THE EUROPEAN SLAVE TRADE 343 exchange for the trading rights of England in the Senegal, thus preparing the way for the modern system of "spheres of influence." Shortly after the conclusion of the war with France in 181 5, the British Government took over from the merchant companies the various forts and stations established by British enterprise, and created a colony of ** West Africa Settlements" that included the whole of the coast in which English trade was Interested.

This 'initiated the system, which, however, was not for some time fully carried into effect, of Crown Colonies upon the coast.

In 1843 he colonies of Gambia and the Gold Coast were erected by letters-patent into separate colonies, having each their executive and judicial establishments.

In 1850 the Danish forts on the Gold Coast were purchased by Great Britain from the King of Denmark, and with the forts the Danish Protectorate was transferred to England. In 1861 Lagos became British by cession from the natives. In 187 1 the Dutch finally abandoned to Great Britain the whole of their rights upon the coast. With various changes in the administration of the settlements themselves the existing colonies of Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, and Lagos, came Into being, and trade with the West Coast In more legitimate products than human flesh was carried on under the local protection of an Imperial flag.

Unfortunately, the long-indulged taste for spirits, and the natural desire of the natives to possess firearms, gave a predominance to these two articles of European export, which up to the end of the nineteenth century continued to produce deplorable results, and to lower alike the utility and the value of European dealings with the coast. It was not until the conscience of Europe, revolting at last against this evil as against the slave trade, made Itself heard In the International agreements signed at Berlin and Brussels In 1885 and 1890, that any determined effort was made to restrict by legislation the limits of this Injurious traffic. The result of this movement of opinion