Before passing from this subject it should be stated that our experiment has been favorable as to the health of colored Americans in Africa. Of the nineteen colored missionaries sent thither since the year 1877, only three have died, one man and two women, and in none of these cases did death result directly from the effects of the climate. The retirement has in many cases been due to the ill-health of the wives. The result emphasizes the necessity of very close medical examination, especially of the women, and of maturity of judgment and character in the missionaries and of adequate preparation in study. In 1879 Mr. Robert Arthington made to the Association the generous offer of $15,000, on condition that it would establish a mission within an area designated by him on the Upper Nile in tropical Africa. The Committee expressed gratitude to Mr. Arthington, yet feeling the responsibility of so great an undertaking, took suitable time for deliberation. Estimates were made as to the probable cost, and with all the light available, it was judged that $50,000 would equip and found the mission. The Committee then proposed to undertake the mission if our British friends would supplement Mr. Arthington’s gift with a like amount. By the efforts of the Freedmen’s Missions Aid Society this additional sum was secured, and in 1881 Rev. Mr. Ladd and Dr. Snow made a preliminary exploration, extending their trip 2,500 miles up the Nile, only to find, however, the rebellion of the fanatical Achmet in full career on the upper Nile, and barely escaping with their lives, descended the river to find the rebellion of Arabi Pasha just ready to break forth. The exploration was heroically and carefully made, and yet it showed clearly that nothing could then be done towards establishing the mission, nor can anything yet be attempted in the present disturbed condition of the Nile basin. In the meantime the experience of the British missions, lately established in tropical Africa, shows us that a much larger sum than $50,000 would probably be needed to plant the mission; and, moreover, it has become more clear that the sud—a collection of soil and weeds—so impedes the navigation of the Nile above the mouth of the Sobat as to render access to the site specially designated for the Arthington Mission extremely difficult, uncertain, and, at times, impossible. Under all circumstances it has become manifest that the farther prosecution of the effort to plant the Arthington Mission will involve the expenditure of greater sums of money, and the encountering of much more formidable difficulties than we had anticipated at the outset—and raises the question as to the wisdom of transferring the fund, with the possibilities of the mission, to another Board with larger resources and more experience, or of returning the money to the generous donors.