Item #4904 Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade. Robert Stokes.
Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade.
Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade.
Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade.
Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade.

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Regulated Slave Trade. From the Evidence of Robert Stokes, Esq., Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Lords, in 1849. With a plate showing the stowage of a British slave ship, during the regulated slave trade.

London: James Ridgway, 1851. 8vo (22.5 x 24.5 mm), printed green wrappers. ix, 24 pp., large folding engraved plate, 22.5” x 17”.

A rare pamphlet promoting “regulated” slave trade, containing a folding plan showing the execrable conditions in the hold of the slave ship Brookes, intended to demonstrate that improvements could and should be made. First published in 1850, this is the stated second edition.

Primarily consisting of evidence submitted by Robert Stokes Esq. before the House of Lords in 1849 in favor of the so-called regulated slave trade, this pamphlet also includes a large folding plate of the hold of the British slave ship Brookes, that diverges from earlier iterations published by abolitionists from 1789 to 1811. In accordance with the interests of British businessmen and their Brazilian partners, the plate and text argue for regulation of the slave trade to Brazil, as opposed to its outright prohibition.

This variant plate depicts the horrendous conditions that captives endured while being transported during the era of regulated slave trade. Following the Regulation Act of 1788, the Brookes was permitted to carry 454 slaves according to the rules demonstrated in the plate—the ship having previously housed as many as 609 slaves in even more torturous conditions. A space of 6’ x 1.3’ was given to each man; 5.8’ x 1.3’ to each woman, and 5’ x 1.1’ to each boy. However, these various dimensions were rarely provided to captives even in the wake of the Regulation Act.

The absurd argument advanced in favor of such regulation is that fewer Africans would die during the Middle Passage if it were overseen by regulators and administered by the Brazilians, as opposed to being run by pirates and privateers. This measure effectively sought to remove slave-trade regulation vessels patrolling the coast of West Africa. By the middle of the 19th century the vast majority of nations had signed the 1807 prohibition barring African slave trade, with just Brazil and the privateers persisting in the trade.

A scarce slave trade pamphlet featuring an unusual version of the slave ship Brookes plate.

REFERENCES: Sabin 92005.

CONDITION: Good, wrappers with light stains and a few small chips, light vertical crease throughout; repaired 4 cm tear to last leaf; folding plate with expertly mended 10 cm tear.

Item #4904

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