Letters relating to the slave trade
Extract from letter from Isabella Douglas to Joseph Strutt,
22 January 1792
'You will no doubt be surprised to
hear that my brother is again quitting his native country & will
sail for Africa in less than a fortnight having been appointed a few
weeks ago a writer to the company of merchants trading to that
country - I have been very unhappy about him & was at first startled
at the idea of his encountering those savage climes, & even beheld
it with horror - but on consideration I think the situation is a
more eligible one than any he is likely to attain here & I find the
geographers give so favourable an account of the climate that my
fears are in a great measure quieted - the place he is I believe to
reside at is James Island about a mile in circumference delightfully
situated almost in the middle of the River Gambia on which the
company have a fort mounted with cannon & a garrison which preserves
the right of trading in that River - independent of the salary which
is 0 p[e]r an[nu]m a writer has the privilege of trading in the
country to any amount he chooses - the staples of which (gold dust,
elephants teeth &, grieved am I to add human beings) turn to good
account in England & the West Indies - the writers rise by seniority
thro the different departments till they ascend to the governorship
which is two thousand pounds yearly - their employment in the
company's service does not take up above three or four hours daily,
& the remainder of their time they may appropriate as they please'
Extract from letter from
William Archibald Douglas
to Isabella Strutt, 15 April 1799
'I have the
pleasure to aquaint you that my capital daily undergoes some
increase, and with the support I feel I shall in future receive from
your valuable husband, I think my stay in this country cannot exceed
3 years. I am just closing a considerable sale I have effected for
one of our late Governor in Chief, and tomorrow enter on another for
my friend (and whom you will most likely one day see at Derby, he
having a god daughter at school at Duffield) the Captain I returned
to Africa with - The only thing I am now in want of to make a rapid
fortune is a regular supply of India Goods from England, to sell for
Gold Dust, to the Whites wholesale, and to the Natives retail. A man
who turns his attention to these modes of commerce may do great
things in Africa in a very short time, infinitely more than by
directing his sole attention to the slave trade - a trade that
certainly no man can embrace but from necessity - at present that
necessity does not exist here, as from the great opposition that
prevails, there is very little to be made by the slave trade.'
Extract from letter from William Archibald Douglas to
Joseph Strutt, 1 April 1799
'To shew you the
emolument the execution of such an indent would produce I beg leave
to annex a list of the cost in Europe and the selling prices in
Africa. And as I have now entirely abandoned the slave trade, I
shall be able to turn the whole of the indent into Gold Dust in
about 2 months after the arrival of the same, so that I should have
it in my power to make the Remittance within the limited time, say
12 months from the date of purchase & emolument = salary or profit
From page 3: I am therefore very anxious not to lose one moment
respecting this shipment of the present indent. As I am now the only
man in the Castle that does not buy slaves, and as there is likely
to be a great opposition among the captains, so as to make them pass
all articles that are in much demand for Gold Dust, or slaves only,
the greater part of the Gold Dust in this part of the coast will
most likely come into my hands.'
Note:
William Archibald Douglas disappeared, presumed killed, on his
return to Britain, his gold also disappearing.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
Errors and Omissions
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