The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-09-02

ly.
Their suffering from thirst may be vague
" Inferred Imagined it can hardly be
from the fact that negro will drink gal
Ion Of water day in his natural condition
and when packed so closely that he canno
turn round unless all his fellow sufferer
turn too simultaneously, with the tempera
ture at 100 or 100, their allowance is $,
small that Mr.. Cliffe shrinks from specify
ing 1t. at is Too horrid almost 10 say.'
tie has heard that teacup-full once in thre,
days will support life for twenty or thirty
days!
The question is, whether we are suppress
ing or increasing these horrors. MIR. j. L.
Hook, Government Superintendent OF Sieus
Leone, answers the question, Is the slave
trade nearer extinction now than it was be
fore the (blockade) force was stationed or
the coast? al should say not"
He was then asked whether the block.
AIDE had diminished the horrors of the trade
His reply is, 81 think ON the CONTRARY, IL
has rery much increased the horrors of the
middle passage"
MIR. J. Hing, M. d., well acquainted
with the African coast, states his opinion
that the present system has not conduced TO
the suppression Of the slave trade, and that
il never will succeed. He further alleges
that i has not only failed of its object, but
"hds aggravated The suferings of the
slares 10 a most incredible erte1n.
Capt. Forsham, engaged in the African
trade, states that the only effect of guarding
one part OF the coast is to cause the slaves
TO De removed and carried off to another.
and that the squadron cannot prevent the
trade.
Captain G. Mansel, r. N, had for some
time the command of the squadron; he has
therefore had practical experience of what
It can do, and what ii cannot do, and
he cannot be suspected OF any DISPOSE
ton to undervalue the service upon which
he has been engaged. In answer to the
question, Whether any naval force could
suppress the trade so long as the demand
Tor supply exists, he replied, I am perfect
iy cOnrinced IL icOitld be impossible"
As to Captain Denman's project to block
ade the coast by ships at anchor at certain
intervals, Captain Mansel remarks, "If
you are to keep upon an extent Of coast
embracing upwards of 1000 miles twenty
four vessels at anchor, leave you to Judge
how much Of the coast they will leave un-
guarded" Asked whether he had any hes.
itation in condemning entirely the employ.
ment Of a marine force for the extinction
OF the slave trade. he declared he thought it
imPracticable, and agreed with Clarkson in
his Tears that an increase Of the horrors
would be the only consequence.
As for the employment Of our ships on
this worse than abortive duty, Capt. Man
sci gives his opinion, founded on expert
ence, that 1t is actually injurious to the ser
vice. as he words it. "the worst school that
can be devised" There are no vicissitudes
OF weather to practice the men, it is either
tornado or moderate breezes-ior the tor
nado, of which there is ample warning, and
which does not last more than three hours,
all sail is taken in, and for the usual wealth
er reef is never required. Thus it is all
idle work. When the crews return to
northern climate, the best men, the older
seamen, suffer in health, and are lost to the
service. Discipline, too, is impaired, espe-
cially by the boat work, which makes the
only active part of the duty.
MIR. L. B. Horsfall, an African merchant
residing at Liverpool, is Of opinion that the
squadron will never suppress the slave trade
the coast being too extensive.
MIR. L. Thompson, surgeon in the royal
navy, who has served for ten years on the
coast of South America and Africa, is Of
opinion that the adopted means Of prevent.
ion tends to increase the trade, stimulating
as it does. the gambling spirit which is
prominent characteristic Of the African
chiefs.
The evidence Of Mr.. ]. Moore, chair
man Of the Brazilian Association of Liver.
pool, is less positive than the preceding tes-
timonies. He believes that to some extent
the squadron interposes obstacles to the
slave trade, but he adds that the supply
must be almost equal to what it was former
ly, and that the trade is still carried on with
activity.
Doubtless the squadron does in,erpose
obstacles. but the obstacle is merely local,
and the obstacle in one place is more than
made up for by the shipments elsewhere to
compensate il. The true name for The OPP
Grafton is the diversion Of the slave trade
the diversion Of it from certain channels the
most convenient for it into others less so, the
unhappy slaves being the sufferers by the
change; so that it is mere local diversion,
with substantial aggravation. As her ma
jesty's ship displaces so much water by her
bulk below the line Of hotation, so her
presence on the African coast displaces a
certain portion Of the slave traffic, moving
it elsewhere, but no more supprsssing it
than the ship suPpresses drop Of the sea
on which it floats.
We shall conclude with the evidence Of
Captain Stopiord, Of the royal navy, who
lately commanded ii. M. S. Pearl on the
Brazil station.
He is asked whether, as naval officer,
he is OF opinion that the British squadron
will ever extinguish the slave trade? His
emphatic reply is, "Never." Without much
experience OF his own in the slave trade, he
has learnt from the experience Of his broth
er officers the utter hopelessness Of the at
tempt. He was next asked whether the
vigilance Of the squadron caused any Of the
cruellies practised; his answer was in the
affirmative, the vessels being more crowded