Supplement to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Editions of the Encyclopædia Britannica/African Company
AFRICAN COMPANY. The reader will find, under the head Company, in the body of the Work, an recount of the formation of this establishment, and the footing on which it at present stands. Though instituted for commercial purposes, it is now prohibited from trading in its corporate capacity; and its functions are limited to maintaining the forts on the Gold Coast; a sum for that purpose being annually allowed by Government. In the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the African Settlements, in 1812, the following is stated to be the annual expence of each of these forts:
| Appolonia | . | . | . | . | . | L. | 879 | 7 | 10½ | |
| Dixcove | . | . | . | . | . | . | 926 | 2 | 5 | |
| Succondee | . | . | . | . | . | . | 429 | 3 | 5½ | |
| Commenda | . | . | . | . | . | 842 | 2 | 3½ | ||
| Cape Coast Castle | . | . | . | 4,768 | 9 | 1¼ | ||||
| Annamaboe | . | . | . | . | . | 1,885 | 12 | 3¼ | ||
| Tantumquery | . | . | . | . | 771 | 17 | 6¾ | |||
| Winnebah | . | . | . | . | . | 776 | 8 | 11 | ||
| Accra | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1,328 | 1 | 0 |
| Whydah | . | . | . | . | . | . | 587 | 16 | 6¾ | |
| L. | 13,195 | 1 | 5¾ | |||||||
The whole annual expences of the Company in Africa, for forts, salaries of officers, &c. is stated to be L. 25,327, 1s. 5¾d.
It further appears from this Report, that the trade of the coast is chiefly in the hands of the Governors of the forts, to each of whom it affords a perquisite of from L. 800 to L. 1000 a year. Their local knowledge and influence give them an advantage, with which ships coming from a distance cannot compete. Cape Coast forms the only exception, as there are several European agents residing there. The number of forts appeared to the Committee to be much greater than is necessary for maintaining the British influence upon this coast; and in consequence, Winnebah and Whydah were abandoned, which has so far reduced the annual expence.
The Company were recently called upon to explain the reason of their sending out goods, which did not appear necessary for the use of their settlements. To this they answered, that the act 23 Geo. II. ch. 31. by which they were constituted, expressly authorizes them to make their African payments in goods; that the remittance of the salaries of their servants in any other form would be attended with great inconvenience, both to the Company and.to individuals; and that the profit made upon these goods enables the Company, with an annual grant of L. 23,000, to support an expenditure in Africa of L. 25,000, and to defray the expences of management at home.
The Company’s charges at home, consist of L. 100 to each of the nine members of the committee; and L. 300 to the secretary; in all L. 1200. The number of persons in their employ, at Christmas 1813, consisted of 47 Governors and subordinate officers; 450 soldiers and menials; and they had thirty seven Negro chiefs in their pay.(B.)