The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-17 00:00:00

SIERRA LEONE.

• We have received a file of the Sierra Leone Raga! Ga-
zelle to the glst May. The following are extracts :
FREETOWN, MAT 20.
His Honour, the Acting Governor, who had been severely in-
disposed for above a week, was, we were happy to observe, so far
reenvered, on Sunday last, as to be able to prosecute his intended
visit to the settlements in the Gambia ; and, secompanied by the
Hon. G. Bend:ill, and the lion. William Barry, Members of
Council, and Lieut. hlfVicar, Private Secretary. accordingly em-
barked on boanl his Majesty's steam-vessel African, Lieutenant
Austin, R.N., Commander, under the usual salutes from the fort
and vessel, which immediately proceeded to sea.
His Majesty's ship Swinger, Lieut. Matson Commander. came
Into harbour on Friday, from a cruise to windward ; during which
Abe visited our principal settlement in the Gambia, and the Portu
gaese Island of St. Jago (one of the Cape de Verde) ; from whence
his lis.'e,fes shit, Thetis, Sir J. Phillimore, Knt.C.11... Captain,
having on board the Right lion. Lord Ponsonhy, his Majesty's
Represeioative to the States of Buenos Ayres, with his Lady and
suite, had sailed shy before for his Lordship's destination.
We had the pleasure of Meicing, as a passenger, one of our prin-
t-sal merchants. Mr. Barber, who left the colony some months
since on mercantile business to St. Mary's ; from whence our cor-
respondent writes us, that there have been more vessels loaded up
the river this season with the country mahogany, than in any pre-
ceding year ; and that them are at present several vessels, of con.
ablerable hurthen, taking in cargoes. The quality of the wood, in
fact, appears to be now pretty generally known in England, and
t'e demand may therefore be expected to increase, and add con-
sidered v to the already valuable trade of that noble river.
We are sorry loam, by the arrival from the Sherbro of his Ma-
. jesty's steam-vessel African, that the hopes we entertained in a
rirmer number, of the probable benefit which would be derived
tram the active interference of the Kings of the River in settling
'Cie peace of that part of the country, had not been realized ; but, on
toe contrary, that they had returned from their mission without at-
tsieing any thing, further then the restitution of some of the pro-
perty seized by Tucker and his colleagues, foam the trailers of this
.colons. The power of these Kings has, in fact, been *along un-
es::elsei. that their influence, it would appear, has almost entirely
teased. and their authority is now almost laughed at by the de.
'ireedants of slave traders, who were originally mere strangers in the
•country. but who, from their ill-rotten wealth, are now enabled to
.mairtain about them a number of armed followers. whose object is
.to keep the country unsettled. The more peaceable natives are
c.mtinual dread of involving themselves in disputes with these
wee. whose sale object is plunder, in the seizure of their persons
le snoply the French slave dealers ; who, now driven from She.
Set-. resort to the Galinas market. which is almost solely supplied
tro.n the rivets in the Sherbro under the influence of the Tuckers,
other known slave tinders of the country.
state of things, we should, however, suppose, cannot be of
le:.g tontinnance. It is generally reported throughout the country.
• that Stores. the King of Galinas, has been obliged to cot. to
terms with his slaves (that is, his peoples; and that he has entered
into a solemn compact, recognising them aa freemen ; that' he has
farther given them land, on which they are forming a town, and,
ter himself and successors, renounced all right over their persons.
Tie number of people now collected for shipping by James
Tucker is supposed to amount to some hundreds; which there is '
Earle probability of his being enabled to send away, 'while we con.
true our blockade in the neighbourhood of the Gallows, the only
part of the coast from which they can be eeribarked. These col-
lected victims are, many of them, natives of the country they are
row confined In, and understand the langusge. They will hear
the result cf the resistance of Seacca's people, under similar cir.
• ternstances to those they are placed in; and it may, therefore, be
reasonably expected that a like tieing may occur among therm
A spirit of this kind on the pan of these, at present, degraded
people, would Elm bring the hitherto overbearing Tuckers, ant
others, to their proper keel—and do mina to tranquillize, end ul-
t•mtstely eivilire the country, than all foreign interference wi.l, we
ever effect.