SIERRA LE ONA. CHAP. ping, buildings and establishment at home and abroad, for the first year, above £30,000 has been stated, as likely to be funk. The annual establishment consists of the falaries of the fuperintendant and council of Sierra Leona, of a militia, of a small standing military defence, the salaries of managers of plantations, the charges of commerce and cultivation, and of management at home, altogether amounting, on the prefent scale, to about £7000. Economy has been fludied. Council to promote equal rights, fubordina tion, educa and tolera sion. 357. Notwithstanding the magnitude of this fum, the directors have been ftudious of œconomy. For fervices abroad, they have given no more than their nature, and the necessary qualifications, demanded. In the home charges, they have been equally œconomical, confining them to things abfolutely necessary. A house has been engaged as the feat of their business.-Such part of the subscribers' capital as was unemployed, has been safely placed out at interest. 358. The superintendant and council, were particularly inftructed to secure to all blacks and people of colour, at Sierra Leona, equal rights and equal treatment, in all retion, religion fpects, with whites. They will be tried by jury, as well as others, and the council are defired to allot to the blacks employments suited to their present abilities, and to afford them every opportunity of cultivating their talents. All practicable means of maintaining fubordination are directed to be used; and the council are especially instructed to promote religion and morals, by supporting public worship and the due obfervance of the Sabbath, and by the instruction of the people, and the education of children. But no person is to be prevented from performing or attending religious worship in whatever place, time or manner he thinks fit, or from peaceably inculcating his own religious opinions. 359. Or XI. ONA. Free-town. be expected. 359. Orders have been given, in chufing the scite of a CHA P. town, to confider health as the first object: the first town to be called Free-town. Articles for building and cultiva- SIERRA LEtion have been fent out, befides the cargoes for profecuting Townnamed the company's commerce. 360. It is easy to foresee that the first difficulties to be Difficultiesto expected must arise from the transition of the colonists to a hot climate, clearing the country, want of accommodation, especially in the first rains, and the uncertainty of obtaining fufficient provisions on the spot. Thefe difficulties are the greater from their coming together, and at the very outfet. The directors have anxiously laboured to provide against them, not only as fuccefs must materially depend on furmounting them; but also as an act of justice to thofe who have embarked themselves and their families, on the faith of the company's protection. The expense of acting thus has been great, but it was indispensable; and the di rectors are persuaded that a small capital would not have carried the design, through it's first difficult and unproductive ftages, leaving a fufficient fund for trade and cultivation. It is hoped that, by the late extenfion of capital, and what is farther to be expected, the undertaking may furmount even unforeseen difficulties; and that steady perfeverance will fix a colony, and establish civilization, cultivation and commerce in Africa. The directors having reported to the general court of proprietors, that the whole capital of £150,000 was already subscribed, they were em- Company's powered to enlarge the subscriptions to any fum under capital. £500,000, the capital limited by the act of incorporation. 361. For acquainting the princes and chiefs, and the natives in general, with the company's views, and to counter act CHA P. act mifrepresentations, the directors propose sending over this printed declaration. XI. --— འ- SIERRA LE ONA. ny's declara tion to the natives. 362." The Sierra Leona company, established by the The compa- British Parliament, do hereby declare, that they will fend out goods from England, and take all kinds of African produce in exchange; that they will not deal in flaves themfelves, nor allow of any flave-trade on their ground. They will always have a large ftore of Europeans goods for fale, and a force fufficient to defend it. They wish always to keep peace, and will make no war, unless they are first attacked; but they will fuffer no one to be ill treated on their ground, nor to be seized and carried off into slavery ; but will themselves punish their own people for any crimes. fairly proved to have been committed by them. Black and white fettlers will all be equally governed, and will have their perfons and property fecured, according to the laws of Great Britain. Schools for reading, writing, and accounts, will be fet up by the company, who will be ready to receive and inftruct the children of fuch natives as fhall be willing to put them under their care*." Their fources of profit. 363. The probable fources of the company's profit appear to be-First, A land-revenue from quit-rents, and from a gradually increafing tax on the produce of their district, and which, though small at first, may be reasonably expected to become important.-Secondly, The profits from lands reserved by the company, to be either cultivated on their own account, or let or diftributed hereafter.-Thirdly, Profits of the company's trade with Sierra Leona and it's neighbourhood, and also with the interior parts of Africa. * See in the Append. Notes, &c. refpecting S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE H. 364. From XI. SIERRA LE ΟΝΑ. 364. From the foregoing account, it must appear, that the CHA P. directors are endeavouring, in the outfet, rather to lay the foundation of the happiness of Africa, and of future profperity to the company, than to grasp at any premature advantages. But they trust that they are not too fanguine in looking forward to confiderable and growing profits, refulting from, and connected with, the increasing prosperity of the country under their jurifdiction. POSTSCRIPT. this P. S. 365. Many of the proprietors, ballotted for on the 20th of Intention of Dec. 1790, having become members, merely from an idea of the benevolence of the undertaking, are still imperfectly acquainted with it's object. The directors therefore refolved to fend each of them a copy of the foregoing report, adding a few particulars which, being drawn up with a different view, it did not contain, also an important article of intelligence which they could not then state with certainty. 366. The leading object of the company was to fubfti- The compa tute, for that disgraceful traffic which has too long fubfifted, ny's object. a fair commerce with Africa, and all the bleffings which might be expected to attend it.-Confiderable advantages appeared hereby likely to refult to G. Britain; not only from our obtaining feveral commodities cheaper; but also from opening a market for British manufactures, to the increasing demands of which it is difficult to align a limit. Benefits to 367. From this connection, Africa was likely to derive the still more important benefits of religion, morality and Africa. civilization. To accomplish these purposes, it was neceffary for the company to poffefs a tract of land, as a repo XI. ΟΝΑ, CHA P. fitory for their goods, and which the Africans might cultivate in peace, secure from the ravages of the slaveSIERRA LE trade. It had been ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the climate and foil of Africa were admirably suited to the growth of fugar, fpices, coffee, cotton, indigo, rice, and every other species of tropical produce. The company proposed to inftruct the natives to raise these articles, and to fet them the example, by a spirited cultivation, on it's own account: and the peninsula of Sierra Leona, one of the healthiest and most fertile spots on the coaft, has been felected for the experiment*. Trade and a fugar planta 368. Directions have been given and small veffels diftion ordered patched, to the company's commercial agent, to push forto be begun. ward a trade, in a mode prescribed, in the present produce of Africa.-Measures are taken for cultivating, on the company's account, the most profitable tropical produce. In particular, a perfon of long experience in the West Indies, has been ordered to begin a fugar-plantation. Mineralogist and botanist engaged. 43 directors, capital, hares and votes, 369. The directors have besides engaged a mineralogist (Mr. A. Nordenskiold) and a botanist, (Mr. A. Afzelius) both of great ability, to go out and explore the company's district, and the vicinity, for new articles of commercet. And, in general, the proprietors may be affured that the directors will vigorously promote the advantage of their constituents; being perfuaded that their interests and those of Africa are the fame. 370. The company's affairs are to be managed by thirteen directors, annually elected, for that purpose. The * See in the Append. Notes, &c. respecting S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE E. + See in the Append. Notes, &c. refpe&ting S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE I. See in the Append. Notes, &c. respecting S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE I. com |