The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-24
The American Slave Trade.


We have been engaged for some time past in
the prosecution Of Investigations regarding the
slave trade, the extent TO which il is carried on
by Northern men, the amount of Northern capital
invested in it, and the profits which are rea-
ized in n single year. The facts VIC now pre-
sent as the result of these Investigations and
which have been collected by a thoroughly COM
petent person. who has given muchtime and labor
to the subject, startling as almost to place
them beyond the bounds of credibility
It~pPears that in the port of New York alone,
about twelve vessels are fitted out every year for
the slave trade, and that Boston and Baltimore
furnish each about the same number, making a
feet Of thirty-six vessels all engaged in a com
merce at which the best feelings of our nature
revolt Tito these be added the slavers fitted out
in other Eastern ports besides Boston, we will have
total of about forty, which is rather under than
over the actual number. Each SLAYER registers
from one hundred and fifty to two hundred al
fifty tons, and costs, when ready for sea, with
provisions, slave equipments, and every thing re-
cessary for successful trip, about eight Thousand
dollars. Here, TO start with, we have a capital
of three hundred and twenty thousand dollars,
the greater part Of which is contributed by
Northern men. The expenses Of hsslng out and
Of the trip TO and from the coast of Africa may
be estimated a. follows
Cost Of forty sIsvers ready for soc .... s32o 900
Expenses ~ Nc port for brokerage and com
mission, 3d. COO on each vessel minimum. 10000
Captain and ssamens wages for the voyage, 10000
Amount paid for negroes on the coast Of Africa.
NJ SIS head, allowing 900 TO sacn vessel. 30 900
Port charges and secret money paid At tue
place OF landing 10 Cubs. or other destination,
st2 for each negro, allowing . dininuuou Of
Ice In each vessel, by death The passage. $40 900
Total COO
From this estimate, il will be seen that the
amount Of capital required to fit out feet of
forty slavers il about fifteen hundred thousand
dollars, upon which the profits are so immense as
almost to surpasr belief. In single voyage of
this feet twenty -four thousand human beings are
carried of from different points on the Slave
Coast, and Of these four thousand or one-sixth of
the whole number, become victims to the bor-
rors Of the middle passage. leaving twenty thou
sand fit for market. For each of these the trailer
obtains an average of five hundred dollars
making total for the whole twenty thousand,
Of ten millions Of dollars. Now, If we estimate
the number Of trips made by each vessel in a
year, at two, we will have this increased TO twen-
ty millions Each vessel. IL is true, can make
three, and sometimes four trips, but az some OF
them are destroyed after the first voyage, we
have placed the number at the lowest estimate.
The expenses and profits Of the slave trade for a
single year compare as follows
ro,a expenses Of two voyages s5ooo 900
Total receipts Of do....... ............ 10000 900
-
Proou ovo oJe
What are the profits Of honest trade or legal |
commerce TO that which gives seventeen millions
of dollars every year on capital of three mil |
lions! And all 'his, or the lion share Of it. goes
into the pockets OF Northern merchants Here then
are grand fllbustcring expeditions with which |
that of Walker is insignificant in comparison-fi- |
clustering expeditions, too that have aot even |
the excuse Of the extension of human freedom to
plead In their favor, but which have their origin
in the most sbrdid of motives and are prosecuted |
with 6endish defiance of humanity aud all the |
nobler impulses Of our nature. What have the |
abolition divines and lecturers of New England
TO say TO tbis?-what have those brainless and |
stupid assailants of Southern slavery to say TO
traffic which every year destroys the lives of
eight thousand human beings, by the tortures
of the middle passage?-what have they 10 say
TO their fellow citizens of Boston, who fur
nish the money 10y means of which these
worst Of crimes against God and man are com
mtted9 And yet these are the men whose
whole life time is spent in denunciations of
the so-called evils of Southern slavery, and
she make the country ring with their ana