The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-30 00:00:00

AMELIORATION OF AFRICA.

In our last paper, we directed the attention of our
readers to the plan recently proposed by Mr. Jamieson
for opening commercial intercourse with Central Africa.
as a means towards the introduction of civilization ; and
noticed that a meeting was about to take place of gentle-
men favourable to Mr. Jamieson's views. Such a meet-
ing was accordingly held on Wednesday, at the rooms of
the East India and China Association, and was most
respectably attended ; but being of a private nature, re-
porters were not admitted.
We learn, however, that the chair was ably filled by
Thos. Blackburn, Esq., and that Mr. Jamieson attended,
with Mr. King, the surgeon of his steamer, Ethiope, who
returned some months ago from a four years' sojourn on
the coast and up rivers of Western Africa, in that vessel.
It was represented, in reference to the pamphlet and
printed proposals for the opening of commerce with the
interior of Africa, which Mr. Jamieson has laid before
the public, that in order to permit of the commencement
of this on the Niger this year, it was necessary that a
steamer be immediately despatched, so as to ascend the
river before the termination of its flood season ; and that
with a view to this, Mr. Jamieson had equipped and loaded
his steamer, and was about to send her off, in the full
confidence of the guarantee fund, mentioned in his " pro-
posals," being subscribed, to cover such excess of expen-
diture over the returns as may be expected at the first
commencement of the desired intercourse. One-third of
the amount required, it was intimated, had already been
subscribed in London ; and a handsome addition thereto
was forthwith subscribed by gentlemen at the meeting,
who agreed to form themselves into a committee, to ob-
tain further subscriptions. We cannot doubt that the
community generally will aid in an enterprise calculated
not only directly to promote the good of Africa, but to
extend our' commerce. From the list of departures we
observe that the Ethiope has sailed on her interesting
voyage—the commencement, we trust, of a direct inter-
course between England and Negritia!
We learn that the pleasing fact was stated at the meet-
ing, that legitimate trade had entirely superseded slave
traffic in the Bight of Brofru—that a slave vessel which
had recently attempted to revive it at Old Calabar had
completely failed in the purpose, the kings and chiefs dis-
tinctly refusing to re-engage in the traffic; and it gives us
pleasure to add—as showing the influence of commerce in
preparing the way for civilization—that through the con-
tinuous intercourse kept up by the trade in palm oil, these
kings and chiefs understand and partially speak and write
English, and have recently engaged a teacher—a black
man, who accompanied the government Niger expedition
from Sierra Leone—to educate their children. They have
likewise invited missionaries to come amongst them ; and
have promised to give sites for the erection of a chapel
and dwelling-houses for their accommodation; and we
believe the call is about to be responded to by missionaries
from the West Indies.