census declared five hundred thousand slaves;
that is, in twelve years the increase had been two hundred thousand.
How many negroes deported from Africa do these figures represent! what
number who died soon after landing, too feeble and diseased to become
acclimated!

Here is the prospectus of an expedition to the coast of Guinea in 1782
for the purpose of landing seven hundred slaves in the Antilles. They
were shipped in two vessels, one of six hundred tons, the other a small
corvette.

Outfit of large vessel, 150,000 livres
" " corvette, 50,000 "
Purchase of 700 negroes at 300 livres per head, 210,000 "
Insurance upon the passage at 15 per cent., 61,500 "
" " " premiums at 15 per cent., 9,225 "
---------
Total cost of the passage, 480,725 "

The passage was a very prosperous one: only 35
negroes spoiled, or 5 per cent, of the whole
number. The remaining 665 were sold in San
Domingo at an average price of 2,000 livres,
making 1,330,000 "
Deduct commissions of ships' officers and
correspondents in West Indies, at 11-1/2 per cent 152,950 "
---------
1,177,050 "
Deduct expenses in West Indies, 17,050 "
---------
1,160,000 "
Deduct exchange, freight, and insurance upon
return passage of the vessels, 20 per cent., 232,000 "
---------
928,000 "
Deduct crews' wages for 10 months, reckoning the
length of the voyage at 13 months, 55,000 "
---------
873,000 "
Add value of returned vessels, 90,000 "
---------
963,000 "
Deduct original cost of the whole, 480,725 "