BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

TREASURER.

HENRY THORNTON, ESQ. M. P.

AUDITORS.

W. S. HATHAWAY, ESQ. ROBERT MARSDEN, ESQ. RICHARD STAINFORTH, ESQ.

SECRETARY, pro tempore.

Z. MACAULAY, ESQ.

COLLECTOR.

MR. ROBERT STOKES.

FOURTH REPORT,

&c. &c.

IN their former Reports, the Directors have taken pains to impress the Members of the Institution with this idea; that the success of any plan which may be devised for the improvement of Africa will depend upon the degree in which the trade in Slaves is generally suppressed. It has appeared to them, that without security of person and property, no adequate stimulus can be given to industry; and consequently, that no progress in the great work of civilization can fairly be expected. And it is most obvious, that while a considerable Slave Trade is suffered to exist, such security is unattainable.

The Directors were sanguine in hoping, that ere this time something effectual would have been done, to limit the range of this destructive traffic, which has hitherto impeded the success of every attempt to do good to Africa. But this expectation has not been realized. No foreign states have hitherto followed the example set them by the Legislatures of Great Britain and of the United

States of America; while the flags of Spain and of Sweden (which, till within the last two years, had scarcely ever visited the African Coast) have of late been extensively employed in covering and protecting a trade in Slaves, in which, it is believed, that the subjects of these countries have little or no direct interest.

Nor is this all. It has been discovered, that, in defiance of all the penalties imposed by Act of Parliament, vessels under foreign flags have been fitted out in the ports of Liverpool and London, for the purpose of carrying Slaves from the Coast of Africa to the Spanish and Portuguese Settlements in America; and that several adventures of this description have actually been com-pleted.

The persons, however, who are by far the most deeply engaged in this nefarious traffic, appear to be citizens of the United States of America. These shelter themselves from the penal consequences of their criminal conduct, by means of a nominal sale both of ship and cargo at some Spanish or Swedish port(the Havannah, før example, or the island of St. Bartholomew). They are thus put in a capacity to use the flags of these states; and, so disguised, have carried on their slave-trading spéculations, during the last year, to an enormous extent. not onl

The different communications received by the

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Directors from the Coast of Africa, concur in stating, that in the month of October last, the Coast was crowded with vessels, known to be American, trading for Slaves under Spanish and Swedish flags. The Slaves thus procured, it is understood, were afterwards to be carried for sale, either to South America or to the Spanish West Indics. Some cargoes (there is reason to believe), have been landed at St. Bartholomew's, and smuggled thence into English Islands.

The extent to which this evil has unexpectedly and suddenly proceeded, and its obvious influence: on all the plans for promoting the civilization of Africa, have induced the Directors, since the last general meeting, to turn a large share of their attention to the best means of restraining or removing it. Besides making the necessary representa-. tions, from time to time, to his Majesty's Govern inent, they have taken measures for communicating to the Officers of the Royal Navy distinct information respecting the provisions of the Legislature on this point, and the manner in which those provisions have been eluded; as well as to point out the pecuniary advantages which would accrue to them from a vigorous enforcement of the Abolition Laws.

The Directors trust that they have succeeded in calling the attention of Naval Officers to this subject, and that through their vigilance a con:

siderable effect will soon be produced, in sup pressing at least that part of the trade which is carried on in violation of our own laws. Those laws, happily, will be found to comprehend a great variety of cases. They apply, not merely to such slave-trading adventures as are owned in the whole or in part by British subjects, or are conducted by British agents, but to all which have originated in a British port, even though foreigners alone are concerned in them, and al though the ships employed should call at one or more intermediate ports, and take fresh clearances thence before they proceed to the Coast of Africa. : The Directors were not aware, till lately, of the extent to which this last-mentioned description of illegal speculation has been carried; and they have reason to believe that the officers of the Navy were not only not apprised of it, but that they did not even know that they were authorised to make seizures in such cases. Now that they are made acquainted with the real state of things, it may be hoped that a material check will ere long be given to these illicit practices. The inducement to vigilance on the part of the Navy is considerable; the captors being entitled to the forfeiture of both ship and cargo. And although all Slaves found on board are liberated, yet there is a bounty allowed by Government to the cap tors, amounting to 401. for each man, 301. for