53 
the mangrove bark in the colony, in 
consequence of the information received 
from the Institution, in the hands of one 
of the Nova-Scotians. He reports, that 
he never saw bark like it [meaning, so 
good} tn America. | 
“ Oxen have beem employed in the 
Service of government with great suc- 
cess, and may probably be applied in 
many ways which have not hitherto, been 
thought of.” 
“ The plants which arrived from the 
Institution, are, with the exception of a 
very few, in the most Hourishing condi- 
tion. The only plants which it appears 
of considerable importance to replace, 
@re the two tea-trees, neither of which 
have succeeded. The mulberry-trees 
have succeeded without exception. 
« Jn the situation where the plants 
nt last from England are placed, we 
ae a small crop of red and white clo 
ver, and another of wheat, which ap- 
pears to promise well, 
*< Tt has occured to me,” adds the go- 
wernor, “that Sierra Leone would be 
a very advantageous temporary resi- 
dence for any person intending to dedi- 
cate himself to the advancement of the 
knowledge of Africa, both on account of 
the salubrity of the climate, and the ac- 
guaintance to be gained with the man- 
ners and customs of the country. There 
are, perhaps, few things that would be 
more beneficial to this colony than the 
introduction of a scientific man, who 
could deseribe the animal and vegetable 
productions of this part of the globe 
with accuracy. There can be no doubt 
that there is in this country a mass of 
unknown treasures, which want only sci- 
entific examination to be discovered.” 
The directors have also received a let- 
ter, contaiming much important infor- 
mation respecting a district Of the Gold 
Coast, from Mr. Meredith—the same 
gentleman who has furnished an article 
in theAppendix to theirlast Report. Mr. 
Meredith states, that the beneficial ef- 
fects which miyht be expected to follow 
the abolition of the slave trade by Great 
Britain, have been greatly impeded by 
the continuance of #, though on a re- 
duced -scale, by other nations. Accu- 
satiuns, predatory wars, &c. are not so 
frequent as formeriy; but kidnapping, 
he adds, is still practised. ‘That the in- 
, RA are more industrious, and that 
they have more confidence in their per 
‘sonal safety, he thinks is clearly observ- 
able. In short, the effects which hare 
flowed from even @ partial abolition of 
The Africon Institution. 
[Auge 14 
thé slave trade, seem to him to prove 
that a total abolition would be attended 
with many more beneficial consequences 3. 
for though the export of slaves from 
Africa be now comparatively trifling, yet 
it keeps alive on the Coast many of the 
mal-practices which would otherwise 
cease. The total abolition, he observes, 
is therefore necessary. 
With the exception of the letters al- 
ready referred ta, the directors have had 
little information from Africa, excepting. 
what relates to the peinful subject of. 
the slave trade, to which they have al- 
ready adverted; and they are under cons 
siderable apprehensions lest much of 
what they attempted tu do for Africa 
should be counteracted by the influence 
of that pernicious traffic. 
time, enough at least has been done to 
prove the practicability of success, in 
case fair scope should be afforded to 
their efforts, by the removal of this grand 
barrier to all improvement and to. all 
happiness. In particular, the directors 
have continued to receive the most satis« 
factory proofs that Africans are as suse 
ceptible of intellectual and moral cul- 
ture as the natives of any other quarter 
of the globe: but they feel persuaded 
that the members of this Institution re- 
quire no fresh facts or illustrations ta 
convince them of this truth. 
The directors are unwilling to omit, in. 
their report, the relation of an_interest- 
ing circumstance which occurred a fevg 
months ago at Liverpool. 
Some time in the month of September 
last, Mr. Roscoe was informed thatnine 
black men were confined in the borough 
gaol of Liverpool for debt; and on fur- 
ther inquiry he learned that they had been 
arrested by the master of a Portuguese 
vessel from the Brazils, then in the port, 
for the purpose, as was supposed, of 
keeping them in safe custody until his ship 
should beready for sea. As it appeared 
clearly that in such a case no debt could 
exist, Mr. Roscoe engaged two friends 
to put in bail fer the defendants; but 
before an order was obtained for their 
discharge, the master and his agents, 
being aware of these proceedings, sur- 
rounded the gaol with a great number.of 
Portuguese seamen and other persons, 
armed, for the purpose of seizing the 
prisoners; and the attormey for the mas- 
ter sent an order to the gaoler to dise — 
charge them. 
The black men, however, were ape 
“prised of their danger; their fellow-pri. 
soners declared they should not be taken 
away 
In the mean 
/ 
