stock, whereas that profitable trade is at present in the hands of the Americans; our Government pay an enormous price, and our Islands are very ill supplied. When we were at Barbadoes, no fresh beef could be obtained, (though there is an Order in favour of purchasing for Ships from the Coast of Africa,) and the squadron on that Station had not any fresh beef for several weeks. To facilitate and protect our Trade on that Coast, I would strongly recommend our obtaining from the Portuguese Government 2 Islands, either St. Jago or St. Nicholas, off the Cape de Verd Islands, and St. Thomas on the Equator. The first would not only answer for a safe depot for our Merchants trading to that part of the Coast, but would afford pasture for the cattle; from whence they could be transported to our West India Islands, and supply our outward-bound Ships and Western Cruizers with refreshments. It would open the Cattle Trade to our Merchants, at the expense of America; and would prevent our Enemy making it their haunt in War, by which they are enabled to elude our Cruizers, and continue longer at sea. Several American Privateers refitted at these Islands, and also their Frigates, one of which remained at Brava upwards of a week. St. Thomas, on the Equator, is a very fine fruitful Island, about the size of the Isle of Wight; it abounds in cattle, goats, hogs, poultry, and fruit of every description; the sugar-cane grows in the most luxuriant manner, and the coffee is very superior to the West Indian. There is a very good Port for Merchant Vessels, and 2 good Bays for Ships of War; and it is so situated, that the Ships from the Gold Coast can fetch it from the starboard tack, the wind being in general from S. to S. W.; and it is the most desirable part for Ships to sail from, if bound up the Coast, to Europe or to the West Indies, as by keeping to the Southward of the Equator, you have the wind at South, and sometimes at S. S. E. The Inconstant went from St. Thomas's to Sierra Leone, a distance of 1,300 miles, directly to windward, in 10 days. If a Vessel attempts to keep nearer the Coast, she gets into the influence of the westerly winds, and a strong current always going to the eastward. The Brisk Sloop of War was — weeks going from Cape Formosa to Sierra Leone, by keeping the coast on board. This Island is also well situated for a very profitable Trade to the Rivers Gaboon and St. John's, or River Danger. It would also be superior, as a Settlement for the captured Negroes, to Sierra Leone, not only from its climate, and being an Island, but from its being directly in the vicinity of where the Slave Trade is carried on; whereas, as I have before stated, Sierra Leone is in every respect the most unfit and worst situation on the whole Coast. This Island was formerly very flourishing, and in a high state of cultivation, particularly sugar-cane, until the Brazil Trade became so extensive, that it induced all the Planters, and most of the principal Inhabitants, to leave the Island and go over to that Continent. I beg leave to mention one other circumstance, which I think injurious to the mercantile interest of this Country, which is the prohibition of Arms and Gunpowder into Africa; as, however laudable the motive may be, the desired end is not obtained, and it has only transferred a very lucrative trade from our own Subjects into the hands of the Danes, Dutch, &c., who, by importing these very Articles, are enabled, as I have before mentioned, to undersell and monopolize the trade, to the great prejudice of our own Merchants, some of whom evade the Order in Council by clearing out for Madeira, land their Cargo at that Island, and procure a Certificate from the British Consul of having done so, which Certificate he is obliged to grant; it it is then re-shipped in the same Vessel, and proceeds to the Coast. I have the honour, &c., John Wilson Croker, Esq. JAMES LUCAS YEO. No. 2.-Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo to J. W. Croker, Esq. His Majesty's Ship Inconstant, SIR, Off Cape Coast Castle, 12th March, 1817. I BEG leave to inform you, for their Lordships' information, that having landed the Specie at Sierra Leone, I sailed from that River on the 21st of January to visit our different Settlements on the Coast, and to look after an Armed Schooner under Spanish Colours, who had plundered an English Brig and several other Vessels, but without success; for though there is little or no doubt but most of the Armed Vessels under Spanish Colours, trading for Slaves, are guilty of Piracy, yet it is very difficult, if not impossible, to detect them in the act. This is neither the only nor the least evil our trade has and will suffer from so extensive a Slave Trade under the Spanish Flag, for now they feel their own security and do not fear any molestation; they do not hesitate to take their Slaves on board in the vicinity, and even between the British Forts; the consequence will be, that they will supply the Natives with every article they stand in need of, (Arms and Powder included,) at a much cheaper rate than our Merchants can afford to do, and will revive a Traffic, which is certainly most popular with every African I have seen. The Natives at our different Forts begin already to hope for a participation in the Trade. I am sorry to say that these Vessels receive great encouragement and assistance from the Dutch Governor in Chief, Daendels; and as Elmina is only 7 miles from Cape Coast Castle, it cannot fail to prove productive of most mischievous effects to our Settlements. Having visited our Forts, and run the Coast down as far to the Southward as the River Gaboon, I proceeded to the Island of St. Thomas's for refreshments and water; after a stay of three days, I sailed thence on the 7th, and arrived here yesterday, where I expected to meet the Cherub, but find that, being short of provisions, she had quitted the Coast for England 5 days before my arrival. Being aware that there are a number of British Vessels trading on the Coast, I deem it expedient to remain for their protection, until the rains are about to commence, which is the beginning of May, when I shall quit the Coast and proceed to England, agreeably to my Instructions. I have the honour to be, &c. John Wilson Croker, Esq. JAMES LUCAS YEO. No. 3.-Commodore Sir J. L. Yeo to J. W. Croker, Esq. (Extract.) His Majesty's Ship Inconstant, On the Coast of Africa, 12th May, 1817. I AM happy to inform you, that a few days before my departure from Cape Coast, 3 of the Company's Officers had proceeded up the Country as an Embassy to the King of the Ashantees, one of whom is to remain there as a Resident Factor. I am convinced that this is the only way by which we can ever obtain, either a knowledge of the Country, or its Inhabitants, or hope to benefit the one or civilize the other; and though these Gentlemen will no doubt obtain very useful information, yet I am more certain in my own mind that, under the present system, there is no prospect, nay, no possibility, of our acquiring any great national honour, or commercial advantages in Africa. I do not wish or intend to convey any thing to the prejudice of the Company's Servants, either as Men or Merchants; but I do contend, that they have neither the talent, enterprise, activity, or inclination for such an undertaking : few of them ever leave their store or shop during the day, it is their natural occupation; nor can it be expected they will sacrifice their own interests and health for the general good. In order to form a plan of operations calculated to discover new sources of commercial wealth, and to direct them towards the Coast, it will be necessary to establish a Government that can secure property, and that care be taken to select proper Officers and others to be employed; who ought to possess information, honour, and moral conduct, without which, I will venture to predict, all will prove futile, and unworthy the British Nation. John Wilson Croker, Esq. JAMES LUCAS YEO. No. 4.-Commodore Sir J. L. Yeo to J. W. Croker, Esq. (Extract.) His Majesty's Ship Inconstant, Barbadoes, 29th May, 1817. I Now proceeded off Cape Mount, and ran the Coast down as far as Cape Coast Castle; off the River Cavalley we visited 2 English Traders belonging to Liverpool, 1 of which had been plundered off Cape Mezurado, by a large armed Schooner under Spanish Colours, cruizing off there, taking in Slaves. A few days before our arrival at Cape Coast, a large armed Ship of 26 guns appeared off that Castle, and the Company's Officers, taking her for a Man-of-War, sent a Canoe on board; the Captain made most particular inquiries where the Inconstant was to be found, adding, that he had come to blow her out of the water. This Ship did not show any Colours, but was full of Men, and no doubt a Slave Ship under the Spanish Flag. John Wilson Croker, Esq. SIR, JAMES LUCAS YEO. No. 5.-Captain Fisher to J. W. Croker, Esq. His Majesty's Ship Bann, Sierra Leone, 21st April, 1816. I BEG leave to acquaint you, for the information of their Lordships, that the Bann captured, on the 16th of March last, off Princes' Island, the Portuguese Brig San Antonio, from Camaroon, bound to Bahia, with nearly 600 Slaves. To feed or attend such a number in a Vessel of 120 tons was impossible, and seldom has a more dreadful scene been witnessed than she presented in a passage of 80 leagues more than 30 had died, whilst at least an equal number appeared in a dying state; amidst a group of these unhappy creatures, in the last stage of misery and starvation, lay a neglected corpse, in a state too dreadful for description; this, too, in a most unhealthy climate, at the worst season, whilst tornadoes were frequent and violent, and the rains almost incessant. It is impossible, in the compass of a public Letter, to describe half the sufferings of these victims of oppression. By removing a large portion of them into His Majesty's Ship, by diet, cleanliness, and medical attendance, (of which they had hitherto been destitute) in short, by exerting every means in my power, and supplying them as well as the exhausted state of provisions permitted, being warmly supported by the humanity of my Officers and Men, I have succeeded in towing her hither with less loss than I had reason to apprehend. I have the pleasure to add, that I have not, during this service, lost one of my own Men. I trust their Lordships will approve my having come up with her; it was necessary to tow her up, or to abandon her to certain destruction: 43 died on the passage, notwithstanding all our care, and many more are still in a very precarious state. I am completing my water, and taking on board provisions, and shall proceed mediately for Barbadoes, in compliance with my Orders. I have, &c. John Wilson Croker, Esq. WILLIAM FISHER. (Extracts.) No. 6.-Captain Fisher to J. W. Croker, Esq. At Spithead, 4th July, 1816. THE Bann arrived at Goree, the 30th December, 1815; at Sierra Leone the 9th January instant: on the 12th, whilst refitting, I received intelligence that 2 Schooners were taking in Slaves at Gallinas; sailed next morning early, and on the 18th captured, as I had the honour to report, the American Schooner Rosa, under Spanish Colours, with 276 Slaves; I returned with her, and having completed my wood and water, &c. &c., proceeded on the 28th to cruize down the Coast, landing, on the application of Governor McCarthy, 60 Krou Men at Seltra Krou; arrived at Cape Coast Castle on the 17th February, and in compliance with an Application from Governor White proceeded to Axim, (the Application and Enclosures, with all the proceedings consequent thereon, I have enclosed for their Lordships' information); on the 29th February returned to Cape Coast, and having taken on board such gold and ivory as the Merchants wished to send, continued my cruize down the Coast, stopping one day at Accrah. On the 5th March, captured off Whydah (as I had the honour to report from Princes' Island), the Temerario, of 18 Guns and 80 men, and having repaired her damages, dispatched her on the 9th for Sierra Leone; arrived at Princes' Island on the 11th, completed our water and procured refreshments, and on the 15th, in the morning, proceeded for Gaboon; on the 16th, in the evening, still in sight of the Island (having been driven back by two tornadoes) captured the Portuguese Brig San Antonio, with nearly 600 Slaves on board, taken in at Camaroon, in violation of the Treaty, a Copy of which was on board her: this capture, with my reasons for going to Sierra Leone with her, I have had the honour to report. On the 25th April we were ready to proceed to Barbadoes; but I was induced by information to look into Gallinas before I quitted the Coast: off Sherbro' Island I fell in with a large armed Felucca, under Spanish Colours, which I was induced by circumstances to send into Sierra Leone. The Bann has captured 4 Slave Vessels, with 36 guns and 164 men; released 900 Slaves; and deprived them of the means of transporting 800 more, exclusive of La Neuve Aimable, a large Schooner under Spanish Colours, with 400 Slaves, which, having sprung a leak, bore up for Sierra Leone, and was boarded off the Harbour by the boats of the Colonial Brig and the Bann, His Majesty's Sloop Ferret being in company. John Wilson Croker, Esq. WILLIAM FISHER. |