the climate, describing it as being much worse than that of our WestIndia islands. In answer to this, it is only necessary, for those who may have any doubts, to compare the number of deaths in the squadron under command of Sir George Collier, during an arduous service of three years upon this coast, exposed to every danger from the climate, with the number which occurs in the same period of service, with vessels of the same class and number of men in the West-India islands. The result will be found to be greatly in favour of this colony. From experience also we are enabled to affirm, that the mortality among Europeans who come to settle among us, is not so great in proportion, as will be found in the islands before mentioned.

Since our last statement of the number of caravans of gold merchants, which had visited this town from the interior, several more, possessing gold to a very large amount, have arrived. We have now to notify, that Isaaco, the famous guide of Mungo Park, has reached Port Lugo, on his way to this place from Sego, bringing with him about three thousand dollar's worth of gold. In congratulating the merchants upon the vast accession of trade with the interior, we are bound to remember with gratitude that the opening of this path was effected by the exertions of that meritorious officer, Assistant Staff Surgeon O'Beirne, by his mission to Teembo, which he effected with equal credit to himself, and benefit to the community."

One of our mercantile friends, having read our late remarks upon the vast increase of gold imported into this place, has assured us that we have, in every instance, considerably underrated the amount: he has also stated, what we have since ascertained to be the fact both in the Gambia and here, and which may be considered of considerable importance to the mother country; that is, in the barter for gold, they require nearly the whole in British manufactures, among which may be named, as the most desirable, muslins and prints.

• It will be in the remembrance of those who have read the debates in the House of Commons, and various pamphlets published against the abolition of the Slave Trade, that it was frequently urged as an objection to such a measure, that Great Britain would lose a valuable part of her commerce, particularly in her own manufactures. It is needless to state how very, very different has been the result. Throughout the whole line of coast, the trade has improved in a very considerable degree; but in Sierra Leone and the Gambia, it has far outstretched the most sanguine ideas formerly entertained of its probable incres e. The amount of exports and imports will best evince the prosperity of those settlements: at the same time it ought to be remembered, that every article of produce shipped to the mother country, is of the most valuable kind, producing in most cases considerable revenue. Could we but eradicate the nest of miscreant slaves in Bissao and the Gallinas, we should then see the whole extent of coast from our settlement of Accra, to that of St. Mary's in the river Gambia, entirely freed from the approach of those vessels, whose visits, like that of an epidemic disease, spread nothing but death and misery to a vast extent around them. Freed from the contaminating influence of these spoilers, and divested of their last remaining hope of the pos

sibility of a revival of this horrible traffic, the natives would of neces sity turn their attention to the collection or production of such articles of legitimate commerce as would procure for them those European luxuries which they cannot now do without. An honourable intercourse, thus established without fear of interruption, would quickly produce such rich fruit as would for ever silence those objections which have been raised against the measures adopted for the relief of suffering Africa. The increase of commerce which would accrue to the mother country thereby, amply repaying her all the money she may have expended in this cause, would satisfy the worldly-minded; while the blood-thirsty wretch who might continue to offer opposition, for the purpose of a direct or indirect participation in the profits arising from such horrible speculations, would be left without a single argument upon which he might found his hateful doctrine.' pp. 199–201.

In the mean time, the restored governments of France, Spain, and Portugal, continue to abuse their power, in contempt of the warmest professions, and the most solemn engagements, by conniving at, or rather protecting the Slave Trade, with all its enormities. Wherever the French flag appears, protection and impunity are granted to the trader. A despatch from the late Sir Robert Mends, dated June 26, 1822, contains the following horrible statements.

"I am informed, it is almost impossible to credit the extent to which the Slave Trade has been carried on in the Bonny; there having actually sailed from that river, between the months of July and November last year, 126 slave vessels, eighty-six of which were French, and the others Spaniards. Six of them were heavy vessels : -one, a frigate-built ship, mounting 28 twenty-four pounders, long guns, and carronades; 200 men, English, American, and Spaniards; -a corvette of 26 guns, twenty-four pounders, long guns; 150 men; -corvette of 20 guns, thirty-two pounders; 120 men ;-corvette of 16 guns, twenty-four pounders, carronades; 96 men ;-a brig of 18 thirty-two pounders; 100 men ;-and a brig of 16 guns; 60 men, all Portuguese and Spaniards.

"An immense number have already sailed this year; and I find many more are expected, and have ascertained, from good authority, that they will generally be under the French flag-that is, they sail, with their slaving cargoes on board, from the Havannah, to a port in France, and there clear out, come to this coast under the pretence of purchasing palm oil and ivory, ship their slaves, and return to the coasts of Cuba thus inhumanly laden.

"By the annexed boarding list, it will appear to their Lordships, that, within a very short period, the ships of war on this coast have boarded forty-five vessels engaged in the Slave trade; viz.

Total......

45

Of which, sixteen were captured, having on board 2,481 slaves. These are facts substantiated by unquestionable proofs; and shew, beyond the possibility of doubt or contradiction, the preponderance of France and Portugal in this traffic."'

"Their Lordships being already acquainted with the desperate attack made by the French and Spanish slave-ships in the river Bonny, in last April, on the boats of this ship and the Myrmidon, which ended in the capture of the whole of those ships; I feel it incumbent on me to mention a combination said to be entered into, by the officers and crews of the whole of those vessels, by which they bound themselves to put to death every English officer or man, belonging to the Navy, who might fall into their hands on the coast of Africa. This was in perfect unison with all and every thing which the slave-dealing has engendered. Of a similar nature was the agreement between the Spanish captains and their seamen; the latter binding themselves blindly to obey every order, of whatever nature it might be, and, in case of the vessel being taken, not to receive any wages. Such is the depravity to which this Slave Trade debases the mind and the character of the desperate banditti engaged in it. These outlaws and robbers assume any flag, as best suits their purpose at the time; and would equally trample on the Lilly that protects them, as on the Crucifix which they impiously carry in their

bosoms.

"Wherever this baneful trade exists, the civil arts of life recede, commerce disappears, and man becomes doubly ferocious. It is scarcely to be believed, that an attempt was made to blow up a vessel, with upwards of 300 slaves on board, almost all of them in irons, by her crew hanging a lighted match over the magazine, when they abandoned her in their boats, and the Iphigenia took possession of her. Were this a solitary instance of the feeling which it elicits, it ought of itself to induce every European Government to take effectual measures for its suppression; but, while succeeding years only bring forward a repetition of similar deeds, varied alone in form and guilt, hypocrisy itself scarcely dares to couple the name of Christian with that of its protectors."

We make no comment on these statements, but leave them to make their own appeal to our readers.

A very interesting paper will be found in the Appendix, taken from the Sierra Leone Gazette, giving an account of the travels of a Tartar merchant over a very considerable portion of the African Continent,-from Tripoli to Cape Coast Castle. He spent five weeks at Timbuctoo, which he makes 64 days

from Coomassie, and 73 from Cape Coast. His testimony appears to favour the opinion of Mr. Bowdich and others, that the waters of the Bahr al Nil or Niger discharge themselves into the Nile. The Quollah, he constantly maintained to be a different river, running in a contrary direction, viz. from E. to W., and entering, as he was informed, the sea to the westward. Of the Barneel (Bahr al Nil) he spoke as flowing from Sego to Sansanding, to Jinne, to Timbuctoo, and thence through 'several countries he had not visited; then, leaving Houssa to the southward, it passed through Turicak, (being the same river he had crossed within one day's journey of Agades, on his route from Mourzook to Kano,) and thence to Habesh, and before it arrived at Masr (Cairo), it formed a junction with the Nile of Egypt.'

Art. VII. The Christian Stewardship. A Discourse on the Nature and Responsibility of the Sacred Office. Preached before the Homerton College Society, June 22, 1824. By Thomas Morell, President of the Theological Institution at Wymondley. 8vo. pp. 34. Price 1s. 6d. London, 1824.

WERE a competent observer allowed to inspect the internal state of the various theological institutions in this kingdom among Dissenters,-could he ascertain the real value of the literary advantages they impart, and the degree in which sound discipline is maintained in them,-the rank of life from which the students are chiefly taken, and the average standard of their previous attainments, he would not require to be gifted with miraculous foresight, to predict what will be the character of the Dissenting ministry to which will be confided, in a great measure, the moral direction of the next generation. Should it be found, on such examination, that these institutions are adapted to make good preachers, rather than good scholars, and that previous learning is rarely brought to them, -he would not err in anticipating a decay of solid learning among the body. Should he find any symptoms of relaxed discipline, he would tremble for the cause of piety. Should it appear that the proportion of candidates furnished by the middle classes of society, is on the increase, he would augur wel! from a circumstance which would indicate that the Christian ministry is rising in public estimation, and that the secular respectability derived from the patronage of the State, is not required to make the station of a Christian pastor honourable. From such circles, he would predict that young men will proceed, of good-breeding and intelligence, who may be expected to

adorn the office which they sustain. Should the contrary prove to be the case, he may console himself by thinking, that an efficient, if not a brilliant or influential ministry may spring up, and that natural talents and fervent zeal may supply the place of cultivation and learning. Yet, the decline of the cause would be but too reasonably inferred from so ominous a presage. Dissenters may go on multiplying in numbers, but, if their principles lose ground among the cultivated classes, the declension of the cause has begun.

The oldest Protestant Dissenting college has not existed quite a century. The pastors of Dissenting churches in the seventeenth century, were, for the most part, University men. That race became extinct in the reign of King William. Their immediate successors were their pupils, and many of them inherited their learning, and did honour to their instructors. Dissenting academies began to be formed early in the last century, and among the names of those who presided over these institutions, some occur of considerable celebrity. The ministers who occupied our pulpits from about 1720 to 1770, were brought up after the regular methods of what may be called this old school. Then arose new-school and no-school divines; learning and orthodoxy quarrelled and parted company: the former turned Socinian and died, the latter became a Methodist. That season of effervescence passed, we have seen Dissenting Academies multiplied in all directions, and among almost all denominations, except the quakers,—with what advantage to the cause of sound learning and piety, the next generation will more fully shew.

The view taken of the sacred office in this plain, affectionate, and judicious discourse, is one with which it is most desirable that every academic should be deeply impressed: "Stewards "of the mysteries of God."

It is readily admitted,' says Mr. Morell, that there is a peculiar and appropriate sense, in which this title might be given to the Apostles and other inspired teachers of Christianity, inasmuch as they were more fully instructed in the will of their Divine Master, and empowered authoritatively to make known that will to others. To them it was given to know, not by the ordinary process of research, but by immediate revelation from God, the mysteries of the kingdom. They were the depositories of revealed truth, by whom it was to be conveyed to mankind. Yet there is also a high and important sense, in which, we apprehend, this title may be given to ordinary pastors and teachers. That we are warranted in this application of the term, will be evident, by referring to a passage in the Epistle of Paul to Titus, in which it is applied to the pastors, or elders, who were to be ordained Vol. XXII. N.S.

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