Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-08-23
ON THE COMMERCE OF AFRICA
Extracts of Letters addressed TO Mr.. STANTON.
Chairman offhe Naval Committee Of the House
IS of Representatives, by Lieut.. w. d. PORTER.

Chairman offhe Nauul Committee Of the Kous
of Representatives., by Lieut.. w. D. PORTER.
WAsHIseros, JAsuARr 8, 1851.
Az Congress have before them petition Of r. Car
and others for line Of the cost of Africa
as they are of course acquainted with the contents Of hes
numerous petitions will not deem cessary to enter
details Of the plans of Mr. Carr and others but will take The
liberty to draw your attention to facts in relation the
commerce Of the Of Africa which will show the import
ance and necessity of estabshcg any cost line Of
eIs TO that coast.
Africa at present is sealed book but one which by
little energy we can bresk the seals and open its rich pro-
auctions to this country. So important has England and
France considered the ude Of Africa that the former making
every effort settle the of Africa and has fitted
petitions under Denha, Clapperton, Lsnde and others 10
explore the Of the Niger and land expeditions which
penetrated Tnbucoo and Fezzan, the interior of the great
Desert Of Sahs The latter, great expense and loss Of
life, seized upon Asiers, Bons, and Constantine, in order
TO obtain the trade of the interior Of Africa You will find
BY reference 70 the map Of Africa that all the rivers Of any
imporsnoehe Senegal, the Niger the Congo, and Nourse
empty into the Atlantic, with the exception Of the Nile, which
falls into the Mediterranean and, far that concerned
| will show its future is unmportsnt to US.
am fully under the impression, and future explorations
will doubt show it, that the Senegal connects with the
Nigel branch Of the Niger with the Msselad and the lat
with the branch Of the Nile; if so, the trade Of Africa
instead Of passing through the Desert of Sahara to Consan
tina, will take its natural down these rivers to the A.
Isuc when inducements held out by through line Of
which will bring the trade to the Atlantic.
The of rivers is a natural channel of trade
BY our Mississippi Hudson. Ohio. Colorado,
and Others upon which have grown by trade large towns and
lines the Atlantic of Africa which viii open the trade
and induce merchants penetrate its rivers and bring its
rich productions this country these cocoa Coffee
rocco pestache and palm nuts ivory and gold DUST dates
gums and medicinal plants These articles take the
raj course from the fertile plains of Africa to Tpo and
Constantine by Caravans. Russia has very large trade in
palmnuts and dye-s.us with Africa trade which supplies
the whole Of Europe with palm oil and Dyes with the e1csp
ton Of England.
The Nourse river no doubt communicates with the Fam
bezze if so, and have doubt future explorations will
show it, then obtain by the agencies Of those rivers
the trade of Mozambique, Zanquebar and Bea, and the
island Of Madagascar without doubling the Cape of Good
Hope. You will therefore perceive how easy iii for
obtain the whole trade of Africa amounting to nearly three
hundred millions Of dollars this equals nearly whole inn
port and export trade.
Africa probably better known to the ancns than to
us, Carthage carried extensive trade md its pros
pery owing its intercourse with the interior Of that
country At the present time the prosperity of the cities in
the kingdom of Morocco the regences of Tun Agers and
Tpo is entirely owing to the trade carried tween these
places and the interior.
When Aieiers fell into the hands of the Frenh mil
lions Of rough gold found in the treasury of tie DEFY; the
whole of this African gold. One PECULIARLY struck
with the amount Of heavy gold ornaments by the
and children in the Of Tangie1 in Morocco and
Tuns Agers, Tripol, and Constantine, in larbary, and
the quantity Of rough gold ornaments hawked about the
bszaars. When asked where all this gold comes from,
You invariably told the interior Of Africa is also well
known the Jews Of these places, who the persons that
carry the African trade the most,weahy of all the
Jews, and are enabled to purchase privileges which
enjoyed by the Jews of any other part Of the world When
the rivers Of Africa have been washed gold has been
found in abundance large trade in ivory carried
on. Ia year there exported from the different parts
Of Africa two hundred and fifty thousand ivory tusks and
yet there apparent dminuton of elephants ard al
though ivory has been exported from Africa upwards
thousand years. elephants appear to be
they at the period above named that is hundred
years before the Christian An immense amount Of os
ic feathers carried to the ports of Morocco and Bbary
from the interior Of Africa, and find their way Fance
Wncro ucy orc prepared anu ustDueo 10 the world From
zanquebar large quantities Of sugar is exported Of much
better quality than either Cuba Porto Rice New Orleans
There is doubt in my mind the famous Tyan dye comes
from Africa, at the present day in Fer dye similar Il,
specs the description of that article used color
the faz cap worn by the Turks and made in Fez
Western Africa is known to contain fifty millions Of in
hsbtants twenty millions Of these engaged in trade with
Morocco the coast Of Barbary Egypt and India I've mil
lions are supposed to be employed in agricultural pursuits
and the remainder either wandering tribes settled in
towns living the natural predictions Of the soil
ed in and the slave trade In trading with Western Ar
we therefore certain to have with twenty
five millions Of people. who require for gold ivory and
ostrich feathers coffee, sugar, Dyes cocoa fruits. nuts pes
tache and palm woods &C. coons and fabrcs
cutlery, iron, and useful utensils besides these intercourse
with Us, more civilized people, will create other wants
among them, and may expect them to take all of
modhies to any amoont may export Already in many
of their ports desire Of the re6nemens Of civilization begin
to be manifested, and it only requires little commercial
intercourse with us to increase those desires.
Mature appears TO invite to trade with Aca the pre-
vaing winds from the northwest and northeast with the aid
Of the Gu Stream, carries direct the coast of Africa
the return voyage, by taking the parallel of 22 have
again fair windG and currents to shores. have
made within the last year four voyages the Atlantic
and by taking advantage Of these natural have made
very short passages in sailing vessel How rch shorte,
would they have been had the aid Of steam leave it
yourself to judge.
Africa invites by all these natural advantages to trad.
with her, There is obstacle in way, unless be tb
saslowness of s coast and karbos but this can be
l.