Part 5

“Am much obliged to you for your kind intelligence, and all other favours; I shall be obliged to you to dispatch the carpenter as soon as possible, being in great want of him. I am, &c.”

Extract of a letter from John Jepson, master of a snow from Rhode-Island, dated Annamaboa Road, 3 July, 1751. To the same.

“I am sorry you are going off the coast: but however, as I can do no more for you, beg to return you my hearty and sincere thanks for your many favours from time to time, not only from your willingness to supply us with any thing in your power of tradesmen’s work, or any other thing; but also for your pains and vigilance in protecting the trade, &c. which will always be justifiable, and hope will redound to your honour and credit, which is the sincere wish, &c.”

Extract of two letters from Henry Ellis, master of the ship Hallifax, from Bristol, dated Annamaboa Road, the 13th, and 28th July, 1751. To the same.

“The boards you sent me were of real service; I hope you will not omit charging any expence I put you to, as I can discharge that, though not so easily your good offices: we cannot help the death of the slaves, they are mortal; but do not think it adviseable to give them rice, as that kind of diet first gave them a swelling.”

N. B. He landed all his sickly slaves, which were kept and taken care of in the castle.

“We are not a little astonished at the pains these new agents take to prejudice the shipping here, by settling factories ashore to intercept the trade, and by giving equal prices with us, in order to distress us the more; it has already been some money out of the merchants pockets; we have been obliged to raise the price, or lie idle, under the hardships we endure. I cannot help observing the chagrin of the Liverpool captains, who loudly complain of the new management.”

“I entirely join issue with you, that this new-fram’d project will become an errand job, though but for a season; for I look upon it, the physic of commerce, which, though it may disorder, as at present, will in the end work its cure. I am, &c.”

Extract of a certificate of eight British masters of vessels, dated Annamaboa Road, 3 July, 1751. To the same.

“We being informed that a report hath been spread, that the late royal African company’s governor commanding on this coast, hath, during his command, acted in an arbitrary tyrannic manner, both to Europeans and natives on this coast; do hereby, in justice to the reputation of that gentleman, voluntarily certify, that we never heard of, or experienced, any part of his character or behaviour but what was humane and good, tending to promote the British interest and trade in these parts. And farther, that he has, from time to time, readily assisted us with all things each or any of us stood in need of at cape Coast Castle, during his command there, to the utmost of his power, as we sincerely believe. In witness whereof we have set our hands, &c.”

Certificate from Capt. Thomas Derbyshire, of Liverpool, relating to the use granted him of Tantumquery fort.

“This is to certify whom it may concern, that during my making a voyage to the Gold Coast of Africa, and my lying at Annamaboa, I settled a factory at Lagoe; where from a disturbance there seemed likely to be in the country, I did not think my goods safe in the factory-house I had taken: and on my being at cape Coast Castle in the year 1750, and intimating the same to the then governor, he offered me the use of Tantumquery fort to carry on trade therein, which I accepted; and ordered my gunner to take my goods from the factory at Lagoe, and lodge them in Tantumquery fort, which he did, and continued in the same for upwards of three months to carry on his trade. And Mr. John Clifton, chief of said fort, had orders to render him every service and good office in his power, without fee or reward; neither did the said governor receive any benefit, profit or advantage in any shape or manner, in consideration for my having the use of the fort aforesaid. To certify which, I set my hand this 16 Aug. 1751, &c.”

Extract of a certificate, dated 28 Dec. 1753, from seven masters of ships, that in the late company’s time traded to the coast of Africa.

“That the late company’s governor, during the continuance of his authority and command on the coast of Africa, did every thing in his power to promote the British interest and trade there: and from time to time assisted in doing us such service as our occasions required. In witness whereof we set our hands, &c. &c.”

We think it unnecessary to trouble the public with any further proofs relative to the conduct of the late royal African company and their officers, to shew that they did every thing in their power to promote the trade of the British subjects in Africa, as we shall reserve them for a work that is in hand; therefore will only state some facts regarding the African committee, their governors, and officers by them appointed to have the command and management on the Gold Coast and Whydah in Africa, for the public to form their judgment from.

That by an act of parliament, passed in the 23d year of the reign of his late majesty, the trade to Africa was intended to be made free and open to all his majesty’s subjects, without distinction or preference. But contrary to the intentions of the said act, that trade has been engrossed and monopolized by the officers of the committee on the Gold Coast and Whydah, by their entering into a confederacy or joint stock, and intermixing the government supplies with their own merchandize, and by that means assorted themselves so as to command said traffic.

Those officers have many other great advantages over free merchants and traders, such as having a considerable part of their private merchandize sent to them freight free, their extraordinary influence over the natives, by the command of the several castles to deposit their effects in, salaries, maintenance, European servants, artificers, doctors, castle-slaves, canoe-men, canoes, medicines, stores and necessaries of all sorts, being under their management and direction. Besides, the presents to princes, caboceers, and great men of the countries, being defrayed by the public, together with the said benefits arising from the government supplies; and many other advantages which they have taken, whereby they acquired such a superiority over the free traders, as obliged the merchants of Bristol and Liverpool to apply by memorial in the year 1753, stating therein the foregoing facts to the lords commissioners of trade and plantation for redress, which will appear by said memorial, supported by the following affidavits.

“Affidavit of William Brown, master of the Bristol, sworn 16 June, 1753, saith, that when he was last in Africa carrying on trade, was informed by Brew, chief of Tantumquery, and Withers, chief of Winnebah, that they were engaged in partnership in the slave trade with Melvil, Young, and the other officers at cape Coast Castle.”

“That Melvil and others told deponent, they expected a ship from Holland with a Dutch cargo, which ship they had some time before sent to Jamaica with slaves.”

“That he was in company with Dacres, chief of Accra, who informed him Young was coming to turn him out of the fort, by reason he would not enter into partnership with Melvil and Young; that Dacres declared he should have been glad to have continued his employ, but rather than be uneasy he would quit it, and soon after did so. That deponent could not purchase from the chiefs of forts, slaves under an ounce and half, or two ounces a head more than he gave for those of equal goodness to the Negro traders, occasioned by the trade being carried on by the chiefs of the forts.”

“That deponent was informed by the Negroes at Annamaboa, if he wanted to trade under the forts, he must take canoes and canoe-men; for the canoe-men under the forts were overawed by the chiefs, and they durst not assist him in trading; and deponent did so, and should have been under difficulties if he had not so done; and deponent found the Negroe traders under said forts, cautious and fearful of trading with him, lest the chiefs should know thereof, and sent to deponent in a private manner, when they had slaves to dispose of.”

“That cape Coast, Tantumquery, Winnebah and Accra were used by the chiefs as repositories for their market slaves, and saw them lodged in said castle and forts; that Negroes will bear a high price as long as the chiefs are permitted to trade in them, which will destroy the trade with all persons, but the chiefs and those settled at the forts.”

“Affidavit of James Hamilton, chief mate of the Polly of Bristol, sworn the same day as above. Swears to the same purport and effect as above set forth by Brown, in regard to the chiefs copartnership conversation with Dacres, and his being displaced, and the high price of slaves, and the reasons, &c. And then saith, that during his voyage, he hired a factory at Lagoe, and endeavoured to purchase slaves; on which Brew sent Negro traders and goods thither to oppose deponent; and Brew told deponent, it was impossible for him to trade to same advantage as Brew could, as he had so good assortment of goods; that if deponent gave eight ounces a head for slaves, Brew would give eight and half; and to intimidate deponent, declared he would send the servants of the forts up the paths, and prevent the trade coming down, and accordingly did send them with liquor, and carried the traders to his own fort. That Brew refused to sell deponent slaves; and his reason was, Melvil had wrote him not to sell, as he could get a better price at cape Coast. That Young at Winnebah refused deponent slaves at ten ounces per head, unless deponent would give him the very best of his cargo, which would have unsorted him.”

“That Young refused him water for fifteen slaves, and deponent was obliged to give the natives fifteen shillings for forty gallons. That he went on shore with his gold taker at Succondee to trade, carried some checks with him: that Hippesly, the chief there, took the gold taker on one side, whispered him, and threatened to whip him if he ever saw him bring goods there to trade with the natives.”

“That the natives and canoe-men at all the forts were fearful of trading with deponent, and declared they were afraid of being seen by the chiefs; that the forts were used as repositories for slaves, and that the trade will be hurt by the chiefs trading, as set forth by Brown.”

“Affidavit of Alexander Graham, master of the Fly, sworn the same day, saith, that when he and Jenkins, commander of the Silvia, were trading at Annamaboa, they at first bought slaves at five ounces and half, and from thence to seven and a half per head, and went on in a good way. On a sudden found a stagnation, enquired the occasion, and were informed the prices were raised at the neighbouring forts; and this deponent was obliged to give an advanced price; that if the chiefs trade, the prices will be high, and the trade hurt.”

On the foregoing affidavits, and other allegations and facts, “the merchants of Bristol and Liverpool presented a memorial to the lords of trade, setting forth among other things,

“That an act was passed in the year 1750, for making the trade to Africa free and open, for which end the management of the forts and affairs were trusted to the care of nine persons, a committee, as there set forth; that the said committee had the power of appointing officers and servants for managing their affairs in Africa, and discharging them at pleasure for not obeying their orders, or other misdemeanors; and they were to take care that the orders given their servants did not extend to public detriment, or the hurt of the free traders.”