SIERRA LEONE. This .British colony was established in 1787, by some philanthro pists, who intended to show that colonial pro ductions could be obtained without the labour of slaves. In that year 470 negroes, then living in a state of destitution in London,were removed to it, and in 1790 their number was increased by 1196 individuals of the same race, who had been settled in Nova Scotia, but could not bear the severity of that climate. Ten years later 550 Maroons were transported from Jamaica to Sierra Leone; and in 1819, when a black regiment in the West Indies was disbanded, 1222 black soldiers and their fami lies were settled there likewise. In 1820 the population amounted to 12,000 individuals.
Since the abolition of the slave-trade (1807), the slaves captured by the British cruisers have been settled in the colony: and the po pulation has increased so that in 1848 it amounted to 40,511. The towns, or rather villages in the settlement, besides Freetown, the capital (which has nearly 20,000 inhabi tants), are—Kent, York, Calmont, Waterloo, Hastings, and Wellington. About 20,000 of the inhabitants are liberated Africans, and about an equal number are descendants of liberated Africans, born in the colony. Tito
number of Europeans is very small. The chief article of export is ground nuts, from which is expressed an oil largely used in lubricating machinery : in 1846 the quantity amounted to 8697 tons, valued at 92,049/. The other chief articles of export are—ginger, teak timber, bides, palm oil, and camwood. Nearly one-third of the imports consist of British cotton goods. The vessels which arrived at Freetown in 1847 were 185. There are about 120 fishing boats belonging to the settlement.
Sierra Leone, like our other oolonies, is gradually reaping the benefits attendant on steam navigation. The new mail screw steamers, which have lately begun to' ply between Plymouth and the Cape of Good Hope, call at Sierra Leone going and return. ing ; thereby placing the colony in advanta geous connexion both with the mother country and with another colony.
The imports in 1848 amounted in value to 89,1746.; and the exports to 95,617/. In 1849 the imports from Great Britain were 60,2901.