have inserted "The Louisiana Planter" or not, will confer a particular obligation on me by inserting the above prefatory remarks, and also the extract from Darby's Louisiana, which will follow, in the WILLIAM DARBY., Columbian. New York, Nov. 12th, 1817. Legislature of Rhode Island. Resolved, by the senate and house of representatives of the state of Rhode Island, &c. That the sena tors of said state, in the congress of the U. States, in and for the South Carolina district. Appointments-official. MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE. Hezekiah Luckin, of Georgia, collector of direct taxes and internal duties for the fifth collection district of Georgia. Thomas P. Evans, of South Carolina, collector of direct taxes and internal duties for the eighth collection district of South Carolina. William Crawford, of the Mississippi territory, receiver of public monies in the county of Wash ington, in the said territory, for lands of the United States east of Pearl river. James Ladd, of New-Hampshire, surveyor and inspector of the revenue for the port of Portsmouth. Jesse Haley, of the state of New York, collector of the district of Gennessee, and inspector of the revenue for the port of Gennessee. David W. Hall, of Indiana, collector of direct taxes and internal duties for the state of Indiana. Richard Ransome Gwynn, of North Carolina, collector of direct taxes and internal duties for the thirteenth collection district of North Carolina. Thomas Jenkins, of Virginia, collector of direct taxes and internal duties for the twentieth collec. tion district of Virgina. Joshua Barney, of Maryland, naval officer for the port of Baltimore. Paul Benialou, of Maryland, marshal in and for the district of Maryland. Jacob Murk, consul of the United States at the port of Cork. James Fisk, of Vermont, collector and inspector of the revenue for the port of Allburg. the master is now at Whydah, in daily expectation of a vessel, when there is little doubt but he will succeed in taking off his cargo. i. mus One of the Portuguese masters I captured, had made 22 trips to the coast for slaves, and only once been captured. The profits they make are enormous. One of the schooners captured by the Inconstant, off the river Logas, having arrived but a few days on the coast, had only purchased ten slaves, for which the master gave 92 rolls of tobacco, each John Tedder, collector of direct tax and internal roll worth in the Brazils 2000 mill-reas, about 125. duties for the third collection district of Tennessee. sterling-making the cost of each slave to the PorJohn M. Goodenow, collector of direct tax and tuguese merchant 51. 10s; for which he would reinternal duties for the 6th collection district of ceive 400 dollars. These facts will shew, that nei Ohio. ther mountains, rivers, or deserts, will prove bar. Abijah Tombling, collector of direct tax and inter-riers to the slave trade, as the black chiefs will duties for the 15th collection district of New York. John M. Jet collector of direct tax and internal duties for the 1st collection district of Louisiana. William Wirt, of Virginia, attorney general of the United States. John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, to be secretary for the department of war. Slave Trade, &c. Important papers relating to the slave trade-ordered by the house of commons to be printed. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, July 7, 1817. Copy of a letter from captain sir James Lucas Yeo, to John Wilson Crocker, esq. dated London, the 7th November, 1816. STR-I have the honor to lay before you, for the information of their lordships, such observations and remarks as I have considered it my duty to make on the present state of Africa. bring their slaves from every extremity of Africa, as long as there is a nation that will afford them a slave market; and these circumstances will, I presume, clearly shew, that the partial abolition of the slave trade is of little or no benefit; but that, on the contrary, the wretchedness of the natives is frequently increased by it; and I am convinced, that the only means of promoting the happiness and civilization of Africa, will be to annihilate the slave trade in toto-for whilst there is such a facility in selling slaves, there will be no incentive to industry in that quarter of the world. I now beg leave to describe our settlements in this country, as I saw them. Sierra Leone is under the immediate control of the colonial department. I shall only remark, that after all the sums of money which have been expended on its improvement, it is still in a most deplorable state; great abuses and mismanagements are said to have existed and certainly, to judge from its present wretched condition, the reports appear to be too well founded. To his majesty's government, and those humane The present governor, col. M'Carthy, appears a and benevolent persons who for years past have mild, benevolent, good man; but from the small been exerting their interest and wealth in the cause proportion which the European bears to the black of Africa, it must be painful to hear that all their population, his efforts towards civilization can efforts towards obtaining the real abolition of slave- make but a slow progress, particularly when we ry, have been of little or no avail; for though fewer consider the great emolument which the merchants negroes may have been enslaved since the abolition derive from trade, which induces them to oppose, act took place with respect to this country, yet the by every means in their power, any efforts towards cruelty to those now taken away by the Spaniards cultivation. Another great objection to Sierra and Portuguese, has increased quadruple; and those Leone, arises from its being at such a distance acts appear to have had no other effect than that directly to the windward of where the slave vessels of transferring the slave trade to Spain and Portu-are captured, which is generally in the bight of gal, whose inhuman traffic has since wonderfully Benin and Beaffra; the vessels are always crowded increased-and there is every reason to suppose and sickly, and the mortality in making the passage that it will still further increase, as the fear of a exceed one-tenth; added to this, the climate is determination to the trade in a few years, will induce testable, the rain commencing the end of April, them to pursue it with much greater activity. They and continuing to the middle of October; it proves now fill their ships beyond any former precedent; the grave of most Europeans who go there, and as a proof of which, his majesty's ship Bann, com- even those who escape the grave, linger out a painmanded by captain Fisher, captured the Portuguese ful and miserable existence. brig San Antonio, of only 120 tons, with 600 slaves. la a passage of 80 leagues, more than 30 died, and as many more appeared irrecoverably gone; in the midst of the sick lay a putrid corpse, and such a horrid stench, that captain Fisher was apprehensive of a plague, and was obliged to take not only the crew, but 150 slaves on board the Bann, and make the best of his way to Sierra Leone. And these powers consider themselves so safe in the trade, and are in such perfect good understanding with the native chiefs, that on the Bann's capturing the Portuguese brig Temeraire, off Whydah, which vessel had purchased 609 slaves, but had not time to load them, the chief assured the Portuguese master, who is on shore there, that he would feed the slaves until another vessel could arrive for them, anhis bringing him some tobacco as a remuneration; Under these circumstances, I am of opinion that Sierra Leone is not so well calculated for forming a settlement for emancipated or captured negroes as the gold coast, which possesses every advantage; it is much more temperate, the sun is more obscur. ed, and of course has less power, and I am certain must be much more healthy. From the best infor mation I could collect relative to the soil, it is on the sea coast generally light, where a cotton crop would be most certain and profitable. At the dis tance of ten or twenty miles inland, it is rich in the extreme, and would produce sugar cane, rice and indigo; coffee and vegetables of every kind are in abundance. I have been some years in the West Indies, and though it was then in the rainy season, and of course the worst time of the year, yet I declare it is neither so hot or unpleasant as the former; as a proof of which, all the officers and crew of the Alliances with the chiefs, by residents in the Inconstant complained of the increased heat on principal towns, could easily be formed; a major their arrival at Barbadoes. Hurricanes are not whom I saw at Cape Coast Castle, was on the known in this country, and the tornadoes (of which point of proceeding to the capital of the Ashantees, so much is said) are not more violent than the hea-when the then governor general Torrane died, and vy squalls in the West Indies, nor have I seen any this laudable undertaking was relinquished. so bad; there is also a good and safe anchorage on Their present religion has no tendency whatever every part of the coast. Our settlements on this to improve their morals, as they consider the charms coast are in a very bad condition, and the people they purchase of the Fettismen, have sufficent virresiding in them little better than prisoners to the tue to keep them from the most serious evils, and neighboring chiefs, who, although they receive pay as an absolution for any sins they may commit; and, from the company, consider it in the light of tribute, I am sorry to say, that the licentious and immoral and make use of our forts and flag to awe their state in which many of the English in this country necessitous neighbors and subjects, towards whom live, not only tends to destroy all respect for relithey frequently use the most violent and oppressive gion in the natives, but must give them a contempt conduct. for the European character in general. If we exFort Appollonia is completely under the control cept the Danish castle Accra, there is not a place of Yan Sacka, the king of Appollonia, who is a most of worship on the whole coast; nor do the English cruel and sanguinary tyrant.-It would be highly garrisons or settlers ever assemble to perform any desirable if we could obtain the Dutch fort of religious ceremonies. The natives must have a bad Axium, situated a few miles from Fort Appollonia, opinion also of our military character, from the as it has an excellent anchorage, and the best land specimen they have of our company's officers, who ing on any part of the coast; there is also a fine not only lose the character of soldiers for that of river navigable for large boats a considerable dis-traders but frequently join the Fantees in cheating tance in the interior; and is in my opinion the best the Ashantees, in consequence of the latter not point to open a trade and free intercourse with the being acquainted with the Fantee language. Ashantee country, the capital of which I believe might be reached in the course of ten days. The fort of Dixcove has been useful on account of the quantity of timber growing in its neighborhood. The natives of the coast who live under one English fort, frequently insult those living under another, and boast of the protection they receive from the very flag they insult, thus rendering our flag At Succondee there is a governor, but neither subservient to a cruel and sanguinary warfare; and fort nor soldiers; it is however a good place for I must confess that I felt pain to know that the Britrade. Cape Coast Castle is a fine building, strong tish flag and uniform are every where dishonored in towards the sea, but most improperly weak on the Africa. Whilst we were at Cape Coast Castle, I land side: added to which, the town has been allow-saw several of the, Ashantees; they appeared shrewd, ed to approach within a very short distance of the active and intelligent; not the least appearance of castle. All the houses have thick mud walls, which the common negro countenance, but very much are impervious to musketry, and would afford shel-resembling the Moors, and many of them wore tur. ter to thousands: but the filth which is allowed to bans; two of them said they had seen white men in accumulate in the streets is sufficient to bring a the back country, meaning, no doubt, the shores of plague. Neither the country or the manners of the the Mediterranean or Red Sea and I have no doubt, people have been improved since it has been in our if the slave trade was abolished altogether, that possession; this I imagine is chiefly owing to the the Africans on many parts of the coast might soon want of proper authority; and there is no doubt of be induced to hire themselves on board our mertheir acquiring the qualifications necessary to form chant ships trading there, and to and from the good characters, if proper means were adopted West Indies; and this would not only be the means towards them. The natives are at present under of civilizing them, but be of great importance in a no laws but their own, nor have we the means of bringing a man to justice, even for murder; they are tolerably honest towards each other, but consider themselves fully authorized to plunder white men, having no dread of punishment. mercantile point of view, as the natives would be much more preferable in such a climate than Eu ropean seamen, and their wages do not exceed four dollars per month; and as a corroboration of this statement, I had several men on board the Inconstant during my stay on the coast, who, in a short time became as active and useful as many of the seamen of the ship, and wished to go to the West Indies with us. To increase our trade with Africa, enlarge the knowledge of the natives, and promote their industry, a free intercourse with the interior is absolutely necessary-but above all, a government must be established there, that will secure such property as I am strongly of opinion that something must be may be acquired by exertion: without which, in my done soon; our merchants were formerly supported opinion, Africa will remain for ever in the same bar-by the slave trade, which they carvied on to a great barous and uncivilized state. extent, independent of their having at that time the whole of the gold and ivory trade in their own hands. The people of the coast, called Fantees, have done every thing in their power to prevent the Ashantees, natives of the interior, from having any Since the abolition, the war has prevented comcommunication with it, as by excluding them from petition from foreign nations, but now the whole trade, they act as brokers between the Ashantee coast is inundated with French, Dutch, American and the European merchant-they are a vile, aban- and other flags, and they are abundantly supplied doned set of people, and rob both one and the with arms and powder, which enables them to unother; and what is more extraordinary, we have dersell our own merchants, whose trade is falling countenanced them in it, although it is both unjust off rapidly and the decline in the price of gold and to the Ashantees, and in direct opposition to our ivory in Europe has also materially affected them. own commercial interests, as a free trade with the Symptoms of decay are evident: at cape Coast Castle natives of the interior would be of great national houses are become unsaleable, and all accounts importance, and which the king of the Ashantees is agree to the present difficulties and future appremost anxious to establish: hensions. stand in as before, and if the signal agreed on is given, take on board the cargo, and are off in a few hours, all their water and provisions being complete before they arrive on the coast. They consider their capture, if met with, as cer. tain; which appears to me very extraordinary, they must know that our government have not issued any orders againt them, if really Spaniards. I am, therefore, strongly led to believe, that the princi pal part of their trade in slaves is carried with the funds, and for the benefit of the subjects of other powers who have abolished it. on I should enter more at large on the subject of the Spanish slave schooners, but I am aware that the chief justice at Sierra Leone has transmitted to my lord Bathurst a detailed account of the "numerous vessels that have been, and are now expect. ed on the coast; with a full statement of the many attrocities they have been guilty of Our fort at Annamadoe is, I understand, the best fortification of the whole; but it has only two officers and fif een men. Tamtumquerry fort is of little or no use. Winnebah fort is abandoned: at this place there is a good river—a great acquisition for ships, as there is nothing but rain water to be got on any part of the coast. Accra, or Accarah, is certainly the most picturesque, fertile, and healthy spot on the whole coast of Africa; a plain extends some miles in the interior, when you come to hills covered with rich soil, and a beautiful country well wooded and watered, and every thing that is necessary for forming a colony; every kind of vegetable grows here, and could be produced in any quantity. There are now a great quantity of cattle, and herds of buffaloes, a little in the interior; on the plain their is a great quantity and variety of game, such as deers, hares, pheasants, guinea fowls, partridges, pigeons, &c. &c. and every kind of live stock in abundance. I went to visit the banks of the river Saccom, which runs Having now, sir, endeavored to give you, for at the back of Accra, about eight miles, and which the information of their lordships, as correct and could be conducted to the town with great ease and fair a view of our settlement in Africa as my short little expense; there is also a reef of rocks extend-stay in that country would enable me to make, 1 ing from the English fort some distance into the sea, on which a pier might be raised with little trouble, as their is plenty of good stone and lime close to the spot: if this was done, vessels of 120 tons and upwards might load and unload inside of the pier with safety. In the road the ground is so good and so strong, that it is necessary to sight your anchor every twenty four hours. The climate of this place is so superior to any other part of the coast, that invalids frequently go there to recover their health, The natives of Accra are very superior in civilization, appearance and manners, to any other on the coast; their town is clean and neat, and in their houses they have all the useful and necessary household utensils, arranged with as much order as in a cottage in England: this is to be attributed to their having had, for many years a free intercourse with the Ashantees and other nations of the interior and to their being naturally more industrious and fond of agriculture. There are now no English settlements to the leeward of Accra, nor had I any communication with the shore. beg leave to offer my opinions as to the means best calculated to improve the condition and civilization of the natives, and at the same time, open an extensive and profitable trade to this country. The continuance of the trade appears to me to be the principal, if not the sole cause of the present neglected and barbarous state of Africa. All the kings and chiefs have for years maintained their power, dignity, and riches by this traffic; and as long as any nation is allowed to carry it on, they will not give up a commerce so easy and lu crative, to pursue that of trade and agriculture, which is not only precarious, and attended with much labor, and difficulty, but it is yet what they neither like nor understand. The first step, therefore, towards civilization, as I have before observed, will be to abolish the slave trade entirety, but, at the same time, to open other sources by which the leading men may derive the same advantage and emoluments which they have hitherto done by this vile trade. At present they are decidedly against you, nor is it a matter of surprise that they are so; for although the abolition act Several Spanish armed vessels have lately appear-is in our opinion a very just and humane policy, it ed on the coast engaged in the slave trade; they ge- is considered by the natives as a ruinous one to nerally carry from 14 to 20 guns, and about 80 them. men, and come out with a determination to fight I have already give it as my opinion, that free and any vessel they have a chance with. These vessels extensive intercourse and trade could with ease be have committed several acts of piracy. The Paz, opened in the interior of Africa; to effect which of 14 guns, was taken by the Colonial brig a short I would recommend cultivating the friendship and time since, with the master and mate of an English good will of the several kings and chiefs, by mak. merchantman on board, which they had taken some ing them suitable presents, and allowing them a days previous. participation in trade, for which they are all most The Spaniards have taken off upwards of 1800 eagar, and would enter into with spirit, if effectuslaves between cape St. Ann and cape Mount, with ally deprived of a slave market, and our forts and in the last four months; and I am of opinion that castles were in the hands of government, so that a the slave trade was never carried on with such merchant could receive benefit from their protecsystem and despatch as at this moment: and if some tion; the present system, being incompatible with active measures are not taken, it will increase next the interest of the separate and open trader. year ten-fold. Should his majesty's government The African is very superior in intellect and capadetermine to surpress this vile traffic, it cannot be city to the generality of Indians in North America; done with schooners or dull sailing ships: for the they are more social and friendly to strangers; and, Spaniards are not only completely equipped, and except in the vicinity of the European settlements, sail fast, but are generally commanded by active are a fine noble race of men. It is only in a commerciand enterprizing men, either French or Americans. al point of view that think Africa worthy our attenThey are seldom to be found at anchor on the tion. Agriculture I would leave to the natives, coast. Their general plan is to make the land who would, if there was an extensive trade and connear where they intend to purchase their sumption on the coast, soon find it to their interest slaves: if the coast is clear, they immediately land to cultivate the ground. I am also persuaded that their cargo and supercargo, and stand out to sea our West India colonies might soon be supplied until they consider the slaves are ready; they then with abundance of live stock, whereas that profi land their cargo at that island, and procure a certificate from the Britsh consul of having done so, which certificate he is obliged to grant; it is then re-shipped in the same vessel, and proceeds to the same coast.-I have the honor, &c. (Signed) JAMES LUCAS YEO, Capt. John W. Crocker, Esq. &c. &c. &c. British Navy. FROM THE BOSTON EVENING GAZETTE. tabic trade is at present in the hands of the Americans; our government pay an enormous price, and our islands are very ill supplied.--When we were at Barbadoes, no fresh beef could be obtained (though there is an order in favor of purchasing for ships from the coast of Africa,) and the squadron on that station had not any fresh beef for seve ral weeks. To facilitate and protect our trade on that coast, I would strongly recommend our obtaining from the Portuguese government two islands, either S, Jogo or St.Nicholas, off the Cape de Verd. Islands; and St. Thomas on the equator. The first New regulations of the English navy-In conse would not only answer as a safe depot for our mer- quence of the variations from the established rechants (rading to that part of the coast, but would gulations, which in a lapse of years, and in the afford pasture for the cattle; from whence they force of imperative circumstances, have innovated could be transported to the West India islands, and upon the British naval system, the board of admisupply our outward bound ships and western crai-ralty have lately remoulded the whole. Their zers with refreshments. It would open the cattle propositions upon the rates, classification, and mantrade to our merchants, at the expense of Amening of ships of war-and the pay, ratings, and rica; and would prevent our enemy making it their number of officers and men, have received the Haunt in war by which they are enabled to elude sanction of an order in council, and commenced on our cruizers and continue long at sea. Several Ame- the first of January of the present year. rican privateers refitted at these islands, and also their frigates; one of which remained at Brava upwards of a week: St. Thomas, on the equator, is a very fine fruitful island, about the size of the Isle of Wight; it abounds in cattle, goats, hogs, poultry, and fruit of every description; the sugar cane grows in the most luxuriant manner, and the coffee is very superior to the West India. There is a very good port for merchant vessels; and two good bays for ships of war; and it is so situated, that the ships from the gold coast can fetch it from the starboard tack, the wind being in general from S. to S. W. and it is the most desirable part for ships to sail from, if bound up the coast, to Europe or to the West Indies; as by keeping to the southward of the equator, you have the wind at south, and sometimes at S S. E. The Inconstant went from St. Thomas's to Sierra Leone, a distance of 1,300 miles directly to windward, in ten days. If a vessel attempts to keep nearer the coast, she gets into the influence of the westerly winds, and a strong current always going to the westward. The Brisk sloop of war was ten days going from Cape Fermosa to Sierra Leone, by keeping the coast on board; this island is also well situated for a very profitable trade to the rivers Gaborn and St. John's or river Danger. It would also be superior as a settlement for the captured negroes to Sierra Leone, not only from its climate, and being an island, but from its being directly in the vicinity of where the slave trade is carried on; whereas, as I have before stated, Sierra Leone is in every respect the most unfit, and worst situation, on the whole Coast. This island was formerly very flourishing, and in a high state of cultivation, particularly sugar cane, until the Brazil trade became so extensive, that it induced all the planters and most of the principal inhabitants to leave the island, and go over to that continent. The post ships of the navy are divided into six rates, which division took place in the reign of Charles the first, and has continued with various modifications to the present time. The 74 gun ship was not generally introduced into the service until about the second year of the reign of George the 2d, when that description of vessel was included among the third rates. "During the whole of the period herein before referred to, and indeed down to 1793, the force of the ships was stated from the actual number of guns they really carried; but from the introduction of carronades, which began partially in 1779, and which was finally adopted on the present extended scale in the navy, during the course of the first revolutionary war, increased the armament of the vessels, as they were found able to carry a greater num ber of carronades than the guns in whose stead they were adopted, so that the real force of the ships has no longer corresponded with their nominal force; and that principle of variation being once admitted ships have since that time received denominations as to their number of guns, often, we believe, capriciously; and, in one or two classes, only, of the whole navy, agreeing with their real force. A few instances will show your royal highness the inconsistencies into which this deviation from the old rules of the service has led. The Caledonia, rated 120 guns, carries 120 guns; while the Hibernis, a ship of nearly the same dimensions, which carries exactly the same number of guns, is rated only at 110 guns, being a less number by four than that at which the San Joseph is rated, though the former has in fact 10 guns more than the latter. All ships of the second rate, though rated as 98, carry upwards of 100 guns, and they have all more guns than the St. George, a first rate, which is rated and carries 100 guns; and they ought all, therefore, I beg leave to mention one other circumstance, according to these established regulations, to be which I think injurious to the mercantile interest included in the first rate, and there are indeed so of this country, which is, the prohibition of arms real second rates, viz. three deckers of between 90 and gunpowder into Africa; as however laudable and 100 guns, at present existing in the royal navy, the motive may be, the desired end is not obtained, in a sea going condition. and it has only transferred a very lucrative trade In the third rate, some of the ships rated at 80 from our own subjects into the hands of the Danes, guns carry near 90, and others rated at 74 carry 8 Dutch, &c. who, by importing these very articles guns, but the majority of the same denomination are enabled, as I have before mentioned, to undercarry 74, and this is one of the very few cases in sell and monopolize the trade, to the great preju- which the real nominal force agree. dice of our own merchants; some of whom evade In the fourth rate, of the ships rated at 50 guns, th orders in council by clearing out for Madeira, one class (that on two deck) carries 58 guns, |