New-York tribune., 1889-12-25
SLAVERY IND ALCOHOL And AfhiCA.
EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE ONE AND REGu'
LATE THE OTHER.

EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE oNG n'' ~
LATE THE OTHER
occ, s,ox.r CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
nrus.e,s Dec. 1o.-one feature-and not the least
remarkable-of the Brussels Anti tSlavery congress IS
the campaign against the free sale OF sprts anu ai
coholic uouors TO the natives Of the Dark Cohtent
That vital question has already been agta,eu a' 'ne
Berlin Conference, and, at its sitllhe III pe,.",Oo
1sg4 a circular was addressed 10 all European io"ciS'
urcng the necessity OF arriving at an UNDERSTANDING
n regard IN control of the liquor traffic In Africa,
with reference both 10 the sacred rights Oh humanity
and tho interests of commerce. Public opinion was
not SLOW in ifs approval OF this 'rk. In England
tbe movement started under the auspices OF the
"United Committee for tho prevention Vi e"o Do
moralization Of Native Races by the Liquor 'i'i"o,
The movement spread TO Germany wherc ~ 'euSeu'
on Nav ID 1889, a memorable dlscuSsioh III Iaiha
ment. considerable majority OF tie heichSag'
composed of members of all parties uni'eu III fe-
ouesting the Government to apply stringent rules 10
the Iiouor traffic i'm the German Colonies. Beigium
and other European countries Joined In the move
ment and in 1887 the Government Oh tlo Nohso
state dropped in line, and attempted TO ENFORCE the
IDEAS of the Berlin Conference by imposing nigh
license on liquor retailers in the Upper Oohso.
H. is clear however, that pu6llc opinion u Europe
mneratyely demands a moro radical soluton vi this
ouestion for the alcohol traffic is assuming daily us
ouietnr extension in Africa This explains why the
nukc of Westminster president OF the United COm-
mittee has made such efforts 10 induce the Anu
Slavery Conference 10 take up the question: Va "'e
sale of spirits in Africa The Marquis vi 0aHSourS
evinccd his interest in II York by grahuhs al au-
dlence TO the delegates of the United Iohin''cc Pc-
viousIv TO their departure for the conference mere.
at is the law that is the emancpatlng hstrumeht'
The efforts of the British society aim at the absolute
sppprcsson of the quor-trafc all over the African
continent such programme can yet be apphed
successfully to the interior of that continent AS 10
be coast district where the alcohol trade forms the
basis of trade absolute suppression might DC uiIc
or even impossible in its application
The imposition of high license duty upon liquor
dealers would help considerably the efforts made by
the Brussels Congress for the suppression Oh the
African slave trade. The latter has shifted from the
western TO the eastern coast of the continent as shown
nv the numerous statistics and memoirs placed before
tbe Congress- Unfortunately the slave trade shows no
sign of abatement in Northern Africa. IL Is reckohed
that in the North Egypt included, some 10000 slaves
are annually received from the Soudan, through the
connivanoe and support of Egyptian officials.
The growth Of the slave trade has been remarkable
At Ouloa the yearly number OF slaves sent thence to
Zanzibar and the Arabian shore was estimated at
II 900 by an English naval officer The professional
trader in "ebony wood,s or slaves, after having de
Quoted the dead crippled and other no values can
easily make from 800 500 to 5000 per cent. The
prices of the slaves vary. At suadl, three slaves
declared in 1887 that they had been sold respectively
for 500 500 and $50 In 1877, Morice Bey, in let
Ter TO Khairey Pacha, states that male slaves, sixty
wears old. were worth from Sl2 to Sl2O women from
SO TO 500. eunuchs from $3.50 to 800. Later, on
account the greater risks in running the gauntlet
Of the cruising sQuadrons in the Red sea- thc tTahc
consisted especially in young boys ana girls Boys
between seven and eleven years OF age were worth
from 800 $50 girls from $50 to 500 Happily tho
trade is less brisk and the demand less active than in
former years when. as in 1879, for instance young
male slaves in the marnet oil Cairo were WOrth us uch
as $500, and a young Circassian girl $1,000.