The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1860-10-18
@istfllamons

rrrom the Bos,oa Traveler.1
The story ofa Native African.
The Resources and PrOspeCt
Of Liberia. !.
Some six years ago, = voting colo,
cd man, named Leo. 1. Lloyd, came t
this city, for the purpose Of obtaining
an education, with the intention h
said, Of settling in Africa. He said b
was a native African, having beef
brought to this country in infancy, an,
after landing in New York, had spen
his first nineteen years, to use his owl
language, in knocking about in Wes
tern New York" He obtained tn
confidence Of several gentlemen in thi
vicinity, and passed several years a
school at Cambridge, with Prof Agas
/ siz,) Waltham, and other places. Ii
May 1859, he went to Africa, in tn,
Eusebia n. Royne, from New York
taking with him some $4,000 worth o
goods suited to the Liberia trade, fol
which he obtained credit among mer
chants who believed his statements
Upon his arrival at Monrovia he
found a ready sale for his goods, al
large profits, taking his pay in the pro-
duce Of the country. He soon con-
signed some Of these products to his
correspondents here, and other con-
signments have followed, till all his
debts have been paid. He returned to
this country in July, and having pur-
chased new stock of goods, is about
to 90 back to Liberia, with every pros
pcct Of success.
From Mr.. Lloyd we have obtained
some particulars rs to the condition,
resources, &c, of this interesting coun-
try. He estimates the imports into Ii
IBERIA, at 81 ,225.ooo annually, and says
that 2,ooo,o 900 worth Of goods could
be readily disposed Of at good profits.
What goods are in demand he does
not choose to tell, but says that Ameri-
can manufactures were preferred. The
English and Germans have about two
thirds Of the trade, and the Americans
the larger portion Of the remainder
The English arc likely to gain much Of
this, unless treaty can be effected
with the United States. While Libe-
rian vessels can visit English ports on
the same terms as the most favored ma
tons, they are subjected to high charg-
cs here, which has resulted in driving
them away from our ports. Up to the
present time American vessels have en-
joyed the same privileges there as Eng:
lish vessels, but the next Legislature of
the colony will probably place restric-
tions upon them.
The great articles Of export hereto.
fore have been palm oil and camwood.
OF the former some thirty or forty car
goes are sent off yearly. This is only
drawn from places easy Of access, and
in the interior much larger quantities
can be obtained when the means OF
transportation shall have been improv-
ed.
Sugar is likely to become great sta
pie Of the country. In 1857 there was
not enough raised to supply Monrovia
Last year there was enough raised to
supply the whole coast, and large
quantities were sent away. Some Of
that sent by him to New York was re.
Gently sold at 8fc. This business is in
its infancy, and there is ! lack Of capi.
tai There is not in the country sin.
gle plantation having one hundred
acres in bearing. The cost Of native
labor is from twenty-five to thirty cents
per day.
Rice is the great article of food ir
the country, and can be raised cheap
Specimens have been brought to thi,
country, and those who have used i
pronounce it to be Of superior quality
Mr.. L. will take q rice cleaning ma
chine with him on his return. He il
confident that rice will soon become 81
export.
| Coffee grows wild in the country, b,
has never been picked in any larg,
quantities. He brought out the frs
lot ever sent to the United States, ant
it is pronounced by those who hav'
used it the best in the world. He sol,
what he had at Philadelphia for 22Ac
per ib.
1 Wild cotton grows there in consider
able quantities, but very little Of it ha
found its way into the market Indig
lgrows wild, but no efforts have bee
made to make II an article of com
'merCA.