The Sun. — 1825-11-23 (London, England)

MORNING MERALD.I Nothing can be more deplorable than the picture of the African coast given by the Portsmouth Paper, on the authority of accounts received by a transport which arrived at that port on Friday from Sierra Leone. The Europeans in the British colony, as it is called, are described as having been left in several places, suffering the  most shocking extremes of disease and mortality. The savages called Ashantees threatening another visit to Cape Coast—and the slave trade carried on with more keenness,cruelty, and horror than ever! There is something truly dishearten. ing in the historical retrospect of the British establishments upon the African coast. The first disappointments marked by disastrous losses of life and fortune,were endured and passed over, as the lamentable but inevitable penalty to be paid at first upon every colony where barbarism and uncongenial climate are to be contended with. After the Sierra Leone Company so completely failed, the African Institution—a most respectable association undoubtedly—was to do wonders for African civilization, and consequently for British colonial trade. But there was still an obstacle,—the slave trade. Well, this obstacle was removed, as far as this country was concerned ; and the prospects of colonial trade and African civilization still remained as hopeless as ever. But the slave trade was still carried on, either by contraband, or, bona fide, under the flags of other nations—and until this was put down there was do hope for Africa. It is now running close upon twenty years that this latter war has been waging, by enactments of felonies by the British Legislature, and by almost incessant remonstrances and entreaties, to Governments of other nations from the British Ministry---and what is the fact?—That the colonial establishments on the coast are in a state' more de plora ble, more appalling than ever ;—and that the homicide, or worse than homicide trade is carried on with more inhumanity than before. There can be little doubt that the attention of Government has been given to Sierra Leone with perfect good faith and earnestness—yet such is the melancholy and hopeless result. The African institution is a most respectable body, possessing zeal, talents, rank, wealth, and all the naturally consequent resources ; but has it made any material progress in carrying its own intentions into effect P—The slave trade, if upon a smaller scale, is still carried on with a degree of atrocity and horror high wrought in proportion. Travellers distinguished for enterprize, fortitude and capacity, have perished in the pursuit, yet the main points of geography of the African continent are still undiscovered. Have the useful arts of Europe been introduced among-the Africans to any extent worth mentioning, or relations of trade and amity been established ?—lt is strange, however, that though African civilization by means of colonizing, seems hopeless, yet it is not itnpossit& ; for an establishment of Mahomedans, which settled there, diffused among the natives the religion and useful arts of Mahomedanism. But there seems to have been a disastrous fatality attending the British establishments. Some returns in the way of trade would he a poor counterpoise to the exposure of human life to disease and `massacre. But there is not even this —all is sacrifice—and the annual expence is considerable to the country. It may he said that the experiment of African civilization will never be fairly tried until the slave trade shall no longer have refuge under any flag recognized among nations.—But even so, there is no alternative between bringing it .lo tl►is test and abandoning it altogether.