ruinous cause. They are often embarrassed for the necessaries of existence, and never acquire a surplus of provisions. The Colony can derive nothing from these people, a little wood excepted-worth the pursuit.

As long as the Colony remains at peace with the neighboring tribes, cattle may be had from the interior, without difficulty. But not longer. For it is easily in the power of the weakest tribe in the country effectually to cut off all intercourse, by way-laying the path. But having once stocked the settlement. we should at no distant period, be so well supplied, as to be able to meet any temporary interruption, without inconvenience. Provided the Colony could be accommodated with the use of a vessel, two or three times a year, to bring as many cargoes from the leeward coast; the certainty of the supply would be much greater.

There are two more articles of provisions, even more important than beef. These are Rice, and Oil. The latter, until six months old, answers every purpose of Olive-oil, as used for culinary purposes in the south of Europe. Butter and lard, have all their uses fulfilled, and perhaps with advantage to the health of the people, by the Palm-oil. After the first six months, it becomes necessary to subject it to a very simple, refining process, which leaves the oil nearly tasteless-rectifying entirely any previous tendency to rancidity. Very little of this article is ever to be procured to the northward of the river Junk Below, it may in the proper season-which is throughout the dry months-be purchased in any quantity. The first cost, is half a bar the gallon-which in cookery, is equal to six pounds of butter.

Rice is produced every where, except in the very vicinity of slave trading stations; where there is never sufficient industry to produce any thing. The country lining the sea-coast from the Junk, thirty miles below, to Cape Mount fifty miles above the settlement, limits its annual growth of rice to the consumption of the inhabitants. Farther above, the surplus is bought up for Sierra Leone. Below, it remains open to us.

Rice is most abundant from October to February. A few hundred bushels are annually in this season, brought by the country people to the settlementbut never enough to supply even its present demand. More, will perhaps never be brought in without attention bestowed on our part, to its purchase, while the coast continues to be as much frequented by slaving vessels, as at the present time. Every cargo that leaves the coast requires a large supply of rice, and often the master pays enormously for it. The native growers of rice, are disposed to reserve it for these occasions. Hence it is necessary to establish a temporary factory either at the Junk, at Grand Bassa, or at Grand Battou, during all the former part of the dry season, in order to make sure of a supply for the Colony.

With this precaution, there would be no uncertainty in securing as much as will meet the annual consumption of the settlement. But the whole expense must be reckoned about two and a half bars the heaped bushel, or about five American pecks.

I am at the date of these remarks, about to carry a young man of the settlement, with goods, to purchase six or eight hundred bushels of rice, at the mouth of the Junk. He will there establish himself, and remain till recalled. The distance may be walked by a native, in twelve hours.

There is no question then, ofthe capability of this country to furnish the Colony with provisions. A little system and providence, is all that is necessary to make the supply certain. The only inquiry remaining relates to the comparative expense of provisioning the new-comers, and invalids or

America, and from this country.

Colony from My own sentiments on this subject, I believe, are well known to the already. So much more economical have I found the purchase of Afpard than the use of American provisions, that I have often had the latter scl, to purchase the former. The experiment has proved the saving to be nearl one half. Take the following estimate in illustration:

can,

One barrel of beef costs the Society, on arriving in Africa, $13 50 cents at least. This sum, in bars of 40 cents, (which is more than the first-cost average of the bar in Africa,) is within a fraction of thirty-four bars, and on the most disadvantageous terms, will pay for two prime bullocks. The average weight of the Condoe bullocks is three hundred pounds. Two bullocks at this rate make three barrels of beef. Three barrels of African beef, is certainly equal to two from America:-or, six hundred pounds of fresh beef, will go further for subsistence than two barrels of salted beef.-The saving is at least one hundred per centum.

For bread-stuffs-one barrel of flour on arriving in the Colony, on the most favorable terms, must have cost $9 50 cents—or (the bar at forty,) about 24 bars. This amount of goods will pay for forty-eight pecks, or four barrels of rice, delivered at the Colony. The saving to the funds, is the difference, for the purposes of subsistence, between one barrel of flour, and four barrels of rice. The flour weighs one hundred and ninety-six pounds.-The rice, seven hundred and fifty.

I therefore beg to propose, that the Society will authorize, and furnish the resident Agent with the means to provision the settlement chiefly from the country in which it is situated,

The goods required, and their proportionate quantity, (or value in America,)

are,

Tobacco,
Whiskey,

Blue* and White India or English Imitation Bafts,

Printed Calicoes,

Printed Cotton Handkerchiefs,

Black and Flag Silk do.

* Blue, Red, Striped, and Check Domestic Cotton Stuffs, will answer the

trade as well (not better) per yard, as the India Bafts.

A larger supply of Salt, than heretofore, will be necessary in case the foregoin arrangement takes place.

In order to ensure the requisite supply of Rice and Oil, a boat of burthen, adapted at the same time for sailing, is absolutely necessary. It is my opinion that a boat of 7 or 8 tons burthen, and answering to a description which follows on the next page, would be more useful, and the risk attending the navigation of it much less than a vessel of a larger denomination. It cannot be concealed, that we have not skill and energy enough to navigate a vessel of burthen. We have no port to shelter one; and I will add that we have neither the resources for employing and paying for, nor a sufficient public object to answer by such a vessel. Your Agent cannot be your Merchant ; and without a Merchant to manage a vessel of 40 to 60 tons, it will inevitably prove a losing concern. If you will send out an American crew-and an experienced factor, such a vessel may be useful, but not otherwise.

Permit me, therefore, with deference, to recommend, earnestly, that by the next conveyance, be sent out two boat frames, on precisely the same modelthe one to be housed-the other to be put up by the Carpenters of the Colony, for the use of the Agent. Keel 30 feet, and Beam 7 1-2, uniting both burthen and good sailing qualities; to be half decked, and Schooner rigged and coppered. The Timbers ready to put together, Spars ditto, Sails made, Cordage in the coil, Plank in the rough, Copper in sheets, with Nails, with fastenings, Rudder ready, with half a dozen barrels of Pitch and Tar, for repairing our water craft generally, and four sweeps to each boat. I could put such a boat up, and fit her for use in a very few weeks. She could pass out and in, over the bar-could make trips between Sierra Leone and Palmas for six months of the year with perfect safety-could carry 250 bushels of Rice, or 4 tons of Wood with ease; and could be navigated by two men and four Kroomen. We could command all the trade which an Agent ought to make, and save to the friends of the Colony, thousands, annually. The second frame, in case it should be furnished, &c. would be saved, for use in case of accident to the first.

I hope the Board will do me the justice to believe that these suggestions are the result of all my past experience in conducting their concerns, as well as the most accurate calculation in my power to make. It may look greater to have a large vessel; but the expense will utterly exceed the utility of

such a craft over the boats described; and with the boats, all the Rice necessary for the consumption of four times the present number of Colonists, may be procured; and as much Wood and Ivory brought as can be readily bought, while in the pursuit of provisions.

I would farther suggest, that the packet or chartered vessels arriving in future, be subject to be sent, if the Agent should require the service, to Cape Palmas, for a load of Bullocks. The Agent ought to exercise a discretion of this nature, only in the dry season, unless the exigencies of the Colony should very pressingly demand it.

I have drawn out this paper to a length not intended. But the Board will excuse me for being minute on a subject which so nearly relates to the prosperity of the settlement. I have farther to request that it be made the matter of a separate and particular investigation, and arrangement by the Executive Committee; of whom, I have the honor to remain,

The devoted servant,

J. ASHMUN.

Monrovia, December, 1824.

To the Executive Committee of the Board of

Managers of the American Colonization Society:

There is a standing prohibition of the sale and use of ardent Spirits in the Colony, enrolled among the earliest special arrangements of the Board of Managers. But the paper, containing the only registry of those arrangements, having been withdrawn from the Colony by my predecessors; I never saw or knew of its existence 'till sent out in May, 1823. But by the same vessel, also arrived 19 barrels of Spirits, all of which was either sold or used in the Colony. Such a commentary on the prohibition, was certainly not calculated to place the meaning of the Board in a very clear light; and I now write to, desire instruction.

Although the sin of drunkenness cannot be said to be a prevailing vice among us, yet there is a tendency to an excessive use of rum nd whiskey, very apparent in a number of individuals; and a habit of the daily use of it, threatens to become in a short time, quite too general. No man is so poor as not occasionally, either by his labor, or petty barter, to buy a gallon of ardent Spirits; and twenty persons in the Colony keep the article on hand for sale. The pretext is, to make out a good assortment of trade goods for the natives. But whoever pays for, obtains what he pleases. I shall immediately apply some restraint on the abuse of the article. But the Committee are doubtless well apprised of the extreme difficulty of regulating a thing of this nature, which is directly calculated to work the utter ruin of the Colony. I am fully of opinion that the use of Spirits cannot be wholly, and at once, abolished, as long as a trading vessel is permitted to touch within 50 miles of the Cape. In that case, it would be secretly introduced-secretly distributed--and secretly used by all who have a taste for it. But I beg to assure the Committee

that something must be done in the matter. Leave the thing wholly to the discretion of the settlers, and in six months we have tippling shops, tipplen and drunkards, forming in every part of the settlement.

The Rev. Mr. Gurley on his late visit to this Colony very naturally witnessed with great regret the small progress yet made among us, of Agricultural industry and improvements; and concurred in opinion with myself that the geteral neglect was in part owing to the embarrassment necessarily felt by the settlers from the great change of the climate, and the consequent necessity of adopting new modes of tillage, and new crops, to which none had been previously accustomed. He desired me to draw up the outlines of an Agricultural Manual, from the best sources at my command, and send it home to receive such a revision, as the friends of the design might afford it in America; and thence, if the Board of Managers should concur, be sent back in a printed form, to be placed in the hands of the settlers. You will receive with this the most useful observations which I have been able, in the multitude of other duties, to throw together in manuscript. It will show perhaps little more than my wil lingness to aid in the advancement of the Agriculture of the Colony. But I hope that Mr. Gurley's inquiries on the subjects of which it treats, while in the West Indies, on his return passage, will have obtained something, and that the recollections and science of Dr. Thornton, and other gentlemen in Washington, will supply other materials, which I should be glad to see incorporated in the work, with such corrections and retrenchments as the utility of the little com. pend calls for.

I have aimed to simplify the style and language, in accommodation to the ideas and conceptions of the illiterate; and in the introductory parts, to impress a few economical maxims by a direct reference to local facts and circumstances. The necessity of those remarks has been but too long and anxiously felt by myself; and I presume by Dr. Ayres, during and since his residence at the Cape. Should it be printed, I beg that it may be given in charge to the Rev. Mr. Gurley to read the proof-sheets, and that the type may be large.

Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

To the Secretary of the Am. Col. Society.

J. ASHMUN.