Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-12
TO THE EDITORS.
COLONIZATION Rooms,

GENTLEMEN: win you do the favor to publish the
following letters They relate to matter in which many
of your readers interested They vndicate the cha
racter and management of the gentlemen in New Orleans
who fitted out the expedition by the Zebra.
There is fact, in addition to what Dr. HALL has
stated, which ought be mentioned The captain and
mate and the of the vessel had their own water in
the regular casks of the brig did not Of
drink the water ont of the oil casks belonging to the
emigrants. They also had their cabin and did
sleep in the berths of the emgrants and yet
dersand, they among the first who died.
have received letter from THOMAS ALLEN CLARKE,
Esq, Secretary Of the Louisiana State Colonization So
ciety, in which he says: "Neyer did expedition 60
off from here favorably The captain and mate
particularly kind and consderate in their attention and
management, and looked upon their kind manner
favorable augury fear the people must have been inn
prudent in their diet before starting. Mr.. HARRISON,
the briggs agent SO says to me this morning.
Will you not request the papers which have published
the paragraph alluded to to publish these facts also
| am, gentlemen, yours, with great respect,
W. McLAIN,
Secretary American Colonization Society
CoLosIzATroS RooMs,
WASHINGTON, FKBRuARY 2, 1853
My DEAR SIR: You have doubtless in the papers
of the day sundry notices of the caamtous voyage of
the barque Zebra from New Orleans bound to Liberia
which put into Savannah in distress 1t has been stated
that the cholera which broke out board, caused
by the Of oil casks to hold water for the emgrants
and Of unseasoned lumber in the construction Of their
deck and berths As you o medical man, and have
made many voyages to Liberia with emigrants and fitted
out many vessels for that purpose beg you will give
me your opinion freely upon this subject be it conrma
tory Of the reports above otherwise.
Please let me hear from you at your earliest leisure
and very much Obige' yours respectfully,
Secretary American Colonization Society
To Dr. JAMES HALL, Baltimore.
BALTIMORE, FEBRUARY 8, 1853
My DEAR SIR: Your favor Of yesterday was this morn
ing received, and hasten to reply The case Of the
Zebra had attracted my attention and have been sur
prsed not to seehe statement made in the papers either
contradicted explained. have hesitation in de-
carng without fear Of contradiction that the use Of oil
casks not the of the cholera board the Zebra
have fitted out from twenty to thirty vessels carry
ing emigrants to Liberia have made several passages
across the Atlantic with emgrants, in all Of which q
part and in most the whole Of the for the
not only Of emgrants but cabin passengers
tanned in oil casks, and never yet knew Of case OF
cholera on board any vessel fitted Of Of i'll
Of any kind that could justly be attributed the
Of oil casks In addition Of the vessels which
transported United States troops from this port during
the Mexican used oil casks for their water, and
never heard Of any cholera on board | think so many
instances ought to settle this point the satisfaction Of
all The production generation of cholera from the
Of unseasoned lumber for false deck and berths
consider still preposterous. have used seasoned
and unseasoned lumber for this purpose it came TO
hand and never Of any difference or heard of any
Ill effects from the unseasoned All accustomed TO sea-
faring life will know the extreme dampness Of the hold
Of vessel that there Is evaporation from the
bgewaer 1t is termed smashing to and fro from the
vessels motion, causing often visible steam to rise from
the hatches that all utensils and pocket implements Of
iron steel Immediately blacken or rust at sea and it
hardly be supposed that this extreme humidity could
be greatly increased by the small quantity Of
ed lumber used in one-nch deck or berth board We're
the emigahts to sleep bare damp plank cold rheu
matism, fever might be the result but hardly
cholera But the emgsnts have their thick mattresses
or feather beds, and cannot be at all injured from the
slight dampness Of common unseasoned lumber.
1t was also stated in the paragraphs saw that the
berths Of emgrants in most filthy condition This
s not remarkable fact when the cholera had been on
board ten twelve days. probably twothrds of the
emigrants helpless with it onethird Of the whole
number dead, the captain and officers all dead too 1t
10 almost marvel that any alive that the vessel
ever got into port II 20 that the cholera on
board the Zebra depended upon the charnc
ter Of her outfit 1t entirely too early for that
have learned that it appeared the td day after her
sailing.
The rationale OF the whole matter doubt j. this the
cholera was In New Orleans and it's vicinity when the
vessel sailed. Many Of the emigrants had mbibed the
disease it broke out board after leaving port
under circumstances most favorable to its being
ncated TO others, without raising the question OF conta
gion y IL communicated and unhappily proved
extremely fatala Of which, believe, would have been
the had the deck and berths been constructed Of dry
sandal wood, and the water been put up in glass beg
you viii not entertain thought Of any improyidcnce,
bad management neglect Of duty the part Of your
New Orleans agents until yo have othor evidence than
the statements alluded to-
am, very truly, your obedient servant,
JAMES HALL
To the Rev. VIZ. McLaN
Secretary American Colonization Society.
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