BRITISH SUBJECTS AND SLAVE LABOUR: A WARNING.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—Persistent rumours, which I have reason to believe have now some basis, are being made to the effect that a British syndicate is about to take over certain cocoa planta- tions on the Portuguese island of San Thome. The motive of involving British capital deceives no one, but British investors should not be drawn into this enterprise without due warning. It can be established that the major part of the labour on that island is slave labour, and I think I am correct in saying that if, with the knowledge which is now public upon this question, British subjects assume responsibility for plantations worked to any extent by slave labour, they expose themselves to grave penalties in the criminal courts of this country. Those who may have any doubts upon this point should consider carefully the words used by the Chairman of the Put-11m.y° Select Committee, 'Mr. Charles H. Roberts, M.P., before be began, on the 8th instant, to question Mr. J. R. Gubbins, the ex.Chairman of the Directors of the Peruvian Amazon Cora-
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