From what has been stated, we conjecture it will appear, that the _British_ forts in _Africa_ are not upon a proper plan; if they were, the commanding officers for the committee of the company of merchants trading to _Africa_, would, in eleven years and upwards, have opened those roads (which have been so long stopt) that the colonies and mother-country might receive those great benefits and advantages beforementioned, by having the trade brought down to the forts without interruption, from the remotest parts of _Africa_, as it was in the time of the late company’s prosperity; but that has not been done, and as the British traders declined that trade many years before the _French_ seized the opportunity of stepping in, and reaped so great advantages thereby, as to have carried to their colonies, not fewer than one hundred and fifty thousand of those useful people, from the year 1729 to the year 1739. This induces us to think, that the _British_ merchants forsook that trade, and made the opposition they did to the late company, to get the forts and settlements under their management, to prevent other people putting them upon a proper establishment, that might hinder the French making the encroachments they have made in time of peace (and consequently carrying to their plantations those most useful people) in order to follow their more favourite trades to _Benin_, _Calabar_, and the coast of _Angola_, because there they can purchase three hundred Negroes with a cargo of 3600_l._ value, when that number upon the Gold Coast would cost in March last 4950_l._[14]. Therefore we fear the private interest of said opposers rather gained an ascendency over them, to the great prejudice and disadvantage of the British colonies and the mother-country, and to the great emolument of the French; which we thought proper to observe at this juncture, and to hint also, that it will be more fully set forth in the description of the African trade beforementioned. We hope to see a minister at the head of the administration in this country, devoid of faction and corruption, that no private pique or prejudice against person or party will so far influence him, as not to pay a due and impartial attention to what is laid before the legislative power, relative to that valuable branch of British commerce, the _African_ trade.