OUR COMMERCE WITH AFRICA. 391 



where the expenditure has been reduced from 

 thirty thousand to three thousand five hundred 

 per annum, and it might be adopted at the 

 Gambia and Sierra Leone with similar results. 



My proposal is to make the government head- 

 quarters at Fernando Po, which, from its geo- 

 graphical position, is the key to Central Africa, 

 and within a few miles of the great seats of our 

 present commerce on the coast : it is also the 

 only place upon the whole line of coast upon which 

 hospitals and other conveniences could be erected, 

 far above the reach of the coast fever, where in- 

 valids from the naval, military, and civil esta- 

 blishments from all parts of the coast might 

 recruit their health in a pure and bracing atmo- 

 sphere. The sovereignty of Fernando Po belongs 

 to the Spaniards, who, having no settlement 

 there, could not object to conveying it to us 

 upon a proper representation being made : or if 

 they did object, it could be taken possession of 

 in repayment of a portion of the debt due to 

 this country by the present government of 

 Spain. 



Supposing that the Gambia and Sierra Leone 

 were put upon the same footing as Cape Coast 

 Castle, I would recommend that a Governor- 



