tendants of the seminary. When they had obtained what appeared a competent degree of familiarity with the details of this system, they were sent, at the expense of the Institution, to Sierra Leone, there to be employed in the business of instruction. His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonial Department being made acquainted with their qualifications, very liberally placed them as Schoolmasters on the Sierra Leone Establishment; so that, though they will be employed exactly in the line the Directors intended they should, their future maintenance will occasion no expense to the Institution. These young men, besides the general knowledge they acquired during a residence of seven or eight years in this country, and during that time their education was not neglected, carried back with them some knowledge of the 'art of drawing; and two of them were well ac quainted with the weaving of Cotton.

The Directors have communicated to the Governor of Sierra Leone their wish, that every means in his power should be employed to induce the African Chiefs to send their children to be educated at the Schools established at Sierra Leone and to promote this object, they have expressed their willingness, relying on the liberality of the public, to enlarge the limits of the expenditure to which they had been desirous of restricting him, And they have further informed him, that, if there

should be a few young men, natives of Africa, to whom, after having had a previous elementary education, it might be desirable to impart some branches of knowledge which are not attainable in Africa, but which may promise to be advantageous both to the individuals and to their country; the Directors would be disposed to incur the expense which might attend their being sent to England, their being there instructed, and afterwards sent back to Africa. It was of course the desire of the Board, that the youths selected for this purpose should be such as had given satisfactory proof of their capacity, and of their disposition to improve the advantages proposed to them.

Shortly after the last general meeting, a Memoir was presented to the Directors, pointing out some of the advantages which would be likely to accrue to Africa from the cultivation of the Arabic and Soosoo languages by persons resident at Sierra Leone, and especially by the servants of Government. The substance of this Memoir will be found in the Appendix to the Second Report, p. 42. The Directors were induced, by the representations contained in it, to adopt some Resolutions on the subject, which have already been made public. These Resolutions, after expressing the desire of the Board to encourage and pro

See the Advertisement prefixed to the Second Report.

mote the study of the native languages of Africa by the Europeans, and others resident at Sierra Leone, empowered the Governor of that Colony to engage proper persons to teach the Arabic and Susoo languages to such individuals as might wish to acquire them. The Directors have not been informed whether any progress has been made in carrying these Resolutions into effect.

In the former Report, the Directors stated it to be their opinion, that a very important benefit would be conferred on the inhabitants of Africa, by introducing among them the seed of a superior species of COTTON to that which commonly grows there. To this object they have, therefore, directed much of their attention; and they are happy to say, that they have succeeded in it beyond their hopes: notwithstanding the American Embargo, not less than twelve puncheons of Cotton Seed, half being of the Sea Island, and the other half of the Upland or Bowed Cotton, have been procured from Georgia, and conveyed to Sierra Leone, and other parts of the coast. Besides this, considerable quantities of the Seed of the most valuable Cottons have been obtained at Manchester, and sent to Africa. The whole quantity of Cotton Seed already transmitted thither exceeds fifteen tons. A few barrels of it had arrived at Sierra Leone in the month of May last; some of which had been sown, and was coming up in the

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month of June: but the greatest part of it would not reach its destination till about the beginning of the present year. In the course of a few months, some account may be expected of the use to which it has been applied.

The Directors, in writing to their correspondents in Africa on the subject of the growth of Cotton, were anxious to impress on their minds how desirable it is, in the present state of the Cotton Market, that the utmost exertions should be made to extend its cultivation; as, under the pressure of the American Embargo, hardly any article could better repay the Cultivator; while nothing could tend more to give importance to Africa, in the eyes both of the Legislature and the Public, than the prospect of her furnishing a large and growing supply of Cotton Wool. Nor to this end did it appear to the Directors necessary that regular plantations should be undertaken in the first instance. If individuals generally could be induced to grow a little, so considerable a quantity might, in a short time, be collected, as would afford a demonstration of the capabilities of Africa, which might be sufficient to overcome existing prejudices, and to direct the attention of the Public more generally to that quarter of the Globe.

Agreeably to these views, directions were given, that Cotton Seed should be distributed widely among the Natives, accompanied by instructions

for its culture, and information respecting its value; and the Board sent out seven Cotton Gins (machines for cleaning the Cotton), complete, with the iron-work for about twelve more. These would

furnish at once the means of preparing the cotton wool for the market, and would also serve as models for the construction of similar machines.

That this important object might be still farther promoted, a paper of directions for the cultivation and management of Cotton, from the moment of putting the seed into the ground until it is in a state to be put on ship-board, has been prepared and printed*. These directions have been framed with the concurrent approbation of several persons who had been engaged in the culture of Cotton in America and the West Indies, and of others who are well acquainted with the quality and value of the article in the home market. About five hundred copies of them have been sent to Africa; and it is hoped that they may also be translated into Arabic, and circulated among the Natives who understand that language.

In the month of June last, Mr. Loutherbourg presented to the Board of Directors, through his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, a sample of a species of hemp that had been manufactured from the leaves of a particular kind of Palm-tree,

See Appendix, G.