[The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808), Vol. I by Thomas Clarkson]@TWC D-Link book
The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808), Vol. I

CHAPTER XXIII
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In thirty-five voyages, an account of which was produced, about six in a hundred was the average number lost.

But this loss was still greater at Calabar and Bonny, which were the greatest markets for slaves.

This loss, too, did not include those who died, either while the vessels were lying upon the Coast, or after their arrival in the West Indies, of the disorders which they had contracted upon the voyage.

Three and four in a hundred had been known to die in this latter case.
But besides these facts, which were forced out of the witnesses by means of the cross-examination which took place, they were detected in various falsehoods.
They had asserted that the ships in this trade were peculiarly constructed, or differently from others, in order that they might carry a great number of persons with convenience; whereas Captain Parrey asserted that out of the twenty-six, which he had seen, ten only had been built expressly for this employ.
They had stated the average height between decks at about five feet and four inches.

But Captain Parrey showed, that out of the nine he measured, the height in four of the smallest was only four feet eight inches, and the average height in all of them was but five feet two.
They had asserted that vessels under two hundred tons had no platforms.


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