New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-05
NEGRO REPUBLIC A FAILURE.
so SAYS CAPTAIN REEVE, OF THE BARK
LIBERIA
HE HAS JUST ARRIVED HERE FROM AFRICA WITH
A CONSIGNMENT OF MONKEYS. AMONG
OTHER THINGS ON BOARD

OTHER THINGS. on BOARD
Yates and Porterheld's stanch little bark. the Il
IBERIA. has arrived the Empire Stores. after fas;
voyage Of thrty-four days from Sierra Leonne. She
is entirely engaged Of late years. in supplying the
branch house of the firm in that place which in the
British Army is ominously known the white
mans grave. and has entirely abandoned the trade
10 the American Negro colony Of LIBERIA 10 which
for years her voyages confined She brought
a large assortment OF chatterIng slmians, including
four dog-faced dancing monkeys. They were
snapped up by dealers before the ship well
tied up 10 her pier. as the American animal market
is short just on monkeys. Gray African par
rots are not to be found all. and Captain Reeve,
the veteran master. said he would have Cleared a
Big profit on them only he afraid to invest in
the chatterers It being early. and the con-
signment Of young birds that reached the coast
not sufficiently feathered 10 stand the voyage.
although It favorable He passed
through tho Sargasso Sea. but he never less
weed in II than this time. and he was expecting
TO catch NJ least one "Norwester." and agree
ably disappointed when 1t did not reach him before
he got into port.
Captain Reeve has been trading for nearly a
quarter OF a century on the OF Africa. and
lived for years the Gold Coast He has had
yellow fever twice. and the African fever several
times. Speaking OF the conditions OF the American
Colony in Liberia. to Tribune reporter yesterday.
in the cabin OF his little bark. he said:
We have given up going to Liberia al all, as
there nothing be got there All the coffee they
raise goes Europe | do not believe that any
American vessel trades the coast present. al
though | understand two cargoes of negroes were
taken there recently from Savannah Ga. The
society which used to take coonists has ceased,
believe. to exist. and these people are simply
humbugged. ! say this. not from my own direct
knowledge but such is my belief.
las a rule. the most OF the negroes sent there
were idle. lazy. ndolent fellows that they were glad
10 get rid OF in the South. People who wanted 20
1--we without working either here or there. Well.
there is nothing for them to do there: II they SOW
seed In the ground It Will grow. but there Is no
market for their produce. and every OF them
that lives and can raise the passage money is
10 come back 10 the States.
~ men take care Of themselves the fever does
not attack them badly But they drink and
that kills them in short order The ordinary fever
&c ,nalarial but the black fever Is. think. form
OF yellow fever, and is often fatal 1t may be
great country some day but 1t will not be in your
time or In mine.
The republic In great place for politics, and
they could beat Tammany Hall all to pieces in its
pa mics, DAYS The Constitution does not allow the
Kroomen or other natives to vote but they do, all
the same They get glass OF rum. a dollar In
rare cases and thrust forward TO vote. just the
same Liberia has not been success under negro
rule but a young man with some means who would
20 there ara take Of himself could do well.
Flffv wears from now European nations will have
uartifiOnei and occupied the whole OF the DARK
Continent for themselves.