The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-22 00:00:00

the smallest idea that I should be so highly
honoured as I have been in this country, and when
I hear the very flattering expressions which are
uttered respecting my past labours, somehow or
other my heart always goes forward to what is to
come. (Cheers.) In speaking to mercantile men
in this city, moft of whom are self-made men, 1
need not make any allusion to the commencement
of an enterprise which, I have not the smallest
doubt, will yet be a glorious one, although I may
not live to see it. All that I wish to see in Africa
is the beginning—the dawn of the future—(cheers)
—because I believe that that future will be glo-
rious. • (Renewed cheers.) My Lord Mayor; the
capabilities of Africa are exceedingly great, and I
believe that commerce has not yet done anything
like half its work. It is just beginning to extend
itself, and Christianity is just beginning with her
work for the future. Some years ago we knew
nothing at all of many articles of commerce which
now enter into the families of the poorest cla'ses.
You knew nothing of gutta percha or of caoutchouc,
which are applied to innumerable uses, and I be-
lieve that in this new fertile country, which I have
had the honour to bring to the knowledge of Euro-
pean; many most useful articles will yet be found,
and that we, feeling our dependence upon that coun-
try, will do our duty in another respect. There is
one article which I believe is quite new to com-
merce. I have brought a few of the plants
.with
me, and they have been subjected to the manipula:
tion of one of the firms of this city—Pie Brothers.
This plant affords a fibrous tissue, and I have the
opinion of one of the foremost firms in the city,
that when prepared it is worth between 501. and
601. a ton. Now, this plant is totally unknown in
Europe ; it is a substitute for flax, and will be, I
I believe, a very excellent flax. Now, this is only
one of the many things which, I believe, exist in
that country, and which are unknown to the rest
of the world. When 1 came through the country
I came on the principle of having as little luggage
as possible. I did not wish to excite the cupidity
of the natives, and I went with as small an amount
of luggage as possible, and on that account I could
not bring away many things which I thought might
be interesting to my countrymen at home. But,
with respect to the fruits, I passed summarily,
through the country without a scientific examina-
tion of it, but I found upwards of a dozen fruits
totally unknown in England. These fruits, I can-
not be a very good judge of what they are, because
generally I was very hungry when I got them—
(cheers and laughter)—but certainly they were very
much better than the crab-apple from which we
suppose our own apple to have come, or the sloes
from which have come our plums. They are very
mnchsuperior, indeed, to those fruits ; and, If they
had the benefit of cultivation, I have no doubt but
that we should have a very acceptable addition to
our fruits. The tribes in the interior of the country
are totally different from those on the coast. They
have always been anxious to have intercourse with
white men. They knew little at all of white men, or
of what' we were. The wonderful manufactures—
that of the cotton plant, for instance—would induce
the people of a fertile country to cultivate what we
need in exchange. We have a little cotton grown
at different points all over the country. The cot-
ton does not require much care as the soil is so ex-
ceedingly fertile ; and I think if any one of you
should pass into that country, and travel through
grass so high that when sitting upon the ox it quite
covers the head of the person so sitting, you would
come to the conclusion I have arrived at—namely,
that almost anything might be produced there, and
tue people in the centre of the country are most
anxious. to have intercourse with Europeans. Now,
I hope that God will spare my life to open this
,field. ' This flax which I have spoken of, and which
is worth between 501., and 601. a ton, is not culti-
vated at all. If we find they can employ their ser-
vants to cultivate such things, and that they can
sell them to advantage, and that-we can benefit by
the exchange, I hope that a way will be got into
the centre of the country. I hope that Africa will
be opened to the Gospel, and that the time will
come when the central Africans will be admitted
into the community of nations. (Cheers.) We
ourselves have but lately got quit of a restrictive
system, and we can feel for those who have been
compelled for advantage to sell their own children
for the sake of a little cloth. I have seen children
sold for about 12 shells. In the centre of the
country you may get a slave for two shells. At
the coast those shells are very cheap, but in the
centre of the country they are quite as valUable as
the Lord Mayor's badge. (Much laughter, in which
his. Lordship most heartily joined.) In order to
show his great friendship for me, one of the great
chiefs came to me during the night. He did not
wish to show his friendship before hisipeople ; be
wanted to give me a proof of his friendship some-
what in the same manner in which you now honour
me. Ho entered my little tent, and took out a
small shell and hung it round my neck, and said,
" There you see a proof of my friendship, and
when the path for commerce is made, let it come
through my town." (Cheers and laughter.) I
will just. again return you inymwt heartfelt thanks
for the honour you have conferred on me, and as
to the future, I hope you will all kindly make al-
lowances for a great undertaking, as it must neces-
sarily be small in the beginning. It is only by
hard work that success can be reached. We must
work hardly and constantly. You must enteras the
way opens, and I have no doubt that the future
will be glorious ; but the beginning must be in a
small way ; and although you may not bear of any-
thing grand or memorable that I have done, yet
recollect that I hope to be borne on by the same
principles that have actuated me for the time past
iu all future time. I again thank you for the hon-
our you have done me. (Loud and protracted
cheering.)

Dr. EiVingstone, after receiving the hearty con-
gratulations of the Lord Mayor and the principal
members of the corporation, and of the Lady
Mayoress and the several ladies assembled to gree'
the rev. gentleman, retired amid applause.
' OF THE WORKING
Mr. Ross moved—