5459. Mr. _Forster_.] Do you think it desirable to extend the limits of the colony at Sierra Leone?--I do. 5460. Do you think that there would be any difficulty in effecting that extension?--None whatever. 5461. Do you think that it would impose upon the British Government any great expense or responsibility to carry that out?--I do not think it would. 5462. _Chairman._] Would it be desirable for the trade of the colony, if possible, to extend the limits of it, so as to give to a larger portion of the produce of the soil the advantage of British growth in the English markets?--I do not think advantage would be derived in that way; because no produce that is now brought down to Sierra Leone, and passes through Sierra Leone to England, is considered as foreign produce, either teak wood, palm-oil, rice, or any thing else. 5463. Does teak, for instance, take its character from the port of Sierra Leone?--Yes. 5464. Is it landed there?--Teak that is embarked in the river Sierra Leone is put on board the vessel in British waters. 5465. Where?--At Banee Island Roads. 5466. What distance from Freetown is that?--About fifteen miles. 5467. Is it floated down so far, and then put on board at that place?--Yes. 5468. Have you considered the question of emigration from the coast of Africa to the West Indies?--I have. 5469. Will you state generally what opinion you have formed on it?--I have formed a very favourable opinion of it. On the 15th of February 1841, at the desire of Lord John Russell, I expressed my views fully upon this subject, in a communication which I then made to the Colonial Office; I stated the classes from whom emigration might be expected, and though this was before any scheme of emigration was carried into effect, nothing has occurred since which has at all altered my opinion; and indeed just what I then expected has happened. It was supposed that there was a considerable desire on the part of the inhabitants to emigrate; such a desire I stated did not exist; that a few liberated Africans had been anxious to go to the country from which they had been taken as slaves, to join their friends, and that many Maroons had been anxious to go back to the West Indies, from which they had been taken, and where they had friends; but that beyond that, there was no general desire for emigration; that if such desire was requisite, it would be necessary to create it. That there was no difficulty at any time thrown in the way of persons anxious to leave the colony by the Governor and Council there; that on the contrary, just before I left, an application had been made by a party of liberated Africans to the Governor asking him to send them back to Badagry, on the coast, and the Governor and Council replied, that they might go if they pleased; but that the Government would not be at any expense in sending them. A few did go and returned, and since that time emigration has been going on to a