Abstract of the evidence for the abolition of the slave-trade (1791)/Chapter 8

CHAP. VIII.

Whether the Slave-Trade be not a Grave for the Seamen employed in it,—and whether a Trade in the Natural Productions of Africa would be the same.

Loss of Seamen in the Slave Trade while in the Service of their respective Ships.

The statements, made by the different evidences of the loss of seamen while on board their respective ships, unquestionably prove the slave-trade to be the grave of our marine. but as an account has been since made for the house of Commons expressly upon this point, taking all the slave-ships promiscuously from the ports of Liverpool and Bristol for a number of years back, and made up from the muster-rolls of each ship, it will be more proper to quote from so general and extensive an account, than from the testimony of a few, even the best informed, individuals.

Abstract of such of the muster-rolls of Liverpool and Bristol Slave Ships as were returned into the Custom-Houses there, from September, 1784, to January 5th, 1790.

Periods.	No. of Vessels.	Original Crews.	Died of Original Crews	Brought Home of Original Crews
From 1784 to 1785, -	74	2915	615	1279
From 1785 to 1786, -	62	2163	436	944
From 1786 to 1787, -	66	2136	433	1073
From 1787 to 1788, -	68	2422	623	1114
From 1788 to Jan. 5, 1790,	80	2627	536	1350
Total	350	12,263	2643	5760

It appears first then, that if we look at the seamen while employed on board their respective ships, and judge of them from the above accounts, we shall see the destructive nature of the slave trade, for it appears that in 350 vessels 12,263 seamen were employed, out of whom 2643 were lost, that is to say, that more than a fifth of the whole number employed, or more than seven in every single voyage perished.

If again we look at such of them as are discharged or desert in the West Indies, where the muster-rolls cease to take an account of them, (for so systematical does the management of the trade appear by the second and fourth columns, that nearly one-half of those who go out with the ships are constantly ^[1] left behind) and judge of them by what the different evidences have to say of them there, we shall see great reason to apprehend another very severe loss besides that already stated to happen among them while on board their respective ships.

To shew this in the most unquestionable manner, we may begin with Captain Hall (of the merchants service). The crews of the African ships, says he, when they arrive in the West Indies, are generally (he does not know a single instance to the contrary) in a sickly, debilitated state, and the seamen, who are discharged or desert from those ships in the West Indies, are the most miserable objects he ever met with in any country in his life. He has frequently seen them with their toes rotted off, their legs swelled to the size of their thighs, and in an ulcerated state all over. He has seen them on the different wharfs in the islands of Antigua, Barbadoes, and Jamaica, particularly at the two last islands. He has also seen them lying under the cranes and balconies of the houses near the water-side in Barbadoes and Jamaica expiring, and some quite dead. He met with an instance last July (1789) of a dead seaman lying on one of the wharfs in Bridge Town, Barbadoes, who had been landed out of an African ship.

Loss among such as are discharged or desert in the West Indies—horrid state of them there.

To confirm the assertion of Captain Hall, of the merchants service, that the crews of Guinea-men generally arrive at their destined ports of sale in a sickly, debilitated state, we may appeal to Captain Hall, of the navy, who asserts that in taking men (while in the West Indies) out of merchant ships for the king's service, he has, in taking a part of the crew of a Guinea ship, whose number then consisted of seventy, been able to select but thirty, who could have been thought capable of serving on board any ships of war, and when those thirty were surveyed by order of the admiral, he was reprimanded for bringing such men into the service, who were more likely to breed distempers than to be of any use, and this at a time when seamen were so much wanted, that almost any thing would have been taken. He adds also that this was not a singular instance, but that it was generally the case; for he had many opportunities between the years 1769 and 1773 of seeing the great distresses of crews of Guinea Ships, when they arrived in the West Indies.

We may appeal also to Captain Smith, of the navy, who asserts that though he may have boarded near twenty of these vessels in the West Indies, for the purpose of impressing men, he was never able to get more than two men. The principal reason was the fear of infection, having seen many of them in a very disordered and ulcerated state.

The assertion also of Captain Hall, of the merchants service, relative to their situation after their arrival at their destined ports of sale, is confirmed by the rest of the evidences in the minutest manner; for the seamen belonging to the slave-vessels are there described, as lying about the wharfs and cranes, or wandering about the streets or islands ^[2] full of sores and ulcers, by Jeffreys, Dalrymple, Ellison, Morley, Davison, Baillie, Towne, Bowman, H. Ross, Douglas, Simpson, Thompson, and Forster. The epithets also of sickly, emaciated, abject, deplorable objects, are applied to them. They are mentioned again to be destitute, and starving, and without the means of support, no merchantmen taking them in because they are unable to work, and men of war refusing them for fear of infection. Many of them are also described to be lying about in a dying stat; and others have been actually found dead, and the bodies of others have been seen carrying by the negroes to be interred.

As a farther proof, and that an undeniable one, that the above description of persons is notorious in the islands, it appears by the evidence, that they are marked by a peculiar and cant-name, according to the sort of place which they usually haunt. When they are seen lying about the cranes and wharfs, they are termed wharfingers, when on the beach, and where there are no wharfs. Beach-Horners, and they are known by the appellation of Scowbankers at Dominique.

It may be remarked here, that this diseased and forlorn state of the seamen is so inseparable from the slave trade, that the different evidences have not only witnessed it at Jamaica, Antigua, and Barbadoes, (the places mentioned by Captain Hall) but wherever they have seen Guinea-men arrive, namely at St. Vincents, Grenada, Dominique, and in North America also. ^[3]

Effects of the Trade visible on their Constitution, even after they return home.

Having now traced the bad effects of the slave trade as visible among the seamen, while employed in it, and among those also who leave it at the port of delivery, it may be proper to add, that they are perceptible among many of them, even after their return to their native country: for Mr. Falconbridge says, that he was a pupil in the Bristol infirmary for twelve months, and that the greatest part of the diseased seamen there, in that time, were seamen who had belonged to the slave vessels, and though these generally went out of the infirmary better than when they came in, yet their health appeared to be so far destroyed as never to be able to be perfectly restored.

Grounds of presumption, that a Trade in the natural Productions of Africa would not be attended with such a Loss.

As to the question, whether the trade in the natural productions of Africa would be equally destructive to the seamen employed in it as the trade in slaves, there cannot, in the nature of things, be that sort of positive evidence as in the former case. There are, however, three species of presumption, from whence some conclusion may be drawn.

The first is the following. Captain Thompson, when on the coast of Africa, lay for several weeks near a vessel, which traded in wood, ivory, and gum, (which is a case in point) and he had the best accounts from his officers of the healthiness and good order of this ship. This, however, is the only vessel of the kind, which any of the evidences have seen.

A second species of presumption is to be entertained from the opinion of those, who have visited the coast of Africa. The same Capt. Thompson says, that he does not think a trade in the natural productions of Africa would be so detrimental to the health of the seamen as the slave trade, for they would not be liable to so much unpleasant and hard work, or such exposure to dews and weather. Mr. Newton asserts also that such a trade might be carried on without much exposure to weather and ill treatment, the ^[4] natural attendants of the slave trade: and Sir George Young is of opinion, that a trade in the natural productions of Africa would not be attended with more inconvenience to the health of the seamen employed in it than the present ^[5] West India trade.

The third species consists in certain vessels going to the same coast, viz. men of war, which do not experience the same proportion of loss.

Captain Scott, of the Merlin, which carried 100 men, lost eight, of whom only four died of the disorders of the country.

Sir George Young, in the ship he commanded, which had 100 men, lost two, who were sickly when they left England, and a boy by accident.

Capt. Thompson, of the Nautilus, out of 100 burled one, who died by his own neglect.

Captain Hills, of the Zephyr, out of 90 buried none.

And Captain Wilson, of the Race-Horse, out of 100, did not lose a man. Thus, out of 490 in the ships of war, only twelve were buried. ^[6]

1. Some of these are again taken up by other Guinea-men, but very few. When a vessel has once sold her slaves, she requires but few seamen to bring her home.
2. It is asserted by the evidences, that they never saw any other than Guinea seamen in that state in the West Indies.
3. The reasons why such immense numbers are left behind in the West Indies, as are found in this deplorable state, are the following. The seamen leave their ships from ill usage, says Ellison. It is usual for Captains, say Clappeson and Young, to treat them ill, that they may desert and forfeit their wages. Three others state, they are left behind purposely by their Captains; and Mr. H. Ross adds, in these emphat cal words, "that it was no uncommon thing for the Captains to send on shore, a few hours before they sail, their lame, emaciated, and sick seamen, leaving them to perish."
4. It is evident, that insurrections and contagious disorders from the slaves must be natural causes of mortality to seamen in slave ships, which could not exist in ships in the other trade.
5. It was formerly urged by the enemies of the abolition, that the West India trade was as destructive to seamen as the Slave trade, but by an account made up for the house of Commons, from the Muster-Rolls of West Indiamen, it appears, that out of 462 vessels, carrying 7640 seamen, only 118 were lost, or about one in 65.
6. It must be remarked, that when Captain Scott lost eight out of 100, it was in the year 1769, since which great improvements have been made for the health of the seamen; and the Editor knows, that the men of war, now going to Africa, seldom lose a man.