New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-21

The surest way 10 put stop to the slave.trade
10 by tho expansion Of legitimate commerce with
the shores Of Africa The sums of money now
expended on ships of war, on the Slave Coast
would, if used in founding civilized communities
there, immessuraby expand the trade and manu-
factures Of Great Britain and the United States
This is not . Utopian idea, but one emiaently
practicable, and in keeping with the Developments
of the age. From recent accounts Of African ex.
plorers the coDectures - to the existence of semi
civilized tribes in the interior have proved true.
The inhabitants OF the Egba and Yorabs countries,
situated west Of the Niger, have advanced to con-
siderable degree of skill in the arts. They are
workers in iron and in god, and possessed Of much
ingenuity in various manufactures CottOnweav-
ing 10 prominent employment. Smiths, carpsn-
ters r-dressers, s.ddlers, cotton-spinners,
dyers, barbers and many other mechanics, manifest
not little skil for semi civilized people. In their
towns, Thousands of traders and merchants assem.
BILE, and an aspect Of civilization is presented,
looked for from our previous knowledge Of the
tribes of the seacosst. Abbtokuta, q city about
fifty miles from the coast contains nearly 100000
inhabitants; its walls are fifteen miles in circuit.
There are thirty or forty other towns in that region
with populations varying from 20, 900 to 1OO.OO
The inhabitants dress in semcvilized style, and
Thousands read and write Arabic.
Now let u consider what would be the effect
upon commerce and manufactures, could the entire
trade Of Central Africa be opened direct BY steamers
ascending the rivers. There Are no le"
than thirty or forty millions of people who
depend for their supplies upon the caravan
traders, who now perform their slow jour-
news through the elevated plateau which consti
tutes Central Africa. The native productions are
brought to the towns principally BY carriers, -
vehicles are wanting. The trade is chiefly limited
TO the native demands, since there 10 no great
thoroughfare open TO the coat; but even now
thousands of traders gather at their markets,
where immense Quantities of various productions
are offered for sale. If the supply wM stimulated
BY an increasing de mand, there is an absolute Ger.
tairty that An immense export as well - import
trade would ct once spring up. The people are
very industrious, and there are no vagrants to be
seen. Cotton can be raised to any extent, and
palm oil supplied in any quantity, beside indigo,
coffee ivory, camwood, peanuts, dyewoods, and
the various tropical productions. There is grow.
ing demand for American and British manufactures.
Guns sunpowder, aints, knives, needles, swords,
paper, imported cloths calico 'hirtiDg' vel'ets,
&c, arr amosg the articles for sale st these inter-.
or markets, and, as commerce increases 20 viii
their sale increase. II we viii receive their pro-
1r,,;o,. thar vill in return Afford yAlusble mar
iet for our manufacturer Our hardware, cotton
ard fancy articles would End steady md growing
demand in Genital Africa Although it is but six
years aimee the pnrcipL mission stations were
ft unded, Jet lucrative trade Ass already follo~ed
in their wake. BahcP PSae Of tAs Episcopal