Slave Purchases.

The Gordon Memorandum of the 8^th April 1807

Memorandum.

April 8^th 1807

It is so universally admitted that the Black Force in the W. Indies should be augmented as much as possible with a view to lesson the consumption of the European Troops, that it remains only to consider of the best means of effecting it.

Previous to the late Act for the abolition of the Slave Trade, The Officer Commanding in the West Indies was empowered to purchase Slaves to complete the Black Regiments to their Establishment, & that this had been nearly effected will appear from the marginal State of our Colonial Force, from which it seems that only 1,105 Negroes were wanting by the last returns to complete the 8 West India Regiments to 1,000 men each.

It would be very desirable from the great extent of our Colonial Possessions, and indeed the impossibility of supplying them continually with European Troops, that the Black Force should be carried as high as 10 Regiments immediately, and if possible to 12.

The Bahamas being now garrisoned by a complete Black Regiment has lessened the Establishment of the Leeward Islands, which even before that diminution was short of the numbers required for its security.

The best mode of effecting this augmentation would be to take every advantage of the time allowed before the Act takes effect, and enter into a contract with the Merchants at Liverpool to furnish from 2 to 4,000 slaves of the tribes from the Gold Coast at Barbados from whence they could be distributed as The Officer Commanding should direct.

Half, or certainly one third of this number, might be taken at the age of 16, well-made & healthy lads.

The average price of the men would be about £70 Sterling, the boys proportionally less.

W.G.

The enclosed copy of a letter from a Merchant of Liverpool will explain the means of that Town for the execution of this measure.

The Dawson-Gordon Letter of 9^th November 1806.

My Dear Sir,

Tho’ I am not directly concerned in the African Trade, I will endeavour to reply to the Letter I had the Honour to receive from you this morning, in such manner as to enable you, I hope, to determine whether more minute information should be sought by my having any Conversation on the subject with any one to whom the communication may be confidentially made in order to obtain it.

About 130 sail of Vessels have been fitted out from this port this year for the Coast. The greatest part of them gone to the Bite & Angola, not above 12 or 14 of them, I should suppose to the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast Negroes only, I presume, are wanted by Government. Calculating 12 Vessels to Carry on an Average 300 Negroes each, the number of able bodied Men would not exceed one third, or 1,200 in those Ships if so many, allowing for Women & Children & Youths from 12 to 16 years of Age, which from the circumstances of the increased attention to the Cultivation of Coffee have latterly been found to be the most saleable, as better calculated for that purpose & suiting better than full grown Men. These Vessels have probably already got their particular destinations, for it is no longer the practice, or very seldom as in peaceable times, for them to call at Barbadoes for Orders. Therefore very little dependence is to be had on any of these Vessels, certainly not as to any number of any consequence of such Negroes as are wanted, but enquiry may be quietly made, without the object being hinted at, as to what Vessels may have been ordered to proceed to Jamaica or to call at Barbadoes, or to which of them orders may yet possibly be conveyed, having Gold Coast Negroes or of the Corymante Tribe on Board, if you desire it.

There is at this moment only one Vessel fitting out for the Gold Coast to carry about 300 Negroes & by a person of great respectability & of undoubted property.

There are also others of equal responsibility who I am sure would gladly accept the Contract for the number wanted or for a greater Number, Gentlemen with whom Government might Contract with the utmost Confidence, if Circumstances should permit its being deferred so as to be carried completely into effect only during the next Year. Under the late regulation on Vessels only which have been in the Trade and belonging to the original owners, can only now be employed in it, of such there are but a few only laying by in our Docks unemployed perhaps not exceeding 10 or 12 Vessels, these might be fitted out & sent to sea in about 3/ms, perform the Voyage and deliver their Cargoes in Barbadoes in 1807. But were it possible, in consideration of its being a Contract on Government account, to obtain Licences for Vessels, which are at present restricted under the late regulation, to be employed in the Trade, a sufficient number might be procured, & the most respectable Men be found, with whom the contract might be immediately made, and the number of 2,000 be delivered much sooner than could possibly be done by any Contract to be made with those Gentlemen who could only engage in it on the return of those Vessels now out, whose arrival here cannot be looked for before the next April, when the greater part may be expected. If the Object will admit of delay, I have no hesitation to say you may depend upon being able to make a contract here for the number required, and of the Corymantee Tribe, to be delivered at Barbadoes or at any other of the Windward Islands as may be agreed upon. As to the terms I should suppose somewhere about £65 to £70 Sterling per head. I shall be happy to procure for you any information which may be required, or to assist in making the Contract. I beg you will present my Compliments to Mrs. Gordon & believe me. My Dear Sir

Liverpool

Saturday 9^th Novr 1806. [Signed] Pudsey Dawson.

Reference:

WO 1/634, War Department In-letters and Papers of the French Wars period: Other Government Departments: Commander-in-Chief: Jan. - Apr 1807. Public Record Office, Kew. 

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