The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-07-04
Nulihral.
The African Squadron.

Senate in secret seSSlnn, ON the prnpO>al To alb
rogate the treaty with Great Britain, in regard
to the suppression of the slave trade on the
coast of Africa. ltcontains snme striking facts
showing with what heavy costs, but poor re
turns, the philan,hropc efforts of Government
are rewarded, when attempted in the face
nature, and the laws of progress:
CONFIDENTIAL.
Report of the Committee on Foreign Relations
(of the Senate ON resolution relative
the abropation uf the Slh Article of the Trea
ty with Great Britain of the 9th of Angus
1912, providing for maintaining Nav;
force on the coast Of Africa, &c.
The Committee on Foreign Relations. t
whom was referred the resolution submitted b
Mr.. Slidell, on the 2sth May. 1854, That
the opinion of the Senate it is expedient and
conformity with the interests and sound polio
of the United States, that the Sth article of tn
Treaty between this Government and Grea
Britain, of the 9Th of August, 1912, should b
abrogated; and that, should The President of III !
United States concur in this opinion, he he re
questcd to signify 70 the Government of Grea
Britain, in conformity with the lth article oI
that treaty, the wish of this Government TO ter
inmate Tue Sdlu ON Hh'S h"H tuY
same under consideration, and now respectful
ly report: Il
That by the 9Th article of the treaty wit :
Great Britain, made at Washington OH the st
of August, lS42 commonly known as the Ash
burton Treaty, "the parties mutually stipulat{
that each shall prepare, equip, and maintain il
service, on the Coast Of Africa, a sufficient an
adequate squadron, or naval force Of vessels
OF suitable numbers and descriptions, to carr,
in all not less than so guns, TO enforce sepa|
ratety and respectively the laws, rights and obi
legations of each of the two countries, for thd
suppression of the Slave trade; the SAID squad
rons to be independent of each other, but thd
two Governments stipulating, nevertheless I'd
give such orders to the officers commanding
their respective forces, as shall enable them
most effectually, to act in concert and coopel
ration, upon mutual consultation, rs exi gehcici
may arise, for the attainment of The true "hjecI
of this article, copies of all such orders to bd
communicated by each Government to the 9th
er, respectively"
By the llth article Of the same treaty. it il
declared that the 9Th article shall I've in force
for five years from the date Of exchange of the
ratification and afterwards until one or the 9th
er party shall signify wish to terminate it.
The policy Of stipulali"ns of this kind with
any foreign power, may well be questioned on
general grounds; but your Committee do not
think it necessary to enter upon so large and
debatable field of discussion, and will conhne
themselves to an examination of the question,
whether, admitting the proprety and expedien
cy of the measure at the time Of its adoption,
with the imperfect or erroneous information
then possessed, it may not be proper and exPel
dient now 10 abrogate it. 1t WAS then supposI
ed that the most efficient mode of suppressin.|
the Slave trade, was to emf hoy numerous crui|
sers on the coast of Africa, and the very capI
ton Of the treaty Indicates the results that wer
expected to be obtained by it, 1t is entitled I
"a treaty to settle and define the boundare
between the Territories of the United State
and the possessions of Her Britsuc Majesty
North America, for the final suppression of tn
African Slave trade" &c. 1t was believed tha
the best point for the employment of nava
force for the attainment of an object which lhd
people and Government Of the United Statey |
desired quite as earnestly as Her Britanic Nal
jesty and her subjects, was the coast OF Africa
An experience of twelve years has demonstra-
ted the fallacy of that opinion.
Large squadrons have been kept up during
that period by the two powers, at an enormods
expense ilr money, with Il jamentable loss OF
life and destruction of the health of the officers
and men employ ed in that noxious cnate.-
And what has been the result? Let the record
show. The British squadron comprises sever
al steamers, counting in all y vessels, carry
ing about 800 guns, and 5000 men. The an
nual expense of tho squadron, f706 450-
about S3, 100000. This is the expense proper
of the squadron. That Of auxiliary establish.
ments on the coast, connected with this service,
and which might otherwise be dispensed with,
is estimated at 100000 to f500,000. Take
the lowest figure, and you have 81 l,500,O00 to
add to the direct cost Of the squadron, making
. total annual expenditure Of five millions of
dollars. IL ls45 alone, the numb, of deaths
Of officers and men was $50, and of Office RS
and men invaldcd. 27l.
The United States have four vessels and so
guns on the Coast of Africa, being about one.
eighth of our whole nava! force alloat and, as
the estimated expense of the navy, after de-
ducting special objects, such as the transporta-
ton of The mail in steamships, improvement OF
Navy Ya.ds, &c. is $S,35l,l7l, the annual
cost of this squadron may be frly calculated
at Ss0O,OOO or 100000 per year. This, it
will be observed, is considerably less than the
cost per gun Of the British squadron, which is
about ll,700.
1t is subject of congratulaton. however,
that for the last four years the mortality Of
our officers and men employed in this service.
bears favorable comparison with that OF 9th
er nations. This, the Navy Department at.
tributes to the extraordinary sanitary measures