onsideration there was no procedure with
the bill. L. J. (Journal of the House of Lords), XII: 480; H. M. C.
(Historical Manuscripts Commission), report 9, pt. 2, p. 9b; H. L.
MSS. (House of Lords, Manuscripts), draft act to incorporate the
Company of Royal Adventurers of England Trading into Africa, April 6,
1671.

[70] A. C. R., 75: 101, 102. See also the proposals for a resettlement
of the company's affairs in S.P., Dom., _Charles II_, 67, ff. 341,
342.

[71] A. C. R., 75: 106, 107.

[72] _Ibid._, 75: 108.

[73] _British Husbandry and Trade_, II, 14.

[74] A. C. R., 76: 52, the preamble under which the subscriptions were
made as amended December 19, 1671, article 4; _ibid._, 75: 111.

[75] _Ibid._, 76, October 22, 1674. A report of a committee says that
there was about L22,000 of the old subscriptions which had not been
paid.

[76] _Ibid._, 100: 50.

[77] C. O. 268: 1, charter of the Royal African Company, September 27,
1672.

[78] _Ibid._

CHAPTER III

ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA

In 1660 all the colonial powers of Europe held the west coast of
Africa in great esteem, not only because it produced gold, but also
because it was regarded as a necessary adjunct to the colonies in the
West Indies for the supply of Negro slaves. During their long war with
Spain and Portugal the Dutch acquired a large portion of the West
African coast, including the main fortress of St. George d'Elmina.
This fact led them to regard themselves as having succeeded to the
exclusive claims of the Portuguese on the Guinea coast[1]. With this
end in view the Dutch agreed in the treaty of August 6, 1661, to
return Brazil to the Portuguese as compensation for the forts and
settlements which they had seized on the coast of Guinea[2]. Although
the Dutch played the most prominent part in depriving the Portuguese
of the trade to Guinea, the English, French, Swedes, Danes, and
Courlanders, all obtained a minor commerce to Africa which they very
jealously guarded. In a country so remote from the laws and
civilization of Europe personal quarrels often arose among the
subjects of these different nations, who were inclined to obtain what
they could by fair means or foul. They magnified these petty
quarrels[3] to such an extent that they continually led to
international complication.

The European trade in Africa was confined mainly to the regions of the
Gold Coast and the Gambia Iver. Near the mouth of the Gambia River the
subjects o