STATE OF TiïE ENGLISH COMPANY. 
^7 
This company sustained a ^reat loss by the death of alder- 
man of Free-town, named Tliomas Cooper, who was oi the 
African race : the Blacks considered him as their common father, 
and still weep after him. 
Every means is adopted to enlarge and accomplish the expec- 
tations of the colonists ; and with this view different lands of 
instruction are given. Amongst other efforts towards civilization, 
may be mentioned a printing- oilice, at which is published once a 
fortnight a newspaper, called the Sierra Leone Gazette. 
The principal productions of this colony are sugar-canes^ Cay- 
enne pepper, cotton, ginger, and coffee; the last of which is as 
good as that Irom the Levant. The animals which they endea- 
vour principally to breed are asses and cows; but there is muck 
difficulty to extend the race of those useful quadrupeds. 
Such is tiie present state of the English company : it has ex- 
perienced misfortunes foreign and domestic, which have threaten- 
ed its existence ; and it has encountered enormous losseg, which have 
consumed great parts of its fund. From a comparison of the 
sams already mentioned, it will appear that the money which has 
been employed or lost amomits to 17o,352l. The company, ne- 
vertheless, is powerful ; its means are more proportionate than its 
wants, and its enterprise is too great to be ruined by a few in- 
jm ies; while by gradually proceeding with firmness, it will attain 
its objects. 
All the institutions of this company, and its great exertions to 
promote the happiness of the Africans, are founded on the abo- 
lition of the slave trade. It is evident that without this praise- 
^Yorthy resource, it promises itself nothing from all the undertak- 
ings and sacrifices which it makes to support them ; but not- 
withstanding its wishes, it is surrounded with several establish- 
ments entirely devoted to the slave trade, and vessels are conti- 
nually arriving for the same purpose : so that this trade is carried 
on under the very eyes of the company, with the same ardour as 
ever. \et this society is equally as sanguine as it was at first, re- 
specting the abolition of the slave trade, which it liopcs to see 
accomplished ; and therefore continues its labours w ith imshakcn 
fortitude, and the resolution to do nothing but what it pledged 
itself to perform. It has, however, shewn us that it cannot at- 
tach to the soil the Negroes wliich have been brought from Nov;i 
Scotia, and they have retired to Free-town for the purposes of 
traffic. Hence the question naturally presents itself — by wiioni 
can the company have its grounds cultivated? On this subject it 
i« silent ; but I think 1 can give an answer. 
1 have said that the population of Africa is composed of one- 
fourth free men and three-fourths slaves. It is an adinitted Ltv\\ 
Ûiht the free Negroes never work; it is therefore necessary to eui- * 
