832 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



the best of authorities on questions connected with Africa, had recommended 

 this course above all others, as that by which the land might be redeemed 

 from the slavery in which it is submerged. This scheme was supported, too, 

 by Lieutenant Cameron, who had traversed Africa from one end to the other, 

 and made himself practically acquainted with its fertile resources — fertile 

 beyond imagination. The Royal Geographical Society also endorsed the 

 recommendation for the regeneration of Africa, by means of commerce. 



" It was well known that England had expended millions of money and 

 thousands of lives in attempts at coercion to restrain this diabolical traffic, 

 but in vain, for that traffic still existed, and defied the might and power of 

 our country up to the present moment. But was it right that a private gentle- 

 man, who came forward in an undertaking of this nature, should encounter the 

 dangers and privations natural to such an enterprise, and should in addition 

 have thrust upon him its heavy pecuniary responsibilities ? Several influen- 

 tial gentlemen had suggested to him (the Mayor) that Mr. Cotterill should be 

 presented with a souvenir of Brighton, as a lasting remembrance of this his 

 latest visit to his native town. Such a course would enable Brighton to take 

 and maintain its stand as the first amongst all the towns of England to identify 

 themselves in this national project. He had therefore taken upon himself, 

 without the knowledge of Mr. Cotterill, to prepare books and to open accounts 

 at the banks for the reception and collection of subscriptions, and he trusted 

 that those present would subscribe in any way they pleased at the conclusion 

 of the present meeting." The Mayor then called upon Mr. H. B. Cotterill to 

 address the meeting. 



Me. H. B. Cotterill, who rose amidst considerable applause, said — " It 

 has given me the greatest pleasure to accept the invitation given by the 

 Mayor to revisit the town with which many of my earliest recollections are 

 associated. On many previous occasions I have spoken on the subject of 

 Africa and the slave trade, in which I have taken a deep interest during the 

 last two years. I have generally found it necessary to begin with a brief 

 general enumeration of the features of the continent, such as the relation 

 between the Lakes Nyassa and Nyanza, which are generally confounded the 

 one with the other. In the present case much of the responsibility is taken 

 off my shoulders, because you have present one better able to describe the 

 natural features of Africa, seeing he has himself traversed the whole of the 

 central parts of the continent, and is able to give us the latest intelligence 

 on the subject. I will therefore limit myself, after a brief consideration of 

 the outlines of the country, to these two points : — First, The question of the 

 slave traffic, the facts of which are but very little known, or if known, not 

 realised in proportion to their enormity. Secondly, I will speak of the spe- 

 cial method for its extirpation, with which I am at present identified. 



•''By means of this large map, for which I am indebted to the Anti-Sla,- 



