ed to relinquish
so great a source of profit. Every naval officer in His Majesty's
service knows, that if we were to have thirty sail of the line
continually off the coast of Guinea, it would not be sufficient to
annihilate this abominable traffic, or to deter people from
embarking in a trade that yields such extraordinary profits. This
being admitted, as it certainly will be by every intelligent man,
it follows, that the system now in operation by the British
government for the abolition of the slave-trade, will be attended
only with an unnecessary expense to this country, without the
possibility of effecting the desired object; but, on the contrary,
judging from recent events, there is every reason to presume, that
this detestable commerce will increase, as it has continued to
increase, these last two or three years, in spite of all our
270 operations to prevent it; the Spaniards alone having imported into
the island of Cuba more slaves in 1818 and 1819, than in the four
preceding years. The result has been, that that island has
produced, in 1819, more than double the produce of the former year;
their waste lands, accordingly, are in progressive cultivation,
and, if they go on thus improving, that island, in a few years
hence, will produce coffee and sugar sufficient for the supply of
all the markets of Europe.

Finally, Slavery will never give way to any thing but civilisation;
the civilisation of Africa can never be accomplished but through a
great and extensive commercial intercourse, a commerce that will
_enrich the negroes, and enable them, by a supply of arms, to
contend with and gain an ascendancy over their Muhamedan
oppressors_, who want no other pretext for attacking them, than
that of their being idolaters, which idolatry, it is asserted,
authorises the Muselman to make them slaves. Thus, _the abolition
of slavery must depend on the Africans themselves_; and although it
is in our power to supply them with the means for _their
emancipation_, yet it is absurd to suppose that we can effect it by
our naval operations. If all the great sovereigns of Europe were to
agree to make the trading in slaves piracy, they would not prevent
it. WE cannot emancipate them; _that only can be accomplished by
their own energy_, awakened in them by commerc