1rI0Ht nb lc'-bociiccilooking ])('rKOnH, 
t.llllt I IUH'W 10 1)(' uf WlOd (;hul'IlctBr mYHclf, Imving known many of tbem by 
lily 101'1IU'I' I'c'H i<l c' lI <:l' I,hc' p(,. . 
~!io'I' W"I'( \ til ,,), libc','nlor! AfriellJl H, all of thmn, or were IIny of I,hem Kroo-
111 (\)\ i Ol dy I (J KI'OO IlIC')\ , 
' I ",o!i, Di;1 nil)' oC Ih,,1Y\ t.tl((l thl'ir wivc\H wi th them I-Of the Kro()men, about 
COlli' of Ih"111 IJI'o f" ~H('( 1 10 1)(' JlIIll'l'ied 10 lil)ol'l\t<:u Africnllij at Sierra Leone, but 
I do lIol Il dlll, it w,,~ rL \'( '1\ 1 Irllll'l'ing", 
'l 'JII(i, Whnt. "',,' lit" dim'I'C'III'C' ill tile nlllnhl'r of the differcnt sexes I-They 
W"I '" 1\( 'II I'ly "'1'",1 ; 111('1'0 WII~ II di/f"l'I'lIc(: of foul' Ol dy, 
1',117, Wltlll \I "t'" Ih l' '\'IIIJ:"~ you "Ir,'n'd to (IH'IJI? - Til!' wngc'~ I otr.'rc(1 at 
Si"I' I'1I 1,"0 11 1' \\('1'1' hili I' 1\ dollll\' I( 11,,1e, with a c(,l'lldn quantity of fish UII( I rlllU 
I'llI' (,'lI' l, u"l<. Oil II' ), IIl'I'iVIII ill 'P"in;d!ul, I fOlln,1 tlmt thl' \VaK"~ (Ind nllow-
IIt H"'M \1"'1'(\ ('III' !-;l'('n« '1' 1,111111 l.itO"" [ IlIlIl oll'cl'(;,1 tllo people; they W('I'(' them. 
H<'IV", 1I1I111;<:,'dllt tllt\ ""Pl'I'iOl' 1I,lv,,"tlLg('" they 11'(\)'0 to njoy in Trinidnd, 
'1.r,IIH, Did Ih,'), 111'1';", ill jll'l'i'('d Ill'nlth n.t Trillidad '/-In PCl'fl'ct health; 
ill 111111']' hi'll\'\' 1"'11111, Ihllil ,,1"'11 Ihl'y !vi't Si"I't'll Lf'ol1l', 
,I;,lll), III "'hnl 11'11)' 11'('1'1' tlH'Y diHU';iJult'd upon tll<'il' ol'l'i"l\l l-l went un d 
1'( '1)( 11'",<1 Ih""1 10 II", f.;OV(' I'1I0 I', Sil' 11"111')' M'Le(HI; und the gOI'c'l'llor told me 
tI ,,') \\'('\',' lit 1)('I'f""t libl' I't)' tl) Il;O wlll'ro tlll'y like(l, to Ill'll(\! !Lily 1lg'I'l'elllent 
th (,y lil«'d, Hlld to \Vork ful' lilly P('I'~OIl in any l)ll\'t of the eolony tht'y thought 
P"OP"I', 
'I'> I 0, M I' , /«))'sl,'/,,) I lml you flny oppol't.llnity of oosl'l'ving tlwir conduct 
8l1hsl'lJlII'"lly 10 11"'il' IwillK l;llldl'd i-I hll,l, fol' I I'isitcd l1l'ul'ly all of thrill, 
,I;' I I, Ilo\\' IOIlf.; did .Iou 1'\'lIll1ill t 1"'1'0 "ft,'I' they lunded 1-'l'lVrnty-onc dnys, 
I;' 1'2, I)id Ihllt ulrol'll you sullicil' llt oppol'tullity to judge of the result of the 
()xjll'l'ill"'lIt I t'l'l'luillly, 
I ,r, I :), J [,"'(' I h('y hll'('d th,'l\lsl'l\,"K gPIIl'l'lIlIy I-E,'el'y mUll, wom.lIl, and 
child \l'UM ('1IP;UK,'d 1)1'1'01'1' I lvl'l IhC' ('01011)" 
,1.1 I I, ('/,"i/'III"II,I llud )'"1 (,lIt,'rc'(1 into flny l'ngng:cmrnt to bring 80\nr, of 
tho"" I"'I',;O\\>; buck 10 Ki('I'I'" LI'OIll', to !'I'port Ilpon Lhe statc of Triniund?-
I h/l<l , 
l.'i 1.1, \\" '1'" YOII /lhlt' to ('(lIl\p ly witll Ihot ,'ngng('lIlrnt I-lt hnd not been 
rOlllp livt\ wilh; hilt I IlIlI" , in(',' h"111'11 th'll tho OIOO Plltl'1I hl\~ b" PIl sent dil'l'ct 
frolll Tl'illidlld to Kil'I'I'H L(,OI"', witlt Ikll'g. . I"" to I'l'port l\llw t l)(')' W,'I'" trl'ated, 
' I~,I ti, !lid.\ Oil ('lId"," 0111' 10 tll l,l' I"wk (111)' dd" KII[t's ? 1 t' lulea,'oul'l"! to 
filld 1)('1'''111" 10 tlll\\' 1"",1, wilh IIH', hilt I could 1I0t {1;I't six to go, \lnh',s [ (I"I'l'cd 
1011ll) 11" '11\ Ihdl' \l'II,!!;I" dlll'illK 11\11 till\(' till'), Wl'l'l' 'l\)sl'nllhllll Tl'inid,ul. 
,1..1;, \11<1 tl"'I'" \\,'1',' 110 IlIn'til's willillg to pny thllt I-ll'l'comnwmku thnt 
it "hollid not hI' pllid, 
\ ,,1 S, llid.l Oil lilld IIH' i\IL'o\\\'(,llil'nrl' IIft"l'w,U'(ls uf not haYing (Il'kglltrs to 
!'I'}I(lI'1 I <lid: tIll' Il\'Op'" tll,,'d m,' with 1I0t having kl'pt my faith with thl'IU, 
wl"'11 I ""Ill hnl'k th,' ""(\(llld titlll', 
\!' 1<), \ (Ill 1'(·t lll'Il,'d 10 Kit'lTH Lt'tm,' 1\ ~1'('OI\(l limt' I lllid, 
1.1~\l, YOIl '\('Ilt to I\\nl,,' til" ~lIlll,' oll'('\, you ,Ihl lll'fo\'c?- y,"; ,lIl(1 Ithink 
Ihllt , ),lId th" d,' I('K'\ I ,'~ bl'l'n then'. 1 shollltl hlll't' sncc,'('(lL'c1 in filling till' ship 
I Wl'lit (lui ill II ilh "11Iigl'llllls, 
I .'I'~ I , \ s it WIIH, YOll ''''\'t' \ll\lIbJt. 1,(1 11\'0('11\'" t\n)' ?-As it WUll, I WIIS Imn!,ll', 
I ',''' l, Will YUII Htnl l' th,' ('il'{'\\l\lstl\ll("'S whioh hnpl'l'lIl'll njllm, ),O(ll' 11\'1'\\,,1 
11t"1'('1 I ltllllll'<I ill II", ('O I'lIIY, lUuln,I,,'(\ s"\'l\I'I\ IIH'\,~'H1~ 1 IIlI't If th,') '\l)IlI,tl 
gil til Tl'illitltul with IIII', IIlld IIII')' ill\lI\\',lilll('I) nskt,tJ ))l(' wl\\'I'" \\,'1',' th"1\' 
I'd"lId" thllt I hlld Ill'oll\i,;,,(l 10 bl'i ll~ hll('\( "itll II\l\ to l't'POl' t how th,,} w,,\, , 
tl'('IIIl'd ill Tl'illi.J1II1. 
' II ~:I, I III\(' )1111 n'II~(l1l (0 bl'lh', ". tim\. II ny otl"'\' obstn{']~' ,'~is"'(I, b",i(h's 
tlIlLI, I" lit" "lI\i~l'IIlitnl "Iltltinnill)li? 1 hll\'cnotn doubt that It "lUll<' OPPlh",j 
h' 1','I',,'Uij rt'sitiill n in tit" ooLou)', 
o~ I, [ll11 
SELECT COMMITTEE O~ WEST COAST OF AFR ICA . 2'j 
4.>24· Did you find that to be the case, practically, while you were there:- W. Hamillon, Esq. 
I cannot sa)' that I had any practical proof of it. 
4 .,2,). What reason had you to think that it was opposed, or would be 7 June 18+ •. 
Oppo ed i-From the fact that wages were rising in the colony; they had risen 
from .j d. to 6 d. a day. 
4,)2(i. Has emigration e,,-er been ob tructed by partie in the colom' i-It was 
circulated, on my fint visit to Siena Leone, that the people would be made 
slares in the \Yest Indie , and maltreateu, and that they were going to a 
!lcathrn. country, where they would haye no means of religiou or moral 
mstructlOn. 
-+527. Did you find that opinion prevalent on your return '-I did. 
4528. "as it :tated to you as an ohjection to further emigration ?-Ye . 
4~·2t). You had the charge of the Liberated African Drpartment at ierra 
Leone '-T m" the chief clerk in it. 
4 .• 30. ;\Jr. 'f'. Patten.] Were you acquainted with some attempts at emigra-
tion into some of the other W cst India colonies ?-Yes, they were being carried 
on at the sa.me time. 
4531. Are you aware that it failed in those instances?-Yes, I think in 
Jamaica and Demerara; neither of till m ;ucceedcd . 
.. ';3 2. Do you know the cause of that failure ?-Some reports that they would 
be maltreated in the \\' est Imlies, and be made slaves. 
453:1. HllYC the parties who have hired those emigrants in Trinidad, kept 
to thp tl'nns that you originally pl'Omi ed, as to the rate of wages ?-1 can-
llot allS'''T for that. 
4>3 I· Do you know whether the emigrants (hat went oYer from the coast of 
AfriclI to the " ·est Indies have recei,,-ed the rate of wages which tbey were led 
to <,'-prct the) would receiYe when they emharked ?-1 am quite sure they have 
lit 'I'riniclad, and more; as to other colonies I cannot answer. 
-+53.1. Mr. B!,(III.I'.J Do you know what wages ,,,ere offered to those who 
cllli!)rated to the' other colonies '-No. 
4.'i3h. I\lr. jior,·tfr.J Would not the terms bE' somewhat similar to those 
off('red hy )'oul-I think the circumstances were these; that the agent for 
J amaica did not publish any rate of ,,,ages, and the agent for Demerara made 
a proclamation after I left the colony. 
4.13;. 1\11'. Jr. Path·/I.J Can you state ,,,hether there was a distinct promise 
of u certain rate of wages held out to the emigrants ?-They is ued a procla-
mation, distinctly promising half a dollar a task, and a certain proportion of 
fish and rum. 
4.538. "as the same promise made for the other two colonies ?-1 think not; 
Than' a1rrady stated that the agent for DemC'rara issued a proclamation after 
I Idt the colony; that for Jamaic't was issued a few days before 1 left, hut I 
do not remember that it stated any ratl' of wages. 
453<]. Chairman.] lou) ourself, in your proclamation, offered not only a rate 
of wail'S, but a c(,rtain rat~ of allowances; '"cre not those parties subjcctrd to 
to n ~urtailnl('nt of tho~e a1IO\\'ances when they arrived in Trinidad i-I ha1'e 
lll'llrd that that has tal,en place in the b:;t six n;onths. 
4,i40. In .\lIgust 1811, the Go,,-crnor say:;, " Circumstances hUl'e since arisen 
tlwt han' caused a considerable ultt'ration in the terms aboyc mentioned, and 
tho c' 110\\ otIcrl'd arc honse and prol'ision grounds, with from 1 s. Sd. to 2.1. 1 d. 
'l<'l'lin" 1"11' l':wh task; the aIlowance~ of salt fish, flour, spirits, &c. hal;ng been 
di,,'ontiUlll'd;" so that the allowances that ,\'en~ hdd out hal'e sinee been 
t1i. continlll d '--1'11<'1 hal'c. 
. 1./ II ;\11' Ild(/1II 'J 'Yas any equiyah-nt giwn for the allo"'ances :-c'a t that 
I haH' h, ;lrd of. 
I ... :.! \, count F.brill.'1toll.] Do you suppos(' that tlwt eli-continuance of the 
all,man<"'s \las in ('onsl'quc'nct' of the rat(' of wagl's b"ing g:I"l'att'r thrlU rou had 
pnlllli~lll ?-\\ 11<'11 T stated that thc)' rC('('i\l'd more thlln I had promised, T 
n",unt thnt they had a houst', nwdicinl's, llwdical ath-ndancc', and other 
nl1ow,uHT'" lHlt nH.~ntiln,('(l in 111} proclanwtion. 
1 I J ('II Irm II.J 'Iou haH' no l'eas,lU to heli< lP that that lariation III the 
allm ane(' \Ins any cause of your failure to ~l't a ,,'('ond supply of emigrants) 
lit at all. 
4'i I f The Wagl" IDcntionl'd in Gon'rnor ;\I'Leod's d("patch nrc fr01h 1 s. ~d. 
to :.! s. 1 d. sterling for ('ach ta,I,; do) ou know in "hat 11l'riod that task C1 1 he 
<'.3.; " K 4 { ecutcd 
256 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE TI-IE 
w. Hamilton, Esq. executed 1-1 know that during the short residence 1 made in the colony 
have met persons repeatedly going home from having performed one task, at 
)) and half past 1 1 in the forenoon. 
4545. Are you aware that they often do two tasks in a dav i-Yes. 
4~46. Mr. Forstm·.] Have you any report f~'om Tri~ idad how those people 
contlllued to conduct themselves 1-1 feel an mterest.m making every inquiry 
about them, and 1 am happy to say that I have recelVed the most Hattering 
account of the men themselves. 
4547· Chairman.] Of them, or from them ?-Not from them, because they 
cannot write, but of them. The parties wbo have engaged them are extremely 
pleased with them, and would be very anxious to have another supply of per-
sons under the same circumstances. 
4.543. Mr. Fo,·ster.] Have they shown a willingness to work ?- Every dis-
position to work; and they have behaved remarkably well in every sense of 
the word. 
4549. Mr. Aldam.] What wages would an ablebodied labourer earn, by 
reasonable diligence ?-He could perform two tasks in a day. 
4550. Mr. Evans.] Could he perfort;n that every day i-I think so. 
45.5 1. Mr. Aldam.] And he would receive 1 s. Sd. for each task ·!-Yes. 
45.52. Mr. Evans.] Was any contract made with the emigrants that they 
should be allowed to return at any given time ?-No. 
4553. Mr. Aldam. J Is living much dearer in Trinidad than at Sierra Leone? 
- Certainly; the rate of wages in Sierra Leone is 4d. a day, and it is extremely 
difficult to get work at that rate of wages. 
4554. Chairman.] Woat work would the liberated Africans be gencrally 
employed in at Sierra Leone ;-They beg and entreat lor any employment you 
can give them. 
455 5. Is there much agricultural employment ?-It is not worthy the name 
of a.,o-riculture; it is merE,ly raising yams, plantains, cocoa and cassada, for their 
own consumption. 
4556. Do they raise nothing for the shipping ?-Some do. 
4')57. Mr. W. Patten.] What supply of emigrants do you think might be 
got from Sierra Leone, jf the system were adopted upon a large scale; -I have 
always thought that 10,000 might be removed with facility. 
4.'i 5R . E" ery yea.r?-No, altogether; I think 20,000 might be removed with 
great advantage to the colony itself. 
45.59. Chairman.] You think they are an incumbrance to the colony) - Not 
a doubt of it; I was assistant surveyor six months, and I had 200 or 300 men 
applying for employment every morning at the office, at 4 d. a day, and I had 
nothing for t\-,em. 
4560. Mr. W. Patten.] Do you think there could be any alteration in the 
system of government, which might put them in a better condition on their 
own coast than they would he in in the West Indies:- 0, I think not. 
4561. Chairmal/.J 'What is the nature of the soil in the neighbourhood of 
Sierra LeonE' ?-As bad as it can be; a very rocky soil. 
4502. Is the climate healthy to the negro constitution ?-No; it is rather 
a strange opinion to advance, bnt I thiuk they suffer more from the climate 
than Europeans, and I account for it in this manner, that they have not the 
means of obtaining the little comforts that we have, and they will not so readily 
have recourse to m edical attendance. 
451i3 . Is the maintenance of the liberated Africans a heavy burthen upon 
the colony?-It is. 
4.564. Do you lmowat all what the annual expenditure is for them ?-T~e 
annual expenditure when I was there was from 9,0001. to 10,0001. a rear. 
4565. For the maintenance of the liberated Africans for a certain period after 
their emancipation ?-They are maintained at the expense of the Government 
for six month after their emancipation; three months in Freetown, and three 
months ill the mountains. 
4.566. Is anything given to them for their outfit )-They receive a suit of 
clothes, jf the state of the stores will admit of it. 
4S6i. Mr. Evans.] Do you me.an to say that 10,0001. a year is th(' average 
expense of their maintenance alone ?-That alone. , .. 
456 8. Chairman. ] Are they supplied with the means of bwld111!i; a house, or 
tools for cultivation i-Man v go into the bush and cut stid{s, and budd hilts 
. w~h 
SELECT COMMITTEE O~ WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 25i 
with them, and pla tel' the ides "ith mud, and roof it over with imilar stick, TV. HuttlilfonJ E,,'1. 
nnd cover it with gras -. 
4569. Mr. Forster.] That i very little improvement upon the mode of living 
on the most barbarous parts of the coast ?-No, that is the fact. 
4570. Chairman.] Have you visited other part of the coast of Africa?-
No. 
457 1. JIave you gone inland from Sierra Leone to other parts of the 
country?-iUerely about sixty or eventy mile up the Rokelle River. 
4.572. Did you see nny perceptible difference between the condition of the 
natil'(, Africans that you saw there and that of the liberated African at Sierra 
Leone ?-1 should say that the Africans out ide of Sierra Leone are in a better 
condition than tho e ,vithin it. 
457;j. Mr. Forster.] Are you of opinion that on your return to Sierra Leone 
you "ould have obtained a further supply of emigrants, had it not be(>n for the 
difficultips which you ay were thrown in your way in obtaining them ?-1 do 
think so. 
457-1- Mr. Aldllm.J Is the mortality among the negroes at Sierra Leone 
greater than at Trinidad ?-Infinitely. 
4575. Among t those who are accu tomed to the climate, who have resided 
some years ?-1 have not the means of ascertmning that. 
457(i. Chairman.] Wben you speak of the mortality among the liberated 
Africans, you 'peak of those Il wly landed from the slave hip I-Yes. I have 
an (>xtract from some notes of mine, from which it appears that from the I t of 
Janunr) to thp 3 1st of December 1835, there were 4,4 17 peopl landed, and 
that "ithiu the first three months 1,154 of tbo e had died; that is more than a 
fourth of them: aU tho e were passed under my hand. 
45ii. To "hat causc do you attribute this amount of mortality ?-In that 
) rar it was excessive; and I a ttribute it to the weakly and unhealthy state in 
"hiclt the pcople were landed, and the extreme want of accommodation for 
such an immense number of persons, for we never had had so large an importa-
ti on be fore . 
4578. If the ,essels had been carried off across the Atlantic to any of the 
We t Inclia colonic, ,,"ould the people, in your opinion, have arrived in the 
tiallle condition ?-I think not, beeau e, after once falling into the hands of a 
British officer, he would be bound to take care of them and see them better 
fcd; and the run across in the trade winds would have improved their health. 
4579. What length of time would they have been in going from the point of 
capture to Trinidad or Guiana ?-That depends upon the circumstances of the 
ratic, but I hould think it would never be upon the average more than 15 days 
frolll the parts where they are generally taken, if they ran across immediately. 
4580. Do you mean from the Bight of Benin :-No, it would take longer 
than tlmt from the Bight of Benin. 
458 I . From the Gallina I-The chances arc, that they would take those yes-
sC'ls ~omc" here out at sea. If you capture them immediately upon the mouths 
of the riyt'l's, it ,,,ould be a long pastiage across, but still I think it would be 
shortt'\' than coming up to iel'ra Leone. 
4.')82. ~lr. , [[dlllll.] Do you know the comparative mortality of thc negroes 
land('(1 in Cuba, and of the negroes landed at Sierra Leone I-I have n(;wr 
1\\':\1'11 it 
1.>83. II'. l'o'·.I'tt'r.] lIayin~ had the opportunity of making a comparion, is 
it ,om opinion that the moral conclition of the liberated Africans would be 
imi'l'oH'(I11) t111'ir transt"r to the \\ est Inclies ?-I ha\'e not'a doubt upon the 
,u)'jel't. 
'+:l~ I. ;\Ir. If" p( tt('II.J Were the chief part of the emigrants you took to the 
'\\ \',t lo(lil', ab\t> to eOlllmUUlcate with you personally in English ?-They all 
~poJ..p En"li. h. 
45~,i. Do ) ou think the majority of the negroe~ who would 1'0 oyer, under 
th<, ~1',t<'1H 1'OU reeotnllleml, "ould be able to speak Englitih ?-i e . 
458li. Do) ou tbink tbe po"er of 'peaking English b 0 general among the 
libuated \frican' as to lead to that eonc\u,ion ;-\ e -; they nearly all speak 
it, (''\('l'lll a fl'\\ in thl retired part of the mountains. 
4.)~~' \\11al are thl' means taken, "hen they firt come on -hore, to teach 
thelll En",lish ?- lile} are thrown in among t the people in the colon)" and 
tak" lheir chance. 
0·35· LL 4558. There 
258 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
4588. There is no instruction given them I-No. 
4589. Are there schools 1- There are for the children. 
4.590. Mr . Aldall~.1 Is English the general language spoken by them ' at 
Sierra Leone ?- Yes. 
459 1. Chah·man. ] What is the class which principally volunteered to emigrate; 
were they persons that had been long in the colony, or persons that had recently 
arrived ?-Those that had been long in the colony. 
4592. Wm'e they the best workmen, or those that were most in want of 
work I-I do not think they were the persons most in want of work ; I think 
they were very decent and tolerably informed people. 
4593. Rather of the better sort?- Yes ; when I was in Trinidad I visited all 
the emigrants upon the different estates, and I called several men aside pri-
vately, and told them to tell me their opinion candic\ly and honestly, whether 
it was desirable that I should go to Sierra Leone and send some more of their 
people across ; that the Governor wished me to go across to send other emi-
grants, but that I would act entirely by their opinion ; that if they thought 
conscientiously that it was desirable for me to go, I would go ; and if they gave 
their opinion against it, I told them that I would decline going; and they 
wished me to go. . 
4594. You say you could not find six delegates to take back with you ?- Not 
unless I paid them the wages they were receiving in Trinidad. 
4595. Viscount Courtenay .] You said that the negroes made contracts on 
arriving at Trinidad with the individual by whom they were employed; were 
those contracts written contracts ?- They wished to have written agreements, 
but I only know two cases in which the agreements were written. It is usual 
in Sierra Leone; they say, " Give me a book," that is, "Give me a written paper, 
stating what you are generally going to do." They wished to have a guarantee 
under Sir Henry M'Leod's handwriting, that they would be sure to receive the 
rate of wages that they were going to work for, but that the Governor declined 
to give. 
4596. Chairman.] When did you land them in Trinidad?-I landed them on 
the 9th of May 1841. 
459i. Viscount Cow·tenay.] Was tlle agreement into which the labourers 
entered on landing at Trinidad for a fixed time I- No; Governor MCLeod gave 
them distinctly to understand that they might enter into agreements only for a 
day, if they thought proper. 
4598. Were the agreements entered into by them as individuals, or ~ 
a number of tllem together 1-They generally went six or eight, or u«zen 
together. 
4599 . Did they seem competent to understand the agreement they were 
entering into ?- Yes, particularly the Kroomen . 
4600. There wm'e only 16 of them ?-Yes; I might have had 100 Kroomen, 
but I knew I could not get women \vith them, and therefore I would not take 
them. 
46ul. Have those Kroomen continued to employ themselves in ~"Ticultural 
labour, or have they betaken themselves to ship-work I-I ha, e heard that they 
all came back to work upon the whru-fs at Port of Spain ; but they would work 
anywhere where they are well paid; for in tance, in Sierra Leone, if I hap-
pened to take a fancy to a piece of ground, and wished to make a farm of it, 
if I wished to have it stu\ll'ped up, I would prefer Kroomen, because it is hard 
work, and they work best and quickc t. 
4602. Mr. W. Patten.] Do you thi.nk it would be pos~ible to impre s upon 
the minds of the African, if they went direct to the West Indies immediately after 
thei.r capture, without o-oino' to Sicrra Leone, thttt they would be free agents to 
undertake cont.racts fo~ wo~k ?-They do not speak English. 
4603. Are not their habits of life all slavisll ;-Yes. 
46u4. Do you think they could be made to comprellend the state of life in 
which they would be placed in the West Inclies I-I should think so; they per-
fectly under. tand, when they come to Sierra Leone, that they are to llla~e 
agreements there for their labour, and I should think they would understand It 
equally in the West lndil's. 
4(io,5. Do they look upon their arrival at Sierra Leonc witl! pleasure, or do 
they wish to escape 1- 1 have never seen them under those circuIDstanc('s. 
4606. Are 
SELECT COMMITIEE O)l" WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 259 
4606. Are the general population of Sierra Leone content with their circum· w. Hamillon, Esq. 
stances I- I think they are anxious to go anywhere to better themselye . 
.4 6o i. If there were a general system of emigration adopted, do you think it 7 June 1842• 
~ght be accomplished from within the colony of Sierra Leone I-I think that 
if wages were to ri e in Sierra Leone, per ons would come from up the country 
to fill the places of those who went. 
460 8. Is the back ettlcment of Sierra Leone known to be a ,ery populous 
country 1-1 am gi,en to understand that it is . 
46°9. In what general state are the people I-I ha,e merely Yisited place 
immediately contiguous, at interyals, in the colony; I was much pleased with 
the appearance of the people there; they are a fine healthy strong et of 
people. 
4610. Ha"e not they a great attachment to their native country ?-1 do not 
know that. 
4611. ]\fr. Evans .] Are not they all slaves, if you go far back there?-There 
is some distinction to be drawn in the word" la,e;" it is not the kind of 
slm-e that we used to make of them in the West Indies. 
4612. Are there any body of pel pie there who could come without the 
consent of their chiefs or masters into the country, except by runuing awaY'-
A great many do come in at present, both from Ti=anee and the Sherboro 
country . 
4613. Are they considered runaway slaves ?-Not at all. 
461-l. ~Ir. Forstel· .J Is the condition of the country and of the natiyes in the 
interior, behind Sierra Leone, well known at Sierra Leone r-IYe know very 
"ell the condition of the people in the Ti=anee and Sherboro countries. 
~C> I 5. To what distance ;-Probably the black men, who were trader, mar 
haY(' been tradino two or three hundred mile 'in all directions from the colony. 
4616, How far doe the colony of Sierra Leone exercise influence over the 
natives in the interior i-I do not think it exercises any beyond the limits of 
the colony itself. 
4617. How long were you in the Liberated African department there?-
About three years and four months. 
461 8. Is it your opinion that proper mea ures have been taken to promote 
industry among tile liberated Africans there 1-1 do not see that we can do 
anything in that way at all. 
4619, Could not omething have been done by providing qualified per ons 
to instruct them in cultivation, and by supplying them with seeds and other 
appliances necessary for that purpose ?-It is of no use having produce if you 
hayc not a market for it. What is to be produced in so barren a soil? There is 
abundance of arrow· root and cassada, starch and ginger, produced; the two 
former articles, I think, yery seldom pay. 
46::m. You think the soil in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone is not 
adapted to the cultimtion of colonial produce generally I-I think not. 
4621. Chl1irtlUII/,l Do you think it "ould be desirable to extend the settle-
ment inland from Sierra Leone ?-It would be desirable to get some better soil 
attn('heu to the colony of Sierra Leone. 
4(l'~ Mr, Aldolll,] IVould thc people in the interior be aYerse to our extend-
ing th,· frontil'\, 1-1 think not; on the contrary, they would be ,ery glad of it, 
1Jt'~nll'!' th.,) would know that they would be handsomely paid for it. 
4('23. Would the people inhabiting the interior be a,erse to being under 
lkit i h ;mthorit, '-I think not. 
l(i~.~ ~Ir J1'. Pattel/.] .\,re the negroes a prolific race in their natural state' 
~I ~honld hna~ine :-;0 • 
.. I' ':;. D,,) oU know \,hcthcr their fanlllics are large 1-1 should sar not, on 
acconnt of tl1(' promiscuous intercourse, 1 do not think you will find person' 
with sueh lill'!;' t:mlihe" in .Hrica a.s in this countI'}. and I attribute it to that 
t'au~w . 
..( '~l). Do you not kno\\ iustanc~s \,hefe promiscuous intercourse is kept 
up. wl11 rc th~rl' , re wr} lar~l' familil" :-1 han' no e.·perience beyond Sierra 
Lnllll'. 
I('..!; Chair 'w.] "lTe the habits of the liberated Africans impronng durin; 
tIll' time of 'our sta} there ?-\es : I found them Yery respectful and WT} 
due'ih.', 1\\"[I)~. 
1)·3,) · LL2 
260 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
~v. l!rt I/J ilto"t Esq. 4628. You have of course in Sierra Leone specimens of every part of Africa? 
- I should imagine so . 
7 June 184'2· 46 ~9 · Do they seem to be able to communicate among themselves '-The 
different tribes upon the coast cannot make themselves understood to each 
other. 
4630. So that they look to the English as the common means of communi-
cation ?- Yes. 
463 1 • Mr. Aldam.] Do they soon become Christians ;-They are so far 
Clu'istians that they are made members of our Church, and when they are mar-
ried, within about two or three weeks after their arrival in the colony, and 
sometimes within 10 days, the ceremony is performed re"crularly according to 
the Act of Parliament; but of course the parties are pelfectly ignorant of the 
thing. 
4632. Do they attend the Church service?-They are carried to the church 
in Freetown, where the service is performed, either by the colonial chaplain or 
a German missionary, and throughout the villages and in the mountains there 
are churches and chapels built by the Government. 
4633. Do you think they retain theu' native superstitions r- No, I think they 
get rid of a great deal of that; they show great r espect and attention to the 
missionaries. 
4634. If a considerable number of those people were sent to the West Indies 
do you think they would be at all likely to co= unicate any of their super~ 
stitions to the negroes of the West Indies ~-Not at all. 
4635. 'Wh at do you think would be the effect .upon them in that respect ?-
I think they would take up much of the opinions of the people in the West 
Indies; I am only afraid that the par ties I have carried to Trinidad mal' not 
remain by the missionaries of the Church of England, as they used to do in 
Sierra Leone. 
4636. Chainllan.] On account of the colony being more Roman Catholic ,_ 
Yes. 
463i . Mr. Aldam .] Ha"e the Kroomen who have gone changed their 
religion i- I scarcely think they have any religion; I do not think I ever saw 
a Krooman inside a church in Sierra Leonf'. 
463S. Chairman .] Are there not 4,000 or 5,000 of them at Sierra. Leone?-
It was limited to 3,000, but I think that order is now rescinded. 
4639 . Mr. Aidalll .] You resided for some years at Sierra Leone?-Yes. 
4640. Yiscount Courtenay .] Besides their attendance at church, what means 
are taken for the education of the liberated Africans /-There are proper 
school for the children, but with regard to the adults there is no trouble 
taken ,""ith them unless they attend the private or class meetings of the mis-
sionaries. 
4641 . Do all the children attend the schools ?- l\' 0; the free people are at 
liberty to send their sons to the schools or not. The liberated Africans, if 
ther are sufficiently old and strong, are apprenticed out immediately after 
their arri'·al. 
46~2. Are the apprentices allowed to attend the schools on the week days? 
-No; they are sent every SUI1<lay to the nearest school. 
4643. Is there not a provision made in the indentures requiring the master 
to allow the apprentice to attend school a certain number of times in a week? 
-I think it is limited to the Sunday; but that is very recently iutroduced. 
4644. Yiscount Eb,·ingloll.j There is a premiulll given with the apprentices? 
-From 1 I. to 11. lOs. , 
4645. Chai?'1l1all .] Was that premium rai I'd during your stay?- It was 
raised from 11. to J I. J Os. ; I think at one time it was 2 I. 
4646. Do you think it is of advantage to give a high premium ?- No; I do 
not know any object in putting a high premium, except to increase the fund. 
4647. Does it raise thc cla s of masters to whom the apprentice is bGlUud ' 
-I think not; they can always get one or two pounds to buy all apprentice, as 
t hey call it. 
4648. Viscount Ebrillgton.] Do the masters pay the premiulll, or are the 
masters paid H ?-The master pay it to the Go\'ernment. 
4649. Mr. Evans.] What .is the usual term of the apprenticeship ?-They 
are apprenticed for five, seven, or nine years, according to the age of the 
child. 
SELECT COMMITTEE ON WEST CO_\ST OF AFRICA. ~61 
465 0 . Sir R. H. Inglis.] You have tated that the liberated Africans are W. lIamilloll, Esq. 
sometimes brougbt, within a fortnight or three week of their landing, to ---
church, when they are married; do you wi h the Committee to understand 7 June ,840 . 
that they are brought to be married without any sense of the sanctity of tbe 
obligation which they take upon themselves, or that their li,es are afterwards 
reg:uated according to their sense of the obligation :-1 can only ay from 
havmg been at the head of that department, tbat it wa performed a a kind 
of duty, without any consideration beyond tbat. 
4651. 'Without any sen e of the obligation ?-Entirely 0; it was necessary 
to do something with 1h ose women, and the men were admitted into the lave 
yard to make friends in the be t way they could witb the newly .. landed women, 
and an~- man that thougbt proper to offer to take a woman for bis wife, pro-
nded b e \Va thought a proper subject and could and would support a wife, 
Tl'as allowcd to take and marry bel'. Our object was to provide for the women. 
465:.! . Do ),OU mean that the women had no discretion in the matter ;-No; 
it was optional with bel' either to marry tbe man or not, as he tbought proper. 
465:3. Can you state wbether tbe marriage so contracted have or ha,e not 
heen found, generally speaking, a produ ctive of domestic happines as the mar-
riages of a corresponding number of persons in the same class of life in other 
countries '-As a magistrate I have bad tho e women often come to me and 
sa)' they wer<' not aware that they Tl'ere entering into an engagement tbat wa 
to last for ewr; that they had taken a fancy to some other man, or that t~ey 
had found some other man who had a better but, or more ca ada on his farm. 
4G.l~. Has a "imilar complaint been made frequently by the man in refer-
('ncr to tll(' woman, a - you haw stated i made by the "oman in respect to tbe 
man ?-Ther often come complaining that the woman I had given them for a 
wife' had run away, and gone to live witb some other man. 
4655. Then arc the Committee to understand that tl.ere is no religiou sense 
of the obl igation of tbe marriage, contracted as it is in the presence of the 
church, between the parties 1-1 do not think tbere can be on the part of the 
Tl'oman. 
4656. But you think the man may have been 0 far in tructed previously to 
the ceremony a to be consciou of tbe obligation hc incurs ?-In some degree. 
4GSi . C/t(IimullI.] Tbe man is generally onc who has been longer in the 
colony 1-Yes. 
4658. Mr. E.'alls.] Do any of the people in tbe colony understand the lan-
guage of the women, or tbe natives wbo ha,e been recently brougbt '-A man 
generally looks for a woman of his own nation. 
4659. Chairman.] Are the different nations distinguisbed by outward marks' 
- By the mark and cuts upon their face. 
4til)0. Sir R. II. Inglis.] 'Yill you state the proportion of the sexes ordinarily 
found in a slaw Yes el wben captured, or the proportion of the aggregate under 
your charge in the last year of your residence ?-I can only speak from memory. 
I will tal{c the instance of the Miner-I'?; I think she brought about 425 per-
~ons; out of that, I think, we bad not aboTe 40 women, 190 boys, and 80 girls . 
... N) I. The sy:;tem of car~ing captured slaTers to Sierra Leone, and landing 
the lwopll-' tlwre, has now prenliled for about ~o years, during which time, 
according to tIlt' orclina~' laws of nature, a generation of people would have 
gronl1 "1' capahle of entering into marriage; bas that been the case '-I should 
sa} not. from the grcat difference between lhe sexes on their first landing.  
. l1111~. Ch(l;I'II1(1/1.] Is there not now a re'pectable community in Sierra 
LI'Olil', consisting of the children of parties who were originally brought into the 
rohnn )-\ (", tlwrc is. The nllmber of slaw imported from tbe 1st of January 
ISOj 'to tlw :lIst pf D,'("emlwr 1836, amounts to .56,563. At the same date the 
populntion of ~ierra Leone made up by myself amounted to :l3,628 . 
... Iill". In\"ludin~ rroomrn :-Liberated .\fricans only. That makes a dllfer-
{nel' of :2:1,000 pl'opk who hu,e di,uppeured. I attribute that to tb\' number 
,,-ho 11Iln' lwen ,,'\pllrtcd or . ent a\\ay to the Gambia, and to tbe nec('s"aI}' 
d\,l"l','a~e in a population when? there is such an inequality of the ~exes, as well 
as tIll' imIDe!1>" numher of deaths that take place on the first landing. 
460-\. \.n·) llU able to tate gCll!Tally the proportion of the sexes among 
h'" . \\ hn 'H'l'C uuder your churgc '-1 think about thr\:'e men to two ,VOlUen 
thr()lI~hout the whole colon}'; the men natlll"ally die off, and equalize the seW-
to a l'tTtuin n.tent. 
0.35. L L 3 4665. You 
r 
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
W.Hamilton , Esq. 4665. You have now known the colony of Sierra: Leone for nine or ten years ) 
-I have. 
4666. Have you perceived any sensible improvement in the appearance and 
manners of the colony during that period I-I thought when I visited it the 
last time it had positively retrograded ; I observed that the streets were not 
!leatly kept, and the fences before the people's huts were very generally falling 
mto decay. 
4667. Did you go at all into the country districts ?-Not the last time. 
4668. Have you heard whether the colony is considered to be in a state of 
increasing or declining prosperity ?-I had a letter from a friend of mine, two 
years ago, telliug me that the colony was positively retrograding. 
4669. Mr. W ., Patten.] Did he state the cause oI that :-He does not state 
the cause of it. 
4670. Sir R. R . Inglis.] To what cause do you yourself athibute such a fact, 
a,ssuming the accuracy of it ?- It depends upon the fancy of the leading per-
sons under the Government, whether they make a sort of pet of the colony or 
not; every man has his hobby: generally you find that the governor takes 
a great fancy to the colony. . . 
4671. Chairman.] Has not the rapid succession of governors been a great 
obstacle to the prosperity of the colony I- I should say it has, because every 
man comes with a new system. 
4672. Have not they been almost annual for some years back ?- Yes; I was 
there between three and four years, and I think during that time there were 
four governors and acting governors. 
4673. Sir R. H. Inglis.] That succession has been caused, not by recal, but 
by death )- By death. 
4674, Mr. FOTstel· .] Is it your opinion that if persons seasoned to the climate 
were appointed more frequently as governors, the deaths would be less frequent, 
and the result more beneficial ?- I think so. • 
4675. Sir R. H. Inglis.] Was not the late Justice Hamilton resident in the 
colony, either as chief justice or in some other function, for 15 years ?- There 
was a chief justice who had been long resident there, but he died before my 
arrival . 
4676. Are you aware of the fact that there was one under such circum-
stances?-Yes; he "'as chief justice. 
46ii. Aud resided there in average health for more than 15 years )-1 can-
not state how long, but I know there was such a person there. 
4678. Mr. Fm·steT.] Did it apperu.· to you, on your last visit to the colony, 
that the condition of the liberated Africans had improved, compared with what 
it was when you actcd officially in that department ?- I think there was a 
greater quantity of money amongst them the last time. 
4679. Are you of opinion that the present system of locating liberated Afri-
cans there holds out a prospect of beneficial results ?-I qo not think so. With 
respect to the persons I located in different parts of the colony, and superin-
tended mysclf, I generally observed that all their huts were abandoned in the 
course of a few months afterwards, and perhaps made use of as cowhouses or 
pigstyes. 
4680. Chairman.] To what do you attribute that?-The man had no induce~ 
ment to remain where we placed him; the object of the location depends upon, 
perhaps, a wish to put olle part of the colony in communication with another 
part; you cut down the bush and layout a line through it, and make the 
men build their huts there, I'Iithout ru.1Y reference to whether it is a desirable 
spot or not. 
4;8 1. Is there great difficulty in placing advantageously a number of labour-
ers coming there in uncertain qunutities, without any increase of capital to 
employ them ?-That system deluges the colony with ignorance, vice, brutalitr, 
and everything that i bad. The colony does not appear to have resources 
within it elf, upon which you can "'mploy that immense importation which is 
constantly taking place. It is a defect inherent in the sy-tem. 
4682. Mr. W. Patten.J What has been the effect of a more than o;dinurj 
importation of negroes into the colony, a regards wages I-I do not tlunk the 
rate of wages has ever been affected; it has always been nominally 4d. a dny. 
when a man can get work. 
SELECT CO:VnnTTEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 263 
4683. How many year ha that rate of w3{;es continued ?-I should say the w. Hamilton, Esq. 
last 20 or 30 years . 
. 4684. To what cau e do you attribute the stationary nature of the wages 7 June ,842 • 
mth such an immense mrif'ty in the supply of lahour '-They ha'l'e "'ot into 
the ystem of giving 4 d. a day for work. " 
4685. Is there no competition for lahour ?-There are a great many persons 
always begging for employment. 
4686. Clwirml1ll.] Is the African at Sierra Leone generally compelled to hire 
out his labour for his own ubsistence, or ha he mean of subsistence upplied 
to him independent of labour I-He ha the mean of subsi tence within himself, 
by imply culti'l'ating provision grounds. I belie'l'e there are many men who 
have been for years in the colony, and I do not suppose that 10 dollars e,er 
pa;sed through their hands. 
4687. sIr. 1Y. Prlftell.] The price of labour is at a level that will but just 
give subsistence, and that i all?-Yes. 
468~. Is it possible that they can do more than just live upon the wage 
they now ha'l'e?-Yes; I think the 4 d. a day that a man get for his labour is 
a clear gain to him ; because by his apprentice, and with his family, he may 
raise provisions upon his ground, and the 4 d. a day enables him to indulge in 
fine dress, or in fi h, or in something el e. 
4b8(). Chairman.] Doe he only get that occasionally, or every day i-As 
long as lw can get work. 
46!)0. Are therr many that get 4d. a day any con iderable portion of the 
year round ?-I should think there are some, such as domestic servants, and 
per,ons working in stores. 
4691. It; there any considerable amount of agricultural employment on 
fanns I-Not worth mentioning. 
4li9~. Mr. W. Patten.] The 4d. a day being a clear gain to one of those 
lllen, how do you account for there being such an immense number of appli-
('ants for employment, and the price not falling ?-I do not know: I have had 
men " orking for me at 2} dollars a month, and they will cut wood and bring 
water to you for two dollars a month; but we seldom think of giving u man 
l~ss than three dollar:;: but if you choo e to do it, you will find plenty of them 
that ",ill be glad to do it for two dollars. 
4693. Mr. El'ans.] You said that you thought the inhabitants were richer 
no,,, than the)' were formerly ?-I observe that there is more money amongst 
them in circulation, and I think that it is more usual to pay them now in money 
than in goods; I do not Imow the fact. 
4°94. !\II'. Aldl1n1.] Do not many of them merely cultimte their own grounds, 
and ne\'er recei,e any wages ?-A great many of them. 
4695. Is there not great uncertainty in the crops I-Not at all. 
4690. They are nner exposed to famine on that account ?-l'e,er. 
4ti~)7. Mr. TV. PattI''''] The rate of wages being 4d. a clay, do you suppose 
that if a person had a particular piece of work to be done, and were to say, 
.. " 'ill you do it for '2 d. ," he would get labourer,; ?-~ 0, they would rather live 
upon thdl' 1'1'0\; ion ground~ than do that. 
-{(illl'. \11'. Forstu·.J Is the cheapness of linng at Sierra Leone unfa,ourable 
to th" i111p1'01 {'ment of the liherated "\'fricans 1-1 think 0; they require some 
littll stimulus to !?;et on in the ,,·orId. 
[.I]~. \ bC'lllmt Ebrill!1tol'.] How do you account for the expense of the Go-
wrnml'nt bl'in2; so grl at at ~ierra Leone if the people can be so easily sup-
port('lt upon their pro,i_ioll grounds?-If you import from four to si - or eight 
tliou- nd ,I \ , a yea,- into the colon~', and you ha\'e to support tho!'oe people 
lor ,i, month" (' 'I'n at 1 ! d. a day. that will amount to rather a large sum. 
470C (/." Do you include anything beyond maintenancc in the 
10,(100 l. u} ('ar - 'l' I inllude the papnent of all the officers and magistrates. 
illl. \!~. E"an .J Dill'S that urn include the clothing '-1\0, that is sent 
from Endatltl. 
- 02. C irma. If the tlb rated Vricans had from time to time been clis-
pll"<ll anWT1;; th(' \ est India i,lumb, do you concl'iYc that the) would ha,c 
bt \ n in ,\ "l'I') \ liferent -tnte of improHment and culti,ation from that in 
\ hich tht'Y ~r\' nnW fl111l111 at :::>ierl'[l Lt'one ,-Certainly; in a .ery superior \:011-
riilillll to t h, I 1'<",'l1t; ! hal e ,ClU both -ide, of the \.tlantic, and there ('anw), 
.35. L L 4 be 
264 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN <BEFORE THE 
IV. HamillOIl, Esq. be two opinion~ up0D: the sU.bject .of th: ~ondition of the people in Sierra Leone 
as compared With theIr condItion m Trlmdad; I speak from exp~.rience. 
7 June . 84', 4703 . In the West India islands there is capital enough to employ any 
amount of labour tbat can be introduced? - I should say there is. 
4704. Mr. Forste?·.] Would not the African have a better example also in t he 
labourers around him in the West Indies i-Certainly. 
4705. Mr. A ldam.] In Sierra Leone do not they congregate in great num-
bers in the town for want of employment in the country I-They do. 
4706. Is it desirable to have t hem in great numbers in the town ~-Cer­
Wnly not . 
4707. Cl!ai?·man.] You have only one town in Sierra Leone ?- Freetown is 
the capital. 
4708 . What other town is there ?-There are villages. 
4709. Oan you state the population of Freetown ?-I made up the population 
return of the colony frequently. Speaking from memory, I think the popula-
tion of Freetown was from 9,000 to 10,000 in 1835 . 
4710. What other populous places are there ?-Kissy contains 2,334 people, 
Wellington contains 3, 198, Waterloo contains 3,088, Hastings contains 2,357, 
Kent 894, Bannanas 745, York contains 2,168; the first monntain district, 
comprising several villages, contains 5,3 16, and the second mountain district 
2,966; amounting altogether to 33,628, in the year 1835. 
471 1. When you speak of these as towns, are they compact masses of build-
ing, or scattered houses intermixed with cultivation ?-Ranges of hnts; each 
hut stands upon an allotment of ground; I think one chain in front and two 
deep. 
4712. Mr. Aldam.] Provision grounds I-Yes. 
4713. Mr. Ramiltoll.] Are those all liberated Africans I-Yes. As to the 
people in the sea district I am quite at a loss to know how they employ them-
selves at all. 
4714. Chairman .] Do not they fish ~-They may fish, but when they have 
got it they do not know what to do with it. They catch some. and by drying 
it they sell it to different places; but they must hal'e great difficulty in carry-
ing it to market; to sell it they must either bring it to Freetown or carry it up 
the neighbouring rivers. The people in Freetown purchase some of this dried 
fish; but, for instance, take York and Kent, and the island of Bannanas, there 
is only one European or white resident upon each of those places; they have 
a market in supplying the schools which the Government esto1.blishes there, but 
besides that I do not know how they are to dispose of their produce. 
471,5. Mr. Hamilton.] Is fish abundant upon the coast?-Yes; I have seen 
20 or 30 fishing boats going out every afternoon from Freetown Bay. 
4716. Chai·rman.] Is there some mercantile wealth accumulated among the 
liberated Africans i-Yes; I r emembe.r attending a sale, where two of those 
men bonght property to the amount of between two and three hundred 
pounds. 
47 17. Are any of them masters of vessels I-I think I could name two 
persons who are so. 
4718. Do they trade up the rivers ,-In canoes they do. 
4719. Mr. Forster.] Pu:e yon acquainted with the cultivation of coffee )-1 
lmow what the coffee trees in Sierra Leone are, but they are miserable-looking_ 
things compared to those I saw in Tl'inidad; I should not know them to be the 
same plant. 
4720. Arc you acquainted witll the nature of the soil best adapted to the 
cultivation of coffee ?-Not at all; I merely speak from what I saw; I should 
not know the coffee trees I slm in Sierra Leone to be the same plant as what I 
saw at Trinidad. 
4721. You do not know whether there is any soil in the neighbourhood of 
Sierra Leoll,c adapted to the cnlth'ation of coffee ?-l cannot speak positil'ely 
upon that subject. 
4722. At all events no ystematic attempt has been madc to render the 
labour of the lib<,rated Africans available for that purpose there I- Not 
publicly or generally; there arc two coffee e tat s, as they rna)' be callpcl, in 
;:)ierra Leone; one did belong to Mr. Kenneth Macaulay, on the top of a 
mountain; another was tried by Mr. Weekes, the missiol1lU'Y at Bathurst; but 
the 
SELECT COMMI'ITEE ON "'EST COAST OF AFRICA. 265 
the plant,; were not SL'( inches out of the ground, when I aw them in the W. Ha"i/IGtl. Esq. 
latter case. . 
47 23. Those are merely private undertak ing-, of very limited extent?-Yes, 7 June ,8+,. 
and there may be a bush here and there. 
47:24 · But the Government has taken no mea ures to promote the culth-ation 
of coffee ~-1 have never heard that they have done anything of the kind. 
4725. Mr. W. Patten. ] Do you speak from your own knowledge, when you 
say that the land i all barren ?-From my own personal experience; I haye 
traversed the colony in every clirection to get information about it. 
4726. Chairman.] "With a view to select good pots for locations ?-Yes, and 
to sec the results of the locations. 
4727- Mr. Aldam.] Has the cultivation of coffee been fairly triea at Sierra 
Leone )-It ha not been publicly tried, upon any large scale. 
4728. Has it been privately tried ?-I mentioned one instance in the case of 
Mr. Macaulay: the trees had been planted for some years, and I ta ted the 
coffee from it, and it is very good, I think; I al a carried a specimen across to 
Trinidad, and a gentleman there said it was very good coffee indeed. But yet 
the trees (lid not look like coffee trees; hen I saw the ame bush in Trinidad, 
I did not know it. 
4729. ir R. H. Inglis. ] But the berry was equally good ?-They said, in 
Trinidad, that the berry was yery good. 
4730. Mr. Aldam.] Wa the fruit abundant 1-1 clid not see it upon the tree. 
4731. How long is it since thi experiment was tried ?-That coffee estate 
has beel1 iu e:-..istence, to my knowledge, several years. 
-+iJ~. :\Ir. Eraus. ] Are there any people of capital in the colony who are 
culth-ators ?-No man who has any capital will inve t it in the soil of Sierra 
Leone. 
4733. Are there any per ons of capital there ?-There mu t be some, becau e 
there are merchants tracling there, but it is far more profitable to carryon 
trade than to enter into agricultural pursuits, because in the one case you 
ha\'e the field entirely to your elf ; if you attempted to grow coffee you would have 
to compete ·wi.th the We't Indies. 
47 :~4- Is there any cotton grown there ?-There are a few cotton plant about, 
but you cannot call it produce; you will find ome old women pinning a little 
for their lamps. 
4735. You han' stated that the population of the colony amount altogether 
to about 33,000; you said also that 10,000 might emigrate with benefit to the 
colony; do you think that a- many as a third of the colony \yould emigrate with 
benefit to the colony 0_1 think you might get rid of half of them with great 
advan tage to the colony. 
4736. Cltainllnll. ] Are you of opinion that the establishment of Sien'a Leone 
might be diminished in point of expense ?-It depends upon the news that are 
entertained with re 'pect to it ; I tbink it might be turned to yerr great advan-
tage, to encourage emi1J;fation to the West Inclies, to malce a sort of depot for 
getting emigrants for the 'Vest Inclie . 
47")7. l OU think that course would alford the mean of ascertaining their 
"illi";~e 's to go o_It would be a more wholesome way of doing the thing; a 
more unobjectionable way. 
-l-i 38. !low do ) ou imagine that . ielTa Leone could be upplied except by 
liberated .\'fricans ?-I thinl, if wages got up they would come into it from the 
interior, and they would go off to where they found they wen' better off again ; 
but know ing the disposition of the African population, 1 should sar, that unle s 
till' ('0' l'fllnH'nt comes forward and expressc an opinion upon the subject, the 
peopk \\ill not go off. 
4739. 'Yho was tbe goycmor when you went there for the purpose of emigra-
tion '-Sir John Jt.-'remie. 
47-+0 • Did he take any part in the question of emigration :-He stood perfectly 
lwutcr at fir,l , and ratht'r objected to it in his own mind, but hi" opinion 
entirt'lY dlangl'U upon the subject latterly. 
47' i. "hat rn -on ha, c rou for supposing that to be the case :-In our 
conH'n.atiom' UPl)J\ th,' >ubject, he -aid at fin;t I ,hould not get 10 people to 
go U\"" \\ ith me ; amI at m, la,r inteniew with him, he ::-aid he thought 
): ~houid >ul'ceed ill 1!dting' about 5,000 people away; but still he had no 
-uppn'hen,lon that the population of the colony would decrease, becau5l', for 
v.3.'i. :\1 . 1 e.ery 
266 MINUTES O F EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
w. Hamil/ou, Esq. every two p~rsons we. removed to. the .West Indies, he expected that we should 
get three, eIther by mternal emIgratIOn, or by the newly-imported captured 
persons, so that the population would rather increase. 
4742. And he became favourable to the measure ?- He did. 
4743 · When you went the second time, who was in the government ?- Dr. 
Ferguson. 
4744· Did he take any part upon the question )- He remained perfectly 
neuter upon the subject. 
4745· You were desirous that the Government should express some opinion 
upon the subject ?-Yes; without that the black people will not leave the 
colony; for. in any doubtful case they are in the habit of going to the governor, 
or to a magIstrate, for advice. 
4746 . You think they have great confidence in the recommendations of the 
Gm-ernment ?-The greatest confidence. 
4747 . Mr. W. Patten.] Would there be much difficulty in getting any num-
ber of the female sex to go ?-Tbere would; because the men that remain 
behind are very anxious that the women should remain with them, and they 
almost use violence to prevent their going. The men would always be very 
anxious to prevent the women leaving tl!e colony. 
4748. Did any married men present themselves for emigration ?- Some 
married men did, and they took their families with them. 
4749. You said that some of the women who went over with you were the 
wh'es of the Kroomen, but that you did not think it was a real marriage?-
Temporary marriage. 
4750. Was tl!ere much difficulty in getting those women to go ?-Not at all. 
4751. Would you think it desirable that the regulation should be enforced 
which Lord Stanley has laid down with regard to the proportion of the sexes, 
of one-third females and two-thirds men ?- That would facilitate it, and I think 
that might be done. 
4752. Should you recommend that parties should be encouraged to go from 
Sierra Leone immediately upon adjudication, or that they should go through 
any previous probation or instruction '-I should say send them away inune-
diately, without allowing them to land in the colony. 
4753. Are they not landed before adjudication ?-They are now. 
4 754. Is it not better for them that they should be out of the ship r-I think 
not; we have not anything like good accommodation for them on shore, parti-
cularly if they are sent in great numbers. 
4755. How long have they to wait before adjudication :-Eight days. 
47.56 . Chairman .] Then you would e),-. plaiu to them the inducements tl!ey 
would ha.,.e to go to the West Indies, on board tlle ship ?-Yes, by means of 
their country people. 
4; 5 7· And if they acquiesced, you would put them at once into another ship 
and send them off?-Yes. 
47.5S. Sir R. H. Inglis.] One of your late ans~\"ers assumed that rou would 
tranship the liberated slm-es alma t before adjudication, inunediately to tl!e 
West India islands; in what way would you satisfy them, or satisty other 
persons, that they were free agents in such transhipment, and that it was 
not, in other words, conveying slaves as in former times to tl!e West India 
colonies ?--By means of their country people, and per OllS who had visited the 
". cst Indies, and were capable of e:l.-plaining tbeir position to them. 
4759. Do rou thinK it could be explained satisfactorily to other countries? 
-That is another affair; it is so much a matter of opinion . 
4760 . You think the interest of England would be to tranship the labourers 
from tllOse slayc ships into other ships, and to carry them to the We t Indies? 
- Certainly; and al a the interest of the parties themseh"es. 
476 J. 110w could it be made clear to the pru·ties themsel-res that their in-
ten'st would bc promoted by their being sent in this manner, without any pre-
,·iOllS preparation, from thc hold of one slave ship to the deck of another .,.essel, 
for the service of the nation which transhipped them ?-By means of their 
country people, and persons who have becn in the ·West Indies. 
4762. Viscount Ebrill.fJ10II.] In your opinion, would there be any greater 
hard..hip in landing tho·c captured slave ' in a trange place lIke the West 
I ndies, than in landing them in a strangc place like Sierra Leone I-I do ~ot 
tlunk 
SELECT COY1~nTTEE OX WEST COA T OF AFRICA. 26, 
think there would be any greater hard hip in the one case than in the other; W. HamiIlOl<_ E>q 
in both case they would be equally mmy from their own country. 
4763. Do th~y consid~r themsel"e quite in a foreign country in Sierra 'i June 18 ... . 
Leone ?-I imagine they do. 
4764. Mr. W. Patten.] Of "hat parties is the mixed commis ion in Sierra 
Leone compos~d ?-They are appointed by the Foreign-office in London, and 
there are the foreign cornrnissioners. 
4765. 'Vho are the foreigners '-There are two Brazilian commis ioners 
there now, but I do not think there has been a Spanish commissioner there for 
year,. 
4766. Is there any Portuguese commissioner now ?- No Portuguese. 
4767. Ho'" do they conduct the commi sion; "hen a slaver comes in to be 
adjudicat~d, is she taken before the whole of the commission i-Only the eom-
mhsioneTh of the nation concerned; the Briti h commissioners and the Brazi-
lian commis~ioners, 
47GS. Do all the commissioner sit in adjudication upon all the laver that 
come 1-1\'0 merely upon the slavers of their nation. 
4769. If there be no Spanish or Portuguese commissioner, what i done in 
the case of Spanish and Portugue. e vessels I-The commissioner of arbitration, 
who is an Englishman, act for them. 
4770. l'IIr. Forster.] lIas not the husine s of the court been carried on 
almost l'lltirdy by the English authoritie ?-~\lmost always. There is no pa-
nish minbter, and the greater part of the time there wa no Brazilian minister; 
I do not think there was ever a Portuguese mini ter when I was there. 
\771, ~Ir. rr. Patten.] When a Portuguese llip comes iu, what is done?-
It "'(I('S l)('fore the commissioner of arbitration and the chief commi ioner. 
:772. Do you suppo e that out of this commi 'ion there could be e tabli hed 
h) anr means a court which could gi ve a sufficient guarantee to other nations 
that the parties in being taken to the West Indies were free agents ?-l hould 
imagine so. 
4773. Mr ,1/dam,l Som(' are ent to the Gambia; have they their option, 
either to be sent to the Gamhia or to remain at Sierra Leone ?-No; when 1 
'was in office it was done to suit our conyeniencc; if we found the yard over-
stocked with ncwly-imported slaws, we ordered some 200, or 300, or 500 a,yay 
to the Gambia. 
4774. There would be no greater hardship in ending them to the West 
Indies than to the Gambia ;-·Not at all. 
4775. Mr. Et'alls.] Do you InlOW whether there is a mLxed commission court 
in any part of our West India colonies '-I have not heard that there is. 
4776. Mr. ,lldalll ,] Do they e,er express a wish as to their final disposition? 
-They arc newr asked anything about it. 
471,. Chairllw/I. ] If there are families tog~th('r, are you at all aware of that 
circumstance ?-'\. es, 1 haye often seen that. 
4778. And thc} are not separated ?-No, they are allowed to go together. 
411l). Do tlwy e,er find friends and acquaintances among the liberated 
African, '-Yes; when they land, some of the liberated Africans recognize 
son1\:' of tlwir friend,: I remember an instance "'here a woman recognized two 
01 her ehildrt"lI, and ,Iw was allowed to take them away. 
4i~o. :'Ill'. Forster.] Do you think tlwy would be equally happy in the " 'est 
J1 IIIi"" ,,!til., at the sanH' time their moral condition would be improved by their 
Iwin!.!; SI'nl tlh're '-There is not a doubt in my mind on the subject . 
. 4,Sl. :'Ilr. lid mJ Do ther show anr suspicion as to ,,,hat is to he done 
"ith the1\1 • ot at all. 
iS~. (I. 'rm m. Do you conceiyl' that they are perfectl~' aware that they 
an' in a ,11t< of cmaJwipation; that they art' no longer in the hands of ,laye-
dcall'rs ?-1 think when thc~ come to Frectmn1, they are made aware hy their 
countn' l'",'ple that thl') arc in gooll hands, and I ha. .e  no doubt th"y Cl n· 
g;r,tt\1l.~tc thc1\l,,,h c' on tlwir gooll fnrtunc. 
, 41' J. ;)[r. '·;,,.,t 1. I a' to you con,i 1 'red an~ plan which you can recommend 
tor tIll' adoption of the Gon-rnuwnt, for carryin(?,' out a system of emigT3tion 
f1'01ll tilt loa t 01 \fril'a to the "",'t Indie :-:lI~ opiruon is, that lillie" the 
btl ,'mnl( nl tak it iuto lh"ir own ham!>, and recommend it in a direct ,traLht-
fom,ITtI 11a\1l\('r. it '''ill unt >ucec d, ('xcept by COll:5tantl .. sel ding ddc_, te, 
neN", "hit:h "ill takt' a llumber of YC.aI'» so to do. 
0.35. .I)! 2 4;84. Chalrllfln.] 
26'8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
w. Homi/lo>l, Esq. 4784. Cl.ai1·man.] In .what manner would you propose it to be carried out, 
under Gover'.lment ~usplces ?-L~t the G.ove?Iment appoint an officer, a regis-
trar, to supenntend It, and to receive applicatIOns from persons desirous of going; 
I would not propose that the Government should interfere in any other way. 
4785. Mr. W: Patten.] Upon the same principle as colonial emigration from 
England ?- Yes; that the registrar shall not have anything to do with explain-
ing to the people the existing rate of wages in the colony that he is going to ; 
that he shall not go about to look for emigrants, but merely sit in his office, 
and do nothing more than register the persons desirous of going away, and see 
that the Acts of Parliament and Ordinances are complied with. 
4786. Viscount Eb7ington.] Do you conceive that it would be possible to 
transfer the mixed commission to any island in the West Indies; is not there 
one sitting now in the Havannall ?-There is. 
4787. Do you think it would be better to transfer the liberated Africans 
across the Atlantic to be adjudicated upon by a mixed commission at the 
Havannah, than to be adjudicated upon at Sierra Leone ?-"Far better bring 
them to Sierra Leone. I have been at the Havannah, and it appears to me 
than it is a sort of slavery there; they become slaves after adjudication . For 
instance, if a man's slaves die in the Havannah, he has received a number of 
liberated Africans, who go under the name of apprentices; and when one of his 
slaves dies, he strikes out the name of the slave, and takes the apprentice and 
puts him in the place of the slave. 
4788. Are you aware whether the same practice prevails in the Brazils?-
1 do not know it positively. 
4789. Do you believe that the arrival of a cargo of captured slaves to be 
adjudicated upon at the Havannah, is hailed by the inhabitants of Cuba as a 
piece of good fortune ?-I believe so. 
4790. Sir R. H. Inglis.] As another mode, in fact, of carrying on the slave 
trade ?-Yes. 
4i91. H as it occurred to you that it might be desirable to transfer the mixed 
commission court from Sierra Leone, either to Fernando Po or to Ascension? 
-I hould think that it would not be desirable to tranfer it to either of those 
places; as to Ascension, the objection would be that it is too small a place, and 
affords no opportunity whatever for employing the people, and must soon be 
overstocked. As to Fernando Po, 1 should say that it is, in my opinion, a more 
unhealthy place than Sierra Leone, and it is a very small place likewise. 
4792. Mr. TV. P atten .J Ha,e you been at Fernando Po ?-No, but that is 
what I have heard from all the officers coming up, with whom I am very 
intimate. 
4793. Chairman.] If you had 4,000 or 5,000 persons to dispose of in a year 
in Fernando Po, would you not have con iderable difficulty '-I should say o. 
4794. Viscount Ebrington.] Would it be desirable to transfer the mixed 
commission to one of our islands in the West Indies '-I think so; the nearest 
to the coast of Africa, which would be either Trinidad or Barbadoes. 
4795. :Mr. Forster .] Do you think it would be a good plan to appoint ,essels 
in the Bight to receive the liberated Africans for the purpose of conveying 
them to the West Indies, tho eves els being fitted up with proper accommoda-
tion, and with medical officers ?-It would be very desirable, but it might 
prove a very expensive arrangement. 
4796 . It would require a depot ill that neighbourhood ?-Unless the ship was 
carried aero, s immediately yeu took a slaver, instead of bringing her to Sierra 
Leone; if you started her across with a fair wind, he would run across in 18 til 
25 days. 
4797. YIr. Aldam.] How long might she be in going to Sierra Leone ?-I 
should say it would be a very long voyage, from the frequent calms .. 
4798. Chairma1l.] What would be the back voyage of the crUlser to her 
station ' -She would do it in six week . 
4709. Would she find more difficulty in getting back from the West Indies, 
than in getting back from Siena Leone to her station ?-Yes; he would find 
difficulty in getting back. 
4800. lVh. Forster .] What arrangement would you prop05e for the return 
of a portion of thc emigrants periodically to Africa, to make. a report to th(' 
natives of the state of things in the We t Indies ?-I think It would only be 
fair; in Trinidad. for instance (as I am better acquaiuted with that island), 
they 
SELECT CmnIlTIEE 0)1 WEST COAST OF .AFRICA. 269 
they should provide them elves with a smart ailing ve'sel of mall tonnage, 11". Ilamillo<, Esq. 
and allow her to go to the coast of Africa, at least once a year, with delegates, 
or \vith such per ons as were desirou of going back, and were willing to pay 7 June ,84" 
the just and fair expense of their transport. 
4801. Mr. W. Patten.] That sy tem of delegates was adopted from J amaica, 
was it not r-From Jamaica and Demerara, it succeeded at fir t, but failed 
afterwards. 
4 02. Do you know the reason why it failed ?--From the unfayourable report' 
circulated about the West Indies, by persons who e intere t it was to do so. 
48°3. Were not the delegate intended to counteract those reports I-They 
werr. 
4< 04. Do not you think they would have been able to persuade the negroes) 
-I ~houl<l not think 11alf a dozen per on were capable of giving information 
to the whole colony. 
4805. \Vere not there circum tances attending the return of tho e negroes 
which were likely to counteract the object for which they were ent 1-1 never 
heard of any. 
4806. Were not they furnished ,nth money, and furni hed with gaudy 
dres es ?-I do not remember it; I saw two of them from Jamaica. 
4807. \Vere not there circum tances connected with their return, which led 
the negroes to believe that they were merely ent by the merchants as decoys) 
-I do not know; but I objected to six persons being sent over from Trinidad 
immediately after their arrival, because I thought it would not be giving them 
ufficient time to form an opinion of the colony before they went . 
... 808. In the rcport of Mr. Jones h e tates," The delegates ent to Demerara 
returnt'd to this colony in the Superior. They landed in a uniform of fine blue 
cloth, \\;th scarlet cuff and collar, elegant forage caps, a carlet waistband, and 
fine cloth trmfsers. These adornments proved in the event to be a very great 
mistake, intended, as they no doubt were, to allure emigrant ; they had pre-
ci ely an opposite effect; the scheme partook too much of artifice and delu-
'ion." Do you think that that has not been the main cau e why emigration 
has failed ?-I think not; I never heard of the circum tance now read to me. 
48°9. 'Were you in the colony at the time of their arriyal I-No. The Su-
perior went acro s from Sierra Leone to Demerara, and she immediately returned 
with delegate to report the exi ting state of thing. I would not recommend 
that measure at Trinidad, as I thought it had not the appearance of fairness, 
because in thc cour e of a week or t en days the people had not had a fair oppor-
tunity of judging of the state of thing, and I recommended that they should be 
longer on trial before they went across. The men themselves said they would 
not go until they had been some few months to see the whole nature of the 
thing. 
-\8'0. You think that if more time is given, and delegates are allowed to go 
back, it will succeed ?-I have no doubt it will succeed, jf the Government will 
only come forward. 
-I, lL . That wry system was suggested to you, and you recommended that it 
. hould not be adopted ?-1 e . 
... 81~ . At the time that system was suggested to you, did you recommend 
thr.t tIll' parti!" should be sent back in rather a superior state of life ?-. o. 
-Is 1 J. ;\Icrdy in the same state in which they had come over '-Yes.  
... s 14. '>fr. ENII"-.] lOU were under'tood to say that when you contracted 
':ith tho'(' IX1.rtics to ('migrate, you told them that they should have some of 
their companions to come back to tate to them the nature of the country; did 
tho't' \\ 11.0 ('mployed you to select those emigrants know that you were going 
to mal,(' thb ('outract \\;th them ?-I was authorised to make that arrauge-
Ilwnt with them. provided I could not get any persons to go acro s to the "Vest 
Indies; an(l I look the rl'sponihilitr upon m) ,elf to do it, although I did find 
IH'rsons drsirou~ of ~oing. 
-1'1 .• , lias it bc('D fulfilled? -It hu., been fulfilled now. Some of them ha,e 
gon(' bacl,; hut WC hm'c not h~ard the re,mlt. 
~ _I: Ii i. :\1r. lldolll. By what llll'an' do you think the Government ought ~o 
("m'our"ge !'migration :-To com(' forward and say that the "-overnor thinks It 
'lOul<l be to their at\vantagf' and to tlwir interest to go . 
... 'L ;. In fact. to give thl'ir O-l.Iarantcc to the ~tatement' made by the people 
){ )1 3 of 
270 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
~V. H"milton, Esq. of Trinidad I-Not simply their guarantee, but to assure them that they will 
benefit themselves by it. 
4818 . Chai1·11Ian.] With regard to the complex machinery of the liberated 
Africnn depar tment, spoken of in Dr. Madden's Report, at page 11. what i~ your 
opinion ?-I cannot see that it is mischievous to those for whose 'protection it 
IS intended. I do not see how it can be so. 
4 llJ g. Do you think they are treated too much as children, and too little 
thrown upon their own resources 1- I think that the sooner they are thrown 
upon their own resources t he better. 
4820 . Is it necessary to take charge of them the longer in that colony because 
there is no natural absorption for them as labourers ?-No; I think the sooner 
the people are put upon their own resources the sooner they begin to improve. 
4 82 1. They are now kept by the Government for six months ?- Yes. ~ 
4822. Do you think they might be sooner thrown upon their own resources? 
- For all good purposeg for which they are now under the protection of the 
G0vernment, I think so. Immediately that they are compelled to provide for 
themselves they become active and intelligent . 
482$. Can they raise produce for themselves immediately ,-It mllst take a 
season before they can raise produce. 
4824. That is six months ?- Yes; but a man is not sent into the mountains 
till after he has been in the colony three months; but the next three months 
may be just the three months in the year in which he can do nothing towards 
cultivating his ground; then what is to be done with him at the end of the 
three months; he must live upon the bounty or generosity of his country 
people, and that is the way they get through life. 
482 5. Mr. Aldam.] Can they let themselves out to labour ' - No; a man 
when he finds himself in that position, must go and reside with his countrymen, 
and his countrymen provide him, in return for which he cuts wood and fetches 
water, and does any little work about the farm; after he has been so a few 
months or a year or two, he begins to fancy that he may carryon the same 
system for himself with ad"\'antage; he then gets a hut, and he gets a few new 
people to come and live with him, whom he uses in the same way. 
4826. Wbat necessity is there for the Government maintaining them at all' 
- None; I would say, till·ow them upon their own resources at once. 
48:2i. The day after they are liberated ' -The day after they are liberated. 
4828. :Mr. Forster.] How can they provide themselves with the nece saries 
of life, if they are thrown upon their own resources before they have time to 
make any arrangement '-They positively do so in the case I mention; for 
instance, after the first tluee months are over, the man is sent up the country; 
he arriyes in the mountains or in tile district villages, just about the end of 
the rainy season; he can do nothing with his ground to raise pro"\'isions for 
himself for some months, then he lives in the way I have stated, upon the 
generosity of his country people; and if you threw him off your hands imme· 
diately he was liberated, he would find the same support. My recommendation 
was always to throw him upon his own resources instantly. 
4829. Chairman.] And you would feel no apprehension of cases of starm-
tion ari ing ?-Not the slightest. 
4830. Viscount Eb1·ington.] Is there anything analogous to our Poor Law 
establishment in Sierra Leone ~-No. 
4831. Chairman.] Do not the Government emplo), them )-Ther employ 
them for the first three months in clearing the streets, and in carrying lime 
and sandstone for buildings in erection. 
4832. Would not you think it desirable to ha"\'e a period of labour of th~t 
kind, pre"ious to their heing ntircly upon their own resources I- It mar SUlt 
the con\'enicnce of Goyermucnt, but it is of no ad"antage to the men theill-
seb·es. 
4833. VLcount Ebri"gfoll.] Do not you tbink that at the proper rate of wages 
that are usually given in the colony it would be advantageous t? th~ Gm'ern-
mcnt to oifer <.>ooployment to those that need it, for a certalO time after 
their arrival in the colony?-If you could find advantageous employment 
for them; hut it is a 10 s, even in a pecuniary point of ,iew, for Go\'ernment 
to ellgnge men in that way; I would engage with 100 nwn at .J. d. a dar, to. do 
twicl' as lUuch work as you can with 200 men at 2d. n dar; I at~ speak\l1~ 
advisccUy from documents and notes I ha,'c made upon the subject m)'sdl, 
, that 
SELECT CmDIITIEE O~ "-'EST COAST OF AFRICA. 2jJ 
t.b~t of every 100 m.en I bad in pay in tbat way, at least 50 men -were inef- Jr. H""u/tun, E'~. 
ficlent, and the remaming 50 -were half of them unwilling labourer. 
4834. Mr. El'ons.] Do you think the liberated Africans immediately upon 7 June l"~; 
their landing are in a tate of health generally to undertake the service that 
are required ?-No. . 
4835. Ought not ,ome time to be allowed to them on that account :-It is 
not so; the} are sent off immediately if tbey can do any work at all; if they 
are not reportNl ick by the doctor, they are sent out upon this work. 
4 g;3(). "\.re not a large portion of them reported sick )-1\ great many the 
fir,t few days. 
4 R37. :\Ir.  .t11d(lm.] If immediately a negro -was liberated you throw him 
upon his own resources, what cour e -would he take ?-He "'ould find people 
that "'ould support him for his cutting wood and fetching water; that i the 
e,\isting ,tate of society in the colony. 
4838. (,lwinnall.] Are you of opinion that the complete machinery of the 
African department might be got rid of in a great degree I-You must have 
some sort of police to keep order in the place. 
4839. 'Would it require assistant superintendents, managers, and overseers) 
-1 should say that you must have a police force and the magistrates. 
4840. Then those officer' thus enumerated by Dr. :\ladden, would, in a great 
degr"e, bl' required for the police ervice of the colony ?- I think so. 
4~41. :\lr. 1<'0rstl'l'.l The magi trates would be required?-Yes; I do not ee 
that yon can do away the persons mentioned in that article. 
-I'.p. :\Ir. lld(llll.J The " colonial engineer" is the officer called the ' ur-
VI')OT of hic;hll'ar in this country I-Yes; I was in that office myself. 
4~4J. Clllurll/an.] Are there many uch I-There is the colonial surveyor, 
und }w is allon'ed an (1);. istant. 
4/{-H. How many hospital accountants are there ?-There is a hospital mute, 
and he has al '0 an accountant. 
4~L'5. Only one ?-Yes. 
4846. Chief clerks, first, econd, and third -writer, do you think those are 
more than are required ?-No, they are necessary for the office, if you have an 
immense number of slave imported, to keep the account ; when I was in it 
we had seven d erk '; I do not think that you could do "ith less than first, 
'econe!, and third, and even fourth. 
4847. Mr. Porster.] You do not agree \\ith Dr.iUaddm in his opinions upon 
the subject I -I do not. 
4848. Arc you of opinion, that if those officers mentioned were dismissed, 
other appointments must be made, which would create an expense equal in 
amount to the saving I-I do. 
484~). Chairm(lll. ] But if you altered the system, so as to throw the liberated 
\fricans earlier upon thcir own resourc('>, would not that diminish in some 
degree the amount of superintendence required ?-]\:o; you must still have thc 
,nnw officers as r('g-anL~ the magistrate~, and you must still have some of the 
""istnnt superinten'dents and clerks in the duties of the office; tlwre must be 
'Olll" register kept of tho:-iC' people. . 
43 ill. Durinu: this probationary period of ,1X months, there is some particuL'lr 
_up, rilltl'ndlll<'(' (,'.prcised owr the liberated .\fricans, b there not ?-They nre 
,\1]1 I'i nt\'lIt\('d as labourers ent out to ,york every morning under the colonial 
t'ngllH'('r 
4 1'· Do} on think that if upon their aniyal the _'..fricans were immediately 
d\'I'C'rsl'd tlmmu:hout the colon~, that superintendence would not be required I 
-1 ll, I lin not. 
~"il. '1I1l, for' no ehanp:c in the system would giyc the pmH'l' of econo-
mi:dnu: Ilnwh in th(' machinery of that department I-I think not: I think that 
llla<'h;ner~ Is 11l'Ct'"a,! for th~ pr('slTvation and order of tile colonr, 
4:iJ. luder the cir<'ulll,t:mccs of a ~rcat amount of new and raw lcbour 
b"ill' con,t: nth thru,t into the colon\'/-)(·s. 
4 ~ I Dr. \(lddt II 'a~', that the ;, parment of the 20-<. fec III~ Ie by thp 
lIa,ll r on n l"h inp: a liberated '..frican a an apprentice, i: looked upon a' a 
pU\ 11,. lit nUll!. for th. purchase of the frt'edom of tll(' child ; .. and he sm s, tilat 
.. t h. in hUlce, ,ln' b, un mcnn. r' rc "here the children haH' lwen 801d to f 
I I1dill~( t", nnd h \c bl' n carried into layer), and :1!;ain cnpturull,.\ n Ir 
\ ith all defcrl'nce to Dr. )l:ulden, I "hould doubt It ycr) Iruch. 
)114 4'55· He 
272 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 
W. Hmrdllolt, Esq. 485.5. He says, " Lieutenant Hill, of the Saracen, is cognisant of one case of 
capture, where an emancipated negro had been three times captured and eman-
'; June 1842. cipated." Are you aware of any instances similar to that ?-I was connected 
with that office upwards of three years, and during that time not less than 
about 12,000 passed through my hands, but in no one case did I ever see or 
hear of a person that had been captured before out of that number. 
4856. Do you coincide in the recommendation given by Dr. Madden, that 
the apprenticeship of the liberated African children should be done away with 
totally, except in Freetown, and there only to artisans, upon whose proper 
treatment of the apprenticed children some European householder should bea 
guarantee, and that the hospital at Kissy should be converted into an establish-
ment for the education, maintenance, and instruction in useful trades, of all 
children of this class, up to the age of 14 years '-I agree with that part of it 
in which he recommends doing away the apprentice system altogether; it is 
the "ery worst system that can be devised; it is no better than slavery. With 
regard to confining it to Freetown, there are many persons who would treat 
apprentices very well, and who are instructing them as carpenters 01' masons,. 
or some useful employment. With regard to conYerting the hospital at Kissy 
into an establishment fOl' education, I should say that would not be desirable at 
all . If you apprenticed them out to artisans in Freetown, you would exhaust 
the supply of persons who could take charge of those children with any adyan-
tage. 
4857. But you would do away with the system of apprenticeship altogether: 
-Yes_ 
4858. How would rou dispose of the children '-That is the difficulty; if 
you send them to school, the Government schools to which those liberated 
African children are sent are not worthy the name of schools; in many cases 
there are not e,en books by which they can be taught. and the native teachers 
are incapable of instructing a child to any extent; in fact, they are merelv 
made use of to be sent into farms to culti.-ate cassada and yams, and produc'e 
of that kind. 
. 4859. How would rou provide for the subsistence and care of the child with-
out apprenticeship :-If you apprentice bim, you apprentice bim to a man who 
is no better than a slaye himself; and if you retain him under the Government, 
11(' is a burden upon the GO'l'ernment. 
4StiO. How is the man to whom he is apprenticed not better than a sla'l'e 
himself ?-I mean in moral habits and ideas. 
486). Mr. TV, Patten.] He teaches his apprentice nothing ?-Nothing at all; 
he merely employs him in cultivating provisions. 
4862. Chairman .] Is the number of children dispo ed of annually in Sierra 
Leone considerable ,-Yes; it depends upon the importation of sla,-es. 
4863. Can rou tate at all what number there has been in different rears? 
- I have not got the number of children particularized. 
4864. Can you state at all the proportion ,-I should say, boys and girls, 
one-half the cargo of the hip. 
4~6.5. A1:e there ' orne years in which rou hare had more than a couple of 
thousand of those children to dispose of:-Yes. 
4866. Mr. 11'. Patten.] What leads you to say that, under such circuill-
st2.nces, this system of apprenticesbip is mischierous; ,,'hat can you do better 
for them ?-That i the difficulty. 
4867. Do not you think that, under these circumstances, the system of 
apprenticeship is a' good a provision as you can make for them ?-No; I shoul.d 
say, send them away to the " 'e t Indie , where they would be in the receipt of 
sevell or dght or nine dollars a month. 
48G8. Is 1I0t the system of apprenticeship a )' tem of protection to a child, 
a far as it goe :- 0 far a it goes. . 
48G9. Chairman.] But you would prefer seeing the children going off to a 
COllllllunity, like that of the West Indies, where their labour is in great request, 
and where ther!' are considerable mean of in truction?-Ye• . 
4~iO. 1\nd where the negroes thelll eh'es are in a higher. state of ci,-iliza-
tion 'I-Yes, they certainly are; I know it from my own expenence. 
487)· 1\rc they so in 'Trinidad ?-lnfinitely so. 
4$72. Is not Trinidad under les adrantageou circulll tances in that rcspl'ct 
than most of the colonies, from liming had a morc mixed population, and the 
sltH''' 
SELECT CO~nII'ITEE ON WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 273 
.Iaye trade having continued longer there than in our older colonies ?-I can- W. Hamilton, Esq. 
not tipea~ comparatively, but I hould ay that the labouring people in Trini-
dad are m a far superior state of ciruization to the people in ierra Leone. 7 June 184" 
4873. Mr. A/dam.] If you took a child to Trinidad without anv of his con-
nexion" what would you do with him ?-People would be glad to take them for 
domestic servants, or to employ them on the plantations; you can make no 
USf' of them in Sierra Leone. 
4874. Mr. Forster.] You say that the masters employ those apprentices in 
raising provisions for their use; is it your opinion that that system tends to 
promote indolence on the part of the master ?-Ye , and his family too. 
4875. Chairmon] Those apprentices come, in fact, very much into the con-
dition of hewer,; of wood and dra"ers of water? - Thev are literally that. 
4876. Mr. AMam.] How are they treated;-u pOli the average they are 
treated pretty fairly; there have been of course cases of cruelty, and sometimes 
the parties have been executed for treating their apprentices cruelly. 
4~77. Does the master punish his own apprentice, or take him before orne 
magbtrate ?-A a general rule, they are bound to take them before a magis-
trate; they do that ometimes, but the magistrate is tired of punishing uch 
cases, and the man is tired of bringing the apprentice, and he punishes him 
himself. I can say from my experience that that is the result of it. 
4878. Mr. Forster,] From your experience of those liberated Africans, have 
lht'}' appt'art'd to you to be a humane and docile race of people '-I think they 
an' a particularly docile set of people. 
4871). And with proper opportunitie of imprm'ement, would become an 
industrlouti and micful people ?-I bave no doubt of it . 
~~:-;o. lou ,aid that they do not appear to bring with them much of the 
,ulwr, titions of their native countries ?-If they do, they abandon them soon 
nfll'r tit ir arri,-al. 
~~K I. Do you attribute that partly to the great mixture of races, which 
m'utralizc , in a great degree, the peculiar uper titions of the different tribes? 
-1 do not know what to attribute it to, but they are very fond of frequenting 
the churches and chapels. 
4882. They never attempt to offer a human sacrifice ?-I never heard of such 
a thing. 
4883. Have they auy fetish house ?-Not in the colony. 
4884. Do they ever eat dirt, or use any of those practices that we have heard 
of among the West Indian slaves ?-They are very much given to eat dirt upon 
their first lauding, and no doubt that practice destroys a great many of them. 
48 ~ 5. Is it treated as a disease in the hospitals ?-1 believe it is. I have 
also detected men coming in ,vith dead dogs, and dead fo"ls, or a piece of dead 
horse umler thdr jackets to eat, when they have been returning from work. 
4RStl. Do those habits pass away after a short time ?-,Vter they leave the 
yard I ,10 not know w-hat becomes of them. 
4RR7. You did not h('ar of such practices prevailing in the colony?- '0. 
~RRS. ~[r. Por·ter.] Do you think Lhey bring those habits with them from 
their noth., count1"\' I·-Yes. 
4' ~t]. Chairlllan:] _\re they the cffect of disease i-I cannot offer an opinion 
upon ih:>t: hut I imap;ine they bring it \vith them. 
I'·'W. 'Iou do not know whether the doctors in the hospital treat it as a 
dis, (IS(' ,- I nt positively. 
~"q I It has b,'en ~u~gested to remove the ho pital from Kiss)' to Freetown; 
\lnul;' that Iw a~eeable to the people of Freetown /-1 do not know w'hether it 
"bul,1 11<' ngT",'abl., to the people of Freetown, but I always observed that when 
th,') ha'" R' nt a ~Cl1t numbu of persons from Freetown to the hospital at 
I-i.,\", tIlt' Ut t morning they would haye a r('turn of a great number of deaths. 
1 :ujlpose that with pt',,-ple starting in a state of e"ha~s?on, the wry act of 
" alkill~ out th('rl' that dIstance must haye the effect of killmg them. 
4,'t]~. "hat is tl1o' di.,tanc~ '-Three miles:. " _. 
4' q l. Tlwll you attnbute It not to '1nythmg m the SItuatIon of KISSY, but 
to tll dLt nee thcy haH' tn \\alk :-Yes; poor people with dysentery and other 
.Ii'ea" ~ lIjlou thelll, "alking at t\\O or three o'clock in the afternoon, and they 
nrc f.'rl' ·Il to keep pal'c with each other; I tri~d once a system of ending the1ll 
ill a canoe, but they "ere so awkward in the boats, and they disliked going 
(l i' X" upon