The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-03-10
Letters from Brazil
Correspondence fthe Herald.

l MO JANEIRo, Januatysiz, Aot%'
Commsreial-7Tnde Z" differentiation Shipping.
| The difficulties which have been thrown in the
way Of the trade to the coast of Africa by British
cruisers, under the plea of suppressing the slave
trade but actually to endeavor to establish mo-
| nopoly to their own vessels, has, within the past
year, produced considerable change in the course
Of trade between Rio and that coast. Brazilian
vessels fitted out and cleared for a lawful trade,
have been subject to so much detention and annoy
anee, as to render it almost impossible to prose
cute it to advantage, and has been abandoned. The
remonstrances made to the British government,
by Mr.. Stevenson, and the protests of the U. S.
consul at Cape Town, have caused more respect TO
our national flag than formerly, while those of other
nations which they suppose be annoyed with
impunty, are subjected to all kinds of difficulties.
The result has been that American vessels in this
port are in demand for freights to the coast With
the present low prices Of freights, the owners of
American vessels find il their interest to accept
charters which offered for the shipment of
merchandise to Benguala and other African ports.
The brig Odessa of your port has just cleared, h..
wing received charter Of 81 600, with condition
Of 40 lay days, and $40 per day demurrage. The
Philadelphia ship, Robert Bovine, is loading for
the same port, (Benguala) and understand is char.
tered for 80 900 and $75 per day demurrage. The
New Yoik barque Sycamore, has also very libe-
raj charter for the destinations while the New
York ship Whltmere is in treaty for he same pur
pose. The Brazilian merchants find it much to
their interest to employ American bottoms, and SO
long as the British cruisers exercise their Uppres
sion upon the commerce Of nations which they
consider incompetent TO vindicate the honor Of
their flags, the vessels Of the Uated States will be
IN demand here for the trans portation of melohan
die to Africa. Englshmen may talk ashley please
about the nagRanimity of their great nation, but
interest Is her ruling principle, and to that every
thisg 10 sacrificed Her outrageous conduct to the
Chinese Is not more censureable than the course
she Is now purIuing In regard the slave trade
the coast OF Africa. II the suppression OF that de
testable traffic the rea is the ostensible
cause for the activity Of her cruisers, philanthropy
would rejoice at the vigilance of her officers; but
when the actual motives are so apparent, we lose
all respect for the merce nary motives which nhu
ence them. Last week a Portuguese vessel arrived
OF this coast, and landed upwards Of 500 slaves
without interruption, while vessels engaged in law
full trade are subject to constant annoyance. We
are charged with connivfng at the trade by accep-
Ing Charters to transport merchandise which it is
may be so, bat il comes with an i'll grace from Joan
Bull when itis considered that these goods so trans.
ferred are of British manufacture, invoiced as |
coast goods and designed particularly for the Afri.
can market. That there is an important lawful |
trade 10 the coast no one will deny, and it is not
easy to designate what portion of mershandize |
shipped may be applied to the purposes of the |
slave trade: True philanthropy would seem to
consist in CT ecking the evil at the fountain, which
would be found to be in Manchester, Birmingham,
and Sheffield.
limited in one of my previous letters the pre-
priety Of connecting the coast of Africa with the
naval station here. Every day confirms the inn
portance. of the measure, and l again commend it
to the attention of the Secretary Of the Navy. We
have large commerce engaged in trade with Afri-
ca and part 81 the force from here could be readily
employed in cruising there and could be relieved
oecasonally a. might be required and the interests
Of our merchants require an addition to the small
force now stationed there. Let John Bull see that
we are determined to protect the stars and stripes
when engaged in a lawful commerce, and we shall
to American vessels when they are sustained by
the batteries of few sloops of war. This kind or
argument will address itself TO Johnny's most SEN
sitivo faeulties-his own interest.
CINcNAIue