MERCANTILE EXPEDITION FROM LIVERPOOL. 19 
On the return of the Landers, from their remarkable 
and successful discovery of the outlet of the Niger ; they 
gave such a flourishing account of the quantity of 
ivory to be found on its banks, that some enterprising 
merchants of Liverpool — actuated by the spirit of legi- 
timate trade, which had assumed in that city, the excite- 
ment of the former traffic in human beings — fitted out 
an expedition for the purpose of ascertaining and 
opening out the resources of the country. In its com- 
mercial objects, this undertaking unfortunately proved 
a failure ; since the quantity of ivory obtained, did not 
at all justify the reports which had been given by 
Lander. It must, however, be considered — in forming 
an estimate of what might be obtained, by what he 
saw — that in passing through the country the quantities 
he found were doubtless, to a certain extent, accumula- 
tions from the want of demand, and the difficulty of 
exportation. 
This mercantile expedition — which Captain, then 
Lieutenant W. Allen, accompanied by order of the 
Admiralty, for the purpose of surveying the river — 
was composed of one small brig, to be stationed at 
the mouth of the river, to receive the expected cargo of 
ivory, and two steamers ; the smaller of which — the 
first iron vessel that had crossed the Atlantic — was 
built by Mr. McGregor Laird, whose family were 
large subscribers to the expedition, and who himself 
bore a considerable share in the conduct of it, though 
the nominal command was held by Mr. Richard Lander. 
c 2 
