The Under-Secretary for the Colonies on Thursday repeated Lord Carnarvon's
speech about the government of the Gold Coast, with certain additions. The Governor is to be absolute, but assisted by a small Legislative and Executive Council, consisting of the Colonial Secretary, the Treasurer, the Auditor, the Chief Justice, the Queen's Advocate, the Commandant of the Colonial Police, the Chief Engineer, and the Chief Surgeon—three too many we should say—and is to receive 13,500 a year without allowances, rather too small a salary. This Government is, however, as economical as the last, and has apparently found a good man, Captain Strahan, R.A., who has been employed with distinction in the Ionian Islands, in the Bahamas, and as Administrator of Lagos. It is calculated that this year's vote of £35,000 will be sufficient for some years, but the Government can only gradually effect the abolition of slavery. Mr. Lowther was careful to add that " gradually " did not mean tardily, but he did not meet our argument that if Lord Carnar- von's scheme succeeds, as it very likely will, a slave will be worth a thousand pounds, and emancipation become impossible. The best thing we can now wish the Fantees is that they may turn Mohammedans. Mohammedans are very seldom cowards, and still seldomer stay slaves. We suppose the new Government will make it felony for Englishmen to own slaves.
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