THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN SOUTH NIGERIA.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I have read with sympathy and interest the letter signed by the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, on the liquor traffic in South Nigeria. As one who has lived many years in Africa and knows a good deal about the evils of the abuse of liquor in Europe especially, I should like to point out the only way by which I think the evil can be mitigated, if not done away with, in Africa. Have done with sentimentality, im- prove your class of missionary, and set to work at the bottom to build up a new class of non-drinkers of alcoholic liquors. Teach the mothers the evils of drink, and let them inculcate these principles in their little children. We cannot abolish the liquor traffic, and if we could we could not abolish native drinks, on which the natives in Northern Nigeria (where im- portation does not exist) get very drunk. Sensible men and
women, who are as full of sentiment as some foolish people are of sentimentality, see the futility of doing away with water because some people are drowned in it, and teach their young to swim.—I am, Sir, &c.,
AN OLD AFRICAN.
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