with a brief notice of the neighbouring tribes, soil, productions, &c. and some observations on the facility of Colonizing that part of Africa, with a View to Cultivation; and the introduction of letters and religion to its inhabitants: but more particularly as the means of gradually abolishing African Slavery relative to an attempt to establish a British Settlement on the Island of Bulama, on the Western Coast of Africa, in the year 1792
with a brief notice of the neighbouring tribes, soil, productions, &c. and some observations on the facility of Colonizing that part of Africa, with a View to Cultivation; and the introduction of letters and religion to its inhabitants: but more particularly as the means of gradually abolishing African Slavery relative to an attempt to establish a British Settlement on the Island of Bulama, on the Western Coast of Africa, in the year 1792
Projekt: Bestände der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
LDP: Bestände der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Strukturtyp
Monographie
Parlamentsperiode
-
Wahlperiode
-
Titel
Chapter XI. Advantageous position of the Country sketched in Chapter VIII for the purposes of Cultivation and Commerce — its Colonization proposed — Commodities intended to be there produced ...
332 African Memoranda. Gum I saw but little of, but it is to be procured in the Gambia. These articles, taken one with another, would yield to the settler a neat profit of at least 50 per cent, and would keep his small vessel in constant employment, while he was encreasing his plantation ; by these means also we should become inti mately acquainted with all the approachable parts of Africa by water, and greatly add to our geographical knowledge. Indigo. Indigo is another article which I should propose cultivating on Bulama. It grows wild all over the island. The profits on the cultivation of this plant are immense: but it requires con stant attention, during its fermentation, or the produce of the whole plantation may be lost; the vapour arising from it in that state is said to be exceedingly unhealthy: these are the two objections to its cultivation. The quantity of indigo annually imported into Great Britain amounts, it is said,* te to one mil lion and a half of pounds, of which five parts in seven arc purchased, with ready money, from strangers and rivals.” This money might be saved to the country, by the cultiva tion of that plant on the island of Bulama, or neighbouring coast of Africa. .Coffee. Coffee is the third article of cultivation which I should pro pose. It does not appear that the island of Bulama is particu larly calculated for the cultivation of the tree which produces this berry, as its soil may in general be too rich, and not suffi ciently elevated ; however, in the extent of country proposed to be cultivated, many spots will, I doubt not, be found, proper for its culture. * Edwards’s West Indies, vol, II, p, 281.