'The Slave Trade of East Africa.' [‎68] (77/108)

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Thus in three years' time, Lagos has imported European
commodities to the amount of £1 7 079 ? 662 ? and has exported
African produce to the value of £1,699,856 ; and the revenue
of the settlement has more than balanced the expenditure.
The principal articles of African produce thus exported are
palm kernels, palm oil, raw cotton, and benni seed; and the
following statement contained in the report of the Deputy
Collector of Customs, addressed to His Excellency Captain
Glover, the Administrator, will show the steady increase of
the trade of Lagos.
"In 1863 the palm kernel trade, then newly introduced, furnished
only 2,664Jtons; in 1866, 7,196 tons; in 1867, 13,619 tons; in
1868, 15,49Sitons; in 1869, 20,394 tons.
" The export in benni seed for the year 1864, in which year the trade
in the article commenced, was 2^ tons; in 1866, 11J tons; in 1867,
298^-tons ; in 1868, 385^ tons; in 1869, 501 tons.
" There is almost a positive certainty in the continued increase in the
cotton trade, taking into consideration the quantities already exported,
and the amicable understanding still existing between this Govern
ment and that of Abeokuta and adjacent places, where cotton is
cultivated to a large extent.
"In the year 1868 the export value of this staple was £51,375
13s. 7d. That of the year 1869 reached £76,956 17s. 4d. I must
here state that in 1869 the price of this article of commerce had con
siderably fallen as compared with that of 1868. This will at once
show that a very much larger quantity was exported during the year
1869.
" Palm Oil, —The increase in this staple also is worthy of notice. In
the year 1868 the quantity exported was 1,460,446 gallons; in the
year 1869 the quantity exported was 1,770,991 gallons, showing an
increase of 310,545 gallons in favour of 1869."
Of these exports, one-half are to Great Britain, the remainder
to France and Germany.
We may well close this branch of our subject with Sir John
Glover's own comment upon the figures we have given.
In his official despatch to Sir A. Kennedy, the Governor-in-
Chief of the West African Settlements, dated August 22, 1870,
says—
"The value of its exports, as against the imports, demonstrates its
importance if looked at only as a commercial speculation; and when
it is considered that the influence of a civilized, and, I hope, both a