The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-25

and toruados with overwhelming torrents Of rain com
pared 10 which the refreshing showers OF
favored cline are as dsw-drops 10 overlooking
csterns. In the John Adams were ten days making
distance which steamer could have accomplished In
thiriy-six hours From Monroyia TO the island of ST.
Jago are often forty days the passage which
steamer could make in FIVE In direction along the
coast IL is drift with the sluggish currents in the other
il is working up against it with light and battling winds
do not say that the vessels have the do
sometimes protect commercial interests not 9TH
erwise sersiceabe have mentioned the John Adams
sting merchant vessel in distress and submit in the
appendix letters from President Roberts expressing
Acknowledgements for benefits derived from squadron
But from the causes have enumerated cruisers
visit very few places compared the number that should
be visited and the books will testify often remain
long at their anchors make yet lengthy passages
TO Madeira TO recruita passage which, under canvas
alone in the teeth OF the tradewind is often pre-
reov sna more snip IMAM she came
For the honor of country and the protection of its
commerce is to be hoped that small steamers viii be sub
sttued for sailing vessels the African coast and
that incentive may be presented which will infase
greater activity among them and render them almost ub
fuitous in the neghborhood of the slave mars and the
parts Of the requented by traders instead of
king tedious passages and from few places, of
Them TOO remote by far or too long lying suggshy at
Apart therefore from the suppression of the slave trade
with the west cosst OF Africa needs the pro-
lection Of efficient orceefcent in its power Of
ocomotion than in the number Of its guns
commodore letter OF december ~, 1853
gentleman in this city, said
The English have shown much wisdom in the esab-
hment of their monthly line Of steamers and it is greatly
to be regretted that government has been
horzed TO avail itself OF this method Of securing valuable
be depored that the want of small steamers in our navy
deprves this squadron Of the greatest modern improve
ment in naval equipment for these calm peculiarly
adapted to steam navigation am of opinion that it is
very essential that the flagship at least should be
steamer"
The English government with wise reference to the
extenon OF their commerce with Africa and the promo
ton of home manufactures admit camwood and palm oil
and its other main staple commodities free of duty The
American tariff imposes duty OF from five to twenty per
cent consequently the English trader always give
higher price for them than the American To
trade with Africa form commercial relations with
her; must protect that Private
enterprise inadequate TO establish the line of British
steamers to Africa without aid from government Such
has been its that another and powerful line
with most valuable auxiliary service to be established
for commercial intercourse with Western Africa appears
from the following extract of letter gentleman
this city from Gerard Ralson eq Of the most intel
gen Americans abroad and who is always endeavorng
promote the interest and honor of his native land Mr.
Rastons letter dated London january 80, 1851 In it
| he writes
There ID very large company being formed here,
which viii have large capital for the purpose of the
tension trade with the coast They
have six large steamers ply between England and the
coast and they will have number of small steamers to
the coast and go up the rivers and collect palm
oil and other merchandise aud bring them to the shipping
ports he put board of the large STEAMERS for Eng
land These facilities for Tire export trade of Africa will
give immense impetus to the import trade from Great
Britain and thus the relations between England and Ar
will be excessively extended One of the principal
tions for this extended traffic will be Monrovia in Liberia
Thus you the America berians will be and
united with the British and become and alien
ated from the Americans who and ought TO be consid
erred their flow-countrymen with whom il is very desira-
BILE continue the most cordial relations sorry that
the enterprng commercial interests of the United States
do not establish line of fornighy steamers to from
the Chesapeake Bay to Monrovia By other OF
policy will the interesting republic of Liberia be prevented
from being separated and alienaed from the mother
| try-America-"
The difficulties to be encountered the coast of Africa
have been great that commercial men, with all their
characteristic enterprise have not been able to compete
successfully with the British, who for several years past
have enjoyed a'mcs monopoly Of the African trade and
fast extending into the interior Of that CONT
nent Let the timely and polite assistance the want of
which is set forth forcbly in the petition before referred
to- be extended to the of Western
Africa by the government and Congress Of the United
States and African trade will become of the
important branches of foreign traffic while great
sequences will be thus incidentally accomplished in the
OF wreched and oppressed race and the graca
ton Of the purest and best feelings Of our nature.
|