Liberia ««- 



either through the negligence or the connivance of his guardians, 

 to escape. An English steamer was anchored off Monrovia, 

 and it is said that the ex-President removed nearly all his 

 clothing, in the hope that he might be mistaken for an ordinary 

 native or Kruboy boarding the ship for work. Around his 

 waist was a belt, said to have been heavily charged with 

 sovereigns, which of course it was further alleged were part 

 of the loan. He attempted to cross the breakers in a native 

 canoe and thus reach the steamer ; but the canoe was badly 

 steered and capsized, and the unfortunate Roye was drowned. 



As regards the loan, no very clear account exists as to 

 the precise sum in money which actually reached the Liberian 

 treasury. The estimate has been put as high as _^2 7,000 

 (out of the theoretical _^ 100,000). Assuming that ^70,000 

 was really found by the London bankers, three years' interest 

 was apparently retained or deducted by them from the ^70,000, 

 This would reduce the amount to be handed over in cash to 

 ^49,000. But of this sum again several thousands of pounds 

 were represented by trade goods and ^/^ 12,000 was paid in more 

 or less bad paper, in bills which could only be cashed at a 

 terribly high discount. A good deal of the money seems to 

 have disappeared with Roye, and a small sum which was being 

 brought out by W. S. Anderson was further diminished before 

 it reached the Liberian treasury owing to his flight to St. 

 Paul de Loanda, from which place he refused to return to 

 Liberia unless he was guaranteed against prosecution. One 

 way and another, it is perhaps a generous estimate to suppose 

 that ^27,000 in money reached Liberia out of this unfortunate 

 loan. Against this sum bonds had been issued to the extent 

 of ^80,000, chiefly by President Roye's Government. It is 

 doubtful indeed whether bonds to the extent of nearly 

 j^ 1 00,000 were not in circulation, but a considerable proportion 



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