THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. :

VOL. IV.] Saturday, February 28, 1818.

[No. 23.

ELEVENTH REPORT OF THE AFRICAN INSTITUTION.

STATE OF THE SLAVE TRADE.

French West Indies.

The Directors, in their last Annual Report, informed the subscribers, that by an additional article to the Treaty with France, of November 1815, the High Contracting Parties agreed to concert, without loss of time, by their Ministers at London and Paris, the most efficacious measures, for the entire and immediate abolition of the slave trade. In furtherance of this object, the King of France has recently issued an ordinance, by which every vessel, whether French or Foreign, that shall attempt to introduce negroes into any of the French Colonies, shall be confiscated; and the Captain, if a Frenchman, shall be deemed incapable of afterwards holding a command. The whole cargo is in like manner subject to confiscation, although it does not consist of slaves; and the negroes thus imported are directed to be employed on the public works in the Colony. The Directors earnestly hope that this decree may immediately be carried into complete effect.

Their anxiety on this subject has been recently much increased, by their having learnt, from unquestionable authority, that in direct violation of the treaty of November, 1815, negroes have been lately imported into some of the French ndia Islands in considerable numbers; and that several vessels have been fitted out, by French subjects, for the purpose of procuring a further supply of slaves for those islands.

Several instances of this kind are detailed. It is then added ;A representation on this subject has been made to his Majesty's Ministers; and the Directors trust that measures will be taken to induce the French Government, effectually 'to prevent, in future, so flagrant a violation of its recent decree against this traffic. Without this, such infractions of a solemn treaty are likely to increase to an unbounded degree.

The Directors have again to regret, that they are unable to state any thing satisfactory to the general meeting, respecting the further restriction of the Slave Trade, carried on by Portuguese subjects. That trade still exists to a very great extent. 1

Spain.

The subscribers will recollect, that a treatise on the slave trade, as applied to the circumstances of Spain, and her Colonies, written by Mr. Blanco White, was some years ago printed, by order of the Directors. For a long time, great difficulties were o opposed

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354 11th Report of the African Institution of London.

to the circulation of this Essay in Spain, and her dependencies: but an opportunity having recently occurred, of distributing a considerable number of copies, it was thankfully embraced by the Board; and they have reason to believe that the impression produced amongst some of the leading persons in the Government of Spain, by the perusal of the treatise in question, has been highly favourable to the cause of the abolition. A further supply of copies has since been called for, and has been readily furnished to those persons whose weight and influence in the Spanish Councils may, and as the Directors hope, will speedily lead to the total abolition of the Spanish Slave Trade. At present, however, it is not in their -power to announce any alteration in the arrangement between this country and Spain, as to the limits within which the latter shall be permitted to carry on that trade; but they hope, and rather expect, that some progress has already been made towards a satisfactory change in this point.

Isle of Bourbon.

The Directors have already communicated to the General Meeting, the information which they have received relative to the Slave Trade, carried on in the French West India Colonies. It appears to be still pursued to a considerable extent, in the remote Island of Bourbon, where more facilities, and fewer obstacles to it exist, than in the Western Seas.

Isle of France.

Nor is this illicit traffic confined to French subjects, in the eastern quarter of the world. The Subscribers were last year informed, that a considerable Slave Trade, was carried on to the British Colony of the Isle of France, as well as to the French Colony of Bourbon. The Directors had entertained a hope that this trade, if not entirely eradicated, would ere this, have been very materi ally checked. In this hope they have been disappointed; and they conceive that a serious inquiry ought to be set on foot, respecting the causes of its having increased, rather than diminished, since that time.

Captain Curran, of his Majesty's ship Tyne, has been very ac tive in repressing this trade, more especially on the coast of Mada gascar; the particulars of which are detailed.

In reporting to Governor Farquhar the capture of L'Elenore, belonging to St. Denis in the Island of Bourbon, with 137 slaves on board, bound from Tamatave, in Madagascar, to the Isle of France, Captain Curran writes:

"To us, sir, who have witnessed their crowded state, it is a matter of surprise that such a number could have existed even so long, respiring a most suffocating and impure atmosphere in the hold of a small vessel, in which so many were heaped together. As soon as day light rendered objects discernible, a considerable number of those wretched beings were observed thronged together in acom

Java Benevolent (African) Institution.

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pact mess, upon the centre of the vessel's deck; from the impossibility, I presume, of cramming any more of them below. On their removal to the Tyne, they were many of them, in a state of extreme debility and emaciation; but I trust, under the humane attention of the surgeon of this ship, they will soon recover.

"The trans-shipping this cargo of human wretchedness, I could sir, cordially have wished it had been witnessed by the Philanthro pic founders of the Institution in England. for carrying into effect the acts of Abolition; and by those who bave conferred so much honour on themselves, and upon the nation, by their perseverance through every obstacle, until they carried that measure: once at least they could not have failed to enjoy the solid reward of their labours."

The Report states that the good dispositions of the Chief of Tamatave, Jean Rene, co-operate in prohibiting the exportation of slaves from Madagascar; and adds the following circumstance:

Just as the Tyne anchored at Tamatave, two of the native Princes, brothers to the King of Ovas, arrived with a commissioner, who had been specially deputed by Governor Farquhar to conduct them to the Isle of France. A number of artifices had been employed to prevent their proceeding thither, and to excite their jealousy and distrust. These, however, were effectually counteracted by the address of Captain Curran, and the firmness of the Princes themselves; and they accordingly took their passage in the Tyne for the Isle of France. They were on board of that vessel when she chased and captured L'Elenore; and it appears that the circumstances of this transaction, and particularly the emaciated condition of the slaves, bearing strong marks of ill treatment, and the care taken of the sick, when removed to the Tyne, had so forcibly arrested the attention of the Princes and their attendants, that Captain Curran regards their presence on this occasion as a favourable coincidence, which he did not fail to improve. They were. afterwards safely landed at Port Louis, together with their suite, consisting of more than thirty persons, among whom were some of the confidential servants of the King of Ovas, and were received by Governor Farquhar with marked distinction; and it was understood to be his intention to endeavour by means of this embassy, to prevent, as far as possible, the practice of bringing down slaves from the interior of the Island of Madagascar, for sale to the traders on the coast, and particularly at Tamatave, in the dominions of the King of Ovas.

By the information of the crew of an American schooner, it appeared that there were great numbers of similar vessels at the Havanna, fitting out for the Slave Trade; and that slave vessels were arriving there from the Coast of Guinea, at an average of from four to six per month.

.. JAVA BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

"The Directors, at the last meeting, called the attention of the Subscribers to a Slave Trade, carried on in the Malayan Seas

356 Address of the Prudential Committee of the

They regret to find that this trade, which is of considerable magnitude, still exists there. But it will be no small satisfaction to the meeting to learn, that an Institution has been recently established at Batavia, having for its object the prevention of the Slave Trade, and the eventual abolition, of Slavery in the Eastern Islands. That Society, which is called "The Java Benevolent Institution," is founded on the plan of the African Institution at home; and the manner in which its humane founders speak of the labours of this Society, affords some compensation for the calumnies of late so plentifully heaped upon it in this country. This intelligence was communicated to the Board by Mr. Raffles, the late enlightened and benevolent Governor of Java, by desire of the Java Committee; who took the same opportunity of addressing a letter to the Secretary, with a printed account of their proceedings, which is inserted in the Appendix, and which the subscribers will find to contain a variety of most interesting information. They cannot fail to be struck in an especial manner, with the dreadful evils which, in the Eastern Seas, as in Africa, have been the fruit of a trade in slaves. These are depicted with great force by the Java Committee; and must add to the conviction, already happily prevalent in this country, of the incurable injustice, and desolating and barbarizing effects of such a traffic."

The Directors think themselves justified in indulging sanguine hopes of the most gratifying results to the Malayan Archipelago, from the labours of this enlightened, active, and philanthropic body.

The Java Institution express their hope of affording, at an early period, some account of their practical labours. In the mean time, they trust that the extent and variety of the information which may be obtained from Mr. Raffles, will be calculated to engage the public feeling in Europe, in behalf of the Eastern Islands. It is to this source, the Committee remark, that the Java Institution must mainly look for the attainment of its views; and they confidently anticipate, from the spirit of recent arrangements, that the cordial and liberal sentiments which actuate the public mind in England and Holland will be as effective in, relieving the sufferings of their fellow creatures in that distant quarter, as in the regions of the West.

AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS.

FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.

Extracts from the Address of the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.-Jan. 1818. Published in the Panoplist:

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Since our operations commenced, about seven years ago, the missionary spirit has been continually spreading and rising. sociations of various names, subsidiary to the Board, have been multiplying, until they now amount to more than three hundred;

Amer. Board of Commissioners for For. Missions. 357

not a few churches and congregations in different and distant States, have made liberal contributions; distinguished benefactors have given of their abundance, and throughout the Union many thousands of individuals have opened their hearts and their hands to our consecrated treasury.--The Treasurer received during the last year about thirty thousand dollars.

You will rejoice to learn that the money, almost as fast as received, has been actually applied to the benevolent objects for which it was given. During the twelve months preceding the annual meeting of the Board in September last, about eleven thousand dollars were applied to the support of our missionaries and schools, and to the translation and printing of the Holy Scriptures, at Bombay and Ceylon; about two thousand six hundred, to our Missionary Establishment in the Cherokee nation; and about five thousand, to the founding and various expenses of our Foreign Mission School in Connecticut. Since the meeting, the Treasury has disbursed for the various purposes of the Bombay Mission, about $7,500; for the Ceylon Mission, about $4.000; for the Cherokee Mission, about $3,500; for the Foreign School, about $1,600; for outfits and passages of missionaries, about $3,000 ;-in all, with various contingencies, more than twenty-two thousand dollars.

At Bombay we have three missionaries,-Rev. Messrs. Gordon Hall, Samuel Newell, and Horatio Bardwell, of whom Messrs. Hall and Bardwell are married. They have under their superintend ence five Schools;-for children of Europeans one, consisting of from forty to fifty pupils ;--for Jewish children one, of about the same number;--for children of Hindoos, or native Pagans, three, on the lists of which are the names of several hundred pupils, who have been more or less constant in their attendance.

These devoted and beloved missionaries are every day laboriously employed in preaching the Gospel to the poor heathen around them; in promoting and inspecting the schools; and in translating the Holy Scriptures, and printing them in a language spoken by many millions of heathen people.

In Ceylon we have four Missionaries,-Rev. Messrs. Edward Warren and Daniel Poor, with Mr. Poor's wife, at Tillipally; and Rev. Messrs. James Richards and Benjamin C. Meigs, with their wives, at Batticotta, distant from Tillipally seven or eight miles. It is little more than a year since these missionaries arrived at their stations; but they have commenced their operations with most commendable zeal and activity, and with very encouraging auspices and animating prospects. At their latest dates they were earnestly engaged in studying the language of the country,--in preaching by interpreters statedly at several places to very considerable congregations of Pagans,-in establishing and superintending schools, and in making preparations for printing and dispersing the Scriptures and other books.

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About three months ago the Rev. Messrs. Allen Graves and John Nichols, with their wives, and Miss Philomela Thurston, embarked