The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-20 00:00:00

TILE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

The following very curious letter sent by the King
of Calabn in mower to • British merchant who had written
to his Mejeaty to know whether soy of his people would
engage themselves as free labourers, was reed by Lord
Brougham in the House of Peers on Friday night

'lOl4 Calabar, June 5, 1860..

" Dear Sir,—l received your kind IM4r bitth7M-a,,' ;iStnte,
through Captain Todd, and by your wish now write you
to say, we be glad for supply you with slaves. I hay spoken
with King Archibury, and ell Calabar gentleman, and be
reTglade to do the asm. Regard to free emigration we
ma no will go for himself. We shall buy them steam
we do that time slave train bin. We be very slad for
them man to come beck again to Calabar ; but I tear that
time they go for West Inches he no will core bail her.
We have all agreed to charges four home of braes and
copper rod for Mon, woman, and children, but shall not be
able to supply the quantity you mention. I think we
shall be able to get 400 or 500 for one vas's), and be able
to load her in three or four months, for we cannot get
them all ready to wait for the ship. She will have to con
and tale them on board all they corn. We have no place on
shore to keep them. The ship will have to pay convey to
me and Axehibury, but no other gentlemen—say, 10,000
coffer for earth town in cloth or any other article of teed. I
shall be very glad if the term I mention will 'nit you, for
we shall not he able to do it at a legs pries, and nun to b•
pa;cl for with rods. I shall be very glad when you writs me
again to mak arrangements with your captain what tin the
ship must come, hoping you are quite well, baker° mete be,
My dear 60, your humble servant,
"ETO HONUTY KING."

The following letter from Mr. ;Fitzpatrick, a gentleman
who long resided on the coast of Africa, WM also re-d by his
lordship.

" The Africans are not a migratory people. If they were
free ti-morrow, and capable of understanding this contract
for ten year. expatriation and servitude," which he (Lord
Brougham) need not tall their lordships the poor African
could no more comprehend than he could a problem in the
higher geometry, "they would much rather become cloves in
their own country than enter into it. The Kroumen,
though fond of earning money to take back to their own
awasitry after a short absence, and though tempted on board
oar cruisers by pay amounting to from 0 deb. to 12 dals, per
month, with full rations or their money value equal to 7 doh.
more per month, and employment on the element on which
they are at home, will not enter into lengthened
service ; and to suppose that they would be induced by a
promise of I 2 f. per month to go to a distant country for
ten years la abswd. The MM. Regis, however, propose
to purchase the slave's freedom on condition of his at once
emigrating for ten years' service in the French West
Indies, and thus to establish a system of free emigration.
It is difficult, I think, to discover In this plan the
puncrum temporis in which the subject of the operation is
free. It merely provides a change of misters, with this
peculiarity, that the new master and his country we to he
far away in regions of which the African never dreamed ;
and to slavery, I apprehend, it is honours not enchantments
which are lent by distance. It is idle to suppo.e that a
poor African slave will look forwsrd to his freedom sad a
return to his country after 10 years' service. It is a theory
far too complex fur his simple understanding. The slave
then will not contract for a new and strange master in •
distant land. But lem bee to confess the neater will ;
and, moreover, he will perform his part of the contract.
When his own stock is exhausted he will prey upon hie
neighbour's ; he will steal and kidnap and panyor, and those
who have the requisite establishments will go out a hunt-
ing. The King of Dahoutej will take out both his pocks—
hia male end female dogs of war '—and every petit thief
will do the like."

He then stated that great improvement had taken place
among the African princes. and, adding that the most diffi-
cult of all things was to teach the natives a regard for truth,
said :

" Ono of the objections to this emigration echeme ie that
it has all the appearance of a flee pretence. Nn African
will believe that a depOt to receive emigrants at Whydah is
anything hot a barracoon for slaves."

THE INDIAN MUTINY.-11IE UWALIOR CONTIN-
OYNT.—We have been favoured with the following extract
beta a letter of a gentleman in India :--fith June.—" In the
meantime. all honour to theme who with strong hearts and
hande manfully do their duty in front of danger and diffl-
culty—among whom is Henry Cockburn. The regiment of
irregular Cavalry (Ist Gmlior) has been stanch, and done
well, It has rescued twenty-five unfortunate creatures,
Europeans and East Indians, who were forced to leave a
station taken possession of by mutineers. A letter has
been sent we to read from an officer up in these parts,
who says—' Lag evening a most successful rush me
made three miles off by Cockburn and 50 men. The
robbers had collected in numbers of 600, and were
stopping and plundering every ono en the road in
a most shameful manner. Cockburn sent a bul-
lock cart with red curtains, such as women go
in, but with four troopers, representing tar weaker
sex. Tho min body kept 400 yards in the rear, and were to
rush up when the four men fired. A capital ruse—as the
object was to got the robbers to chow themeless. Well, the
wretches made a rush for plunder; the four women instantly
fired, and Cuckburn's party gslloppcd up at full speed to the
a They had rough ground at first, and the robbers broke,
or l
une, but too late to rave theinielvea. Cockburn was
nearly unhorsed by a man who, after making a cut at him,
which he parried, seized him by the leg. Coekburu swung
round his horse, and killed him with hie sword. His troopers
killed fifty, and made prisoners of others. A number aka
jumped down wells, and mhos rescued must have been
drowned. None of hie men were touched, and the moral effect
in the country round in the present crisis will be very
great.' " Wo give also another extract of a letter from
Captain Alexanda, commanding let Cavalry Gwalior Con-
tingent, dated Horne', 31st May, 9 p.m. :—..lntelligme
WWI brought in One afternoon that a number of plunderers
had attacked a village near to this. I sent out a party under
Lieutenant Cockburn, and several officers of the 9th 'mom-
rnnied him. Between twenty and twenty-five of the leaders
bars been rut up. The &MATS behaved admirably. Lieu-
tenant Cockburn dismounted twelve =el and took the vil-
lage by storm. Every praise is due to Lieutenant Cockburn
—e gallant soldier, and who had some very narrow esulpes.
He killed four men with his own hand."—Edinburgh Cou-
rant.

GREAT FIRE IN SountwAßK.—Near the hour
of midnight on Saturday, a dreadful loss of property by fire
occulted in Great Suffdk-street, war the Queen's Prison.
Its outbreak, discovered by a man named Serie, who niscued
the homes, took place in the shops of Mr. John Wilson, the
builder, and the ssmes spread most fearfully. The Brigade,
West of England, and other engines, soon arrived, and were
worked by about NO auxiliaries ; but with the exception of a
few piles of timber, all Mr. Wilson's property wan deatmled
—insured in the Union Ogine. From- lin Braidwooff • offi-
cial report it appears that not Is.. than Ave houses were de
atroled and damaged in Suffolk-street, three houses damaged
in Nenterton-yard, two houses in John-street damaged, and
many poor families burnt out in Rodney-street. What is
blamed fells on the Royal Exchange, Unity, and Union
offices. It was nearly 4 o'clock yestaday (Sunday) morning
before the dame. were extinguished. The supply of. water
was excellent from the Lambeth and Southwark mune, and
time wore no less than four Royal Society escapes present.