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The region aforementioned consists of two parts :
The proper west coast between St. Louis to the extreme side of Biafra - 
Fernando Poo, Kamerun - and the south western coast, continuing from there in southern direction. 

Large parts of this region are colonial possession of the British, the French or the Portuguese. 

The British are in possession of 
1. British Senegambia (Bathurst)
2. Sierra Leone
3. the Gold Coast (Adda, Accrah, Cape Coast Castle, Ouettah, Jellah Coffee)
4. Lagos,

The French
1. French Senegambia with St. Louis and Goree
2. Grand Bassam
3. Gaboon

The Portuguese :
1. Portuguese Senegambia (Bissao, the Bissagos Islands, Bolamo)
2. Isle de Prince, St. Thome
3. Angola, Benguela

Spain possesses the islands Fernando Poo and Elobey.

In addition to the colonies aforelisted and recognized, Portugal claims Wydah on the Dahomey coast, and the coastal stretch from 5 degrees 12 minutes to 7 degrees southern latitude (Congo estuary), yet without having done anything over a long period of time to document its rule. Lately France seems intent to take possession of the entire south west coast of Gaboon, and according to recent messages from private men also certain positions to the north of Gaboon, for instance Malimba nearby Mount Kamerun. It also has undertaken steps to take possession of Porto Novo near Lagos.
As an independent state the Republic of Liberia, located between Cape Mount, Monrovia and Cape Palmas, has to e mentioned. The remaining coastal stretches - thus to the south of Liberia until Grand Bassam, the Dahomey coast with Wydah, the entire Niger estuary, the Kamerun coast until Elobey and from Cape Lopez to Ambriz in the Portuguese colony of Angola - are inhabited by independent negro tribes.
In regard to the trade conditions there is an essential difference between the colonies of European powers and districts belonging to free negro tribes. In the latter, the conduct of business exclusively lies in the hands of merchant houses residing in Europe (Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Hamburg, Bremen, Bordeaux, Marseille, Rotterdam, lately also Antwerp) who have established factories there, and by their agents who conduct, in the factories, the exchange of European wares (manufacvtured goods, licquors, salt, powder, guns, pottery, pearls etc. - for country products - palm oil, palm kernels, rubber, ivory, dye wood - in the form of pure barter trade. In doing this, they are always exposed to arbitrary decisions by the chiefs who try to impoose on them as many duties as possible. This arbitraryness can only be met by power, and often the merchant houses have to help themselves. This kind of business conduct requires not only secure establishments, be it on hulks or on land, but also large, assorted arsenals, so that only large merchant houses with sufficient capital can engage in it, and indeed at most places only a few houses are present, which dominate the trade.

In the colonies, instead, and especially in the older ones, next to the European firms, which also there are only branches of European merchant houses, a separate group of merchants has developed, consisting partially of Europeans who, without considerable capital of their own, under the protection of the civilized government, established firms of their own, independent from European mother houses, partially of negroes who in 
consequence of having had contact with Europeans over several years, have acquired a certain business experience which enables them to conduct business in a semi-civilized way; they try to obtain the wares directly from Europe and sent the products of the country directly to Europe. (The British originally called these negro traders 'tinpotters'). This independent group of merchants could only emerge with the appearance of the steamship, because only now it became possible to order smaller quantities of wares and to ship smaller quantities og country products, while shipments previously could only be made in complete shiploads. The large number of smaller vusinesses has lead to an intensification of trade, so that locally barter trade has already been replaced by trade on the basis of monetary valuta. How West Africa's trade with England and Germany (Hamburg) has developed in the last decade is shown in the attached statistical data.
Concerning Germany's interest in the West African trade, it pertains several areas. For one, many German goods, namely (p.117) imprinted and coloured cotton textiles, semi-woollen and woollen goods, gunpowder, glass pearls, Nüremberg wares, spirituals, mineral salt, cooking salt, iron- and brasswares, pottery etc. - and not only for German, nut also for British, French and other merchant houses, leave Hamburg for West Africa, which is of great benefit for Germany's merchant shipping as well as for Hamburg's intermediary trade and especially for Germany's industry. On the other hand, a relatively large number of German houses have branches on the West African coast, so that a not unimportant part of the area's trade goes through their hands.

Hamburgian merchant houses are present, in geographical order, along the coast from north to south

In addition, Bremian merchant houses are represented on various points of the coast (among others the firm F.M. Bietor sons on the Gold Coast and F.A.E. Lüderitz in Lagos), as well as the Northern German and Basel Mission, who also conduct an important trade.
These merchant houses are directly involved in the question discussed here; the Chamber of Commerce has invited the houses to join in a discussion, and reports the results of that discussion below.
Concerning the first question mentioned in the letter by the Royal Prussian Mission, pertaining to the treatment German citizens are given in the colonies of other colonial powers, and especially in relation to the mentioned treaty concluded between Britain and France, Herr Rosenbusch, who spent a long time in Sierra Leone, that non-British citizens are not permittet to acquire real estate in that colony, which is why he and other partners in his enterprise have acquired British citizenship. On the other hand, the firms conducting business in other British colonies, namely Lagos, stated that they never had any difficulties when it came to the acquisition of real estate. This conspicuous phenomenon probably is explained by a law dating from the 18th century which reserves the acquisition of land to British citizens; it has not formally been cancelled, but is, for many years, disregarded in many colonies. It is recommended, by the way of a treaty, to secure the right of Germans to acquire real estate in Britain's colonies. Otherwise, all who are concerned agree that in British colonies Germans are not only treated on equal footing with citizens of third countries, but also with British citizens, and it was stated that in case of necessity the British administration willingly provided protection. It can not be excluded that the British, as every nation with colonial property, intend to provide advantages to the trade with the motherland, that it will impose low tariffs on goods imported from Britain and high tariffs on goods which are imported from elsewhere. As here the principle of treating all foreign nations equally is observed, there is no cause for protest.

Here the wish expressed by Mr. Müller to appoint a German consul for the Gold Coast is to be mentioned. The wish was justified with the fact that there are not only branches of German merchant houses, but also stations of the Northern German and Basel Mission Societies, which, as aforementioned, condduct a not unimportant trade and where many missionaries are employed which often require the consultation and protection by a German consul, which at the present they have to obtain in the distant Lagos.

In the French colonies the Germans also enjoy equal rights and equal protection, in comparison with the citizens of third countries as well as in comparison with the French themselves. Especially in Gaboon the merchant house C. Woermann, established there since 1862, has been able to acquire real estate without any difficulty, even on a large scale, and it has always been given the protection it has requested. The house has succeeded in establishing a number of factories along the Ogowe up to the cataracts and, via merchants, to penetrate even further into the interior, without being obstructed in any way by the French colonial administration. Only since the Ogowe and the Congo have attracted the attention of various nations, especially since the French researcher de Brazza returned to Paris from an expedition to the Ogowe and Congo, and pointed out to French gazettes as well as in public lectures that not a single French merchant house has established itself in this French colony, the administration of Gaboon has taken up a different policy, by creating obstacles for German and British merchant houses.
Early in January the commander of Gaboon has decreed which bans the import of rifles and limits the whites in Gaboon as well as on the Ogowe to hunting rifles. In order to enforce the decree, a gunboat has been dispatched to the various places, and French officials have searched German and British factories for rifles. This measure does not only seriously affect trade, it also threatens the personal safety of the Europeans living there, because as soon as the natives know that the whites are without arms, they grasp the opportunity to loot the stores, and do not refrain from assaults on the lives of the owners. In case of such a raid, French protection can only arrive with a delay of 5 or 6 days.

(p.118) If the prohibition of the import of guns is justified by the thought to prevent the natives from supplying themselves with arms, which they might use in a war against the colonial government (despite the fact that only flintlock guns of the simplest kind were traded), obviously this is merely an excuse; because at the same time a large number of rifles were landed for de Brazza, who returned to Gaboon, this time as governor of the colony, and the French government has approved 100,000 old rifles. Not only this figure, but also Minister Ferry's speech justifying that approval openly reveal that these rifles are not only intended to arm de Brazza's men, but serve as objects of trade, and that this step is intended to paralyze German and British trade. This measure seemingly violates existing treaties, and the Reich government is urgently requested to use its influence to have the decree cancelled.
The Portuguese colonies of Angola and Benguela are virtually closed to German trade by differential tariffs, imposed on goods imported on non-Portuguese ships. A Hamburg merchant house, which, years ago, established a branch near Benguela, was forced to close it down again, taking a significant loss. In the interest of German export and merchant shipping it is desired to strive to achieve a change in these conditions in the case of German-Portuguese negotiations.
So to speak taking in a position in the center between colonies of European powers and stretches inhabited by independent natives is taken in by the Republic of Liberia. Here the merchant house C. Woermann has factories since 1852, uninterrupted, in Monrovia, Grand Bassa, Sinoe and Cape Palmas, and temporarily also at Cape Mount and on the Junk River. Already in previous years the German government has supported the merchant house against the Liberian government by dispatching a gunboat, and caused the latter, in the case of the stranded steamer "Carlos" which had been looted by the natives, to energetically punish the perpetrators. Even now the conditions give cause to a number of complaints. All British steamers, even those not transporting mail, have been exempted from Liberian port dues; in 1880 a British line which frequented irregularily, and terminated business after a year, has never paid any such dues. But when the German merchant house aforementioned established a steamer line connecting Hamburg and the ports of Liberia - which, now for a number of years, also transports mail, and, on the basis of the trade treaty between this country and the Northern German Federation of October 31st 1867, demanded equal treatment, was denied this with the argument, the treaty would have expired, despite the fact that an abrogation, as foreseen in article 8, never took place, at least as far as the Chamber of Commerce had been able to ascertain. The German line thus was forced to pay, over a period of 3 years, dues of half a dollar per ton, until they lately succeeded by the means of special concessions to have a special Liberian law passed feeing it from this duty.
Another complaint concerns the stretch between the Cavally River and Taboo, to the south of Cape Palmas. The Liberians claim the region, but they operate neither customs houses nor any other sign of real authority. Still they demand of German houses the payment of the high Liberian import tariff on any wares landed there, and payment can be enforced by the confiscation of goods stored in Liberia's real ports; so German houses in effect are barred from opening branches there. British merchant houses, which operate branches in the aforementioned stretch, but not in Liberia proper, are not subject to any dues, because the government lacks means to enforce it. The Liberian government is in no way entitled to discriminate in this way against the German house, in comparison with the British house, and it is not entitled at all to charge import tariffs where it does not have the power to raise it from all merchants, disregarded branches located elsewhere.
These conditions justify the suggestion, the Reich government may cause the Liberian government to recognize the continued validity of the trade treaty signed with the North German Federation in 1867, eventually to sign a new treaty in which it should be stressed that the Germans are to be given the same treatment as citizens of third nations in this stretch claimed by Liberia, and by dispatching a gunboat from time to time, to make sure that the Liberian government sticks to its treaty obligations.

If the conditions just described explain how necessary the protection of the Reich is for German trade, and namely the dispatching of warships, so that it is not placed at a disadvantage to that of other nations, namely that of Britain, the necessity is even greater there, where trade is limited to contact with independent negro tribes, where the German merchant, both for his personal safety as well as for the safety of his, mostly considerable property relies on himself and in an opportune case on the protection probided by a gunboat.
All indigenous tribes are ruled by a chief (chief, king or how he calls himself) who can forbid his men to trade at all, or with this particular merchant. So the merchant, before he can take up trade, has to sign a treaty with the chief, in which the latter grants protection for his property, in which he often guarantees for his men, and in which, on the other hand, dues (presents) are listed. If the chief desires extraordinary presents, he simply forbids his tribe to trade with the merchant, to deliver products etc. But every chief knows that the British, if so treated, are able to quickly dispatch a gunboat and to enforce the recognition of the treaty signed before. The Germans do not provide over such protection. The chiefs are unaware of Germany's power and its will to protect its citizens, and thus act arbitrarily, use blackmail. (p.119) In the discussion a number of examples for this kind of treatment have been brought forward.
But it is not this always present protection by their warships, which gives British and French merchants a privileged position over the Germans; it is amplified and completed by the existence of numerous treaties of these nations with indigenous chiefs.
When, in the 1840es, the slave question played such an important role, and Britain and France together put a violent end to the slave trade, it signed treaties with 70 negro chiefs all along the coast, which obliged the latter not only to completely give up and prevent the export of slaves, but simultaneously to grant the right to subjects of her majesty the Queen of England to trade freely and unobstructed at certain places, and assured "to show no favour and give no privileges to the ships and traders of other countries, which they do not show to those of England". France has joined most of this treaties, unless it signed separate treaties.
It has to be mentioned with praise, and the German trade on the west coast of Africa certainly benefitted from it, that many of these treaties concluded by England are valid not only for England's subjects, but for Europeans in general (partially : subjects of the Queen of England and all European Powers friendly to her); also particularly the merchant houses established in Kamerun gratefully recognize the willingness with which the British consuls and warships repeatedly, also recently, have protected their interest with the same energy they would have invested to protect their own citizens. But it should not fit the position of the Reich any more to see their citizens depend on the protection of other nations, a support they might lose any moment; in order to hold on to its position, as well in relation to other European nations, as well as opposed to the indigenous chiefs, it is necessary for the Reich to sign treaties with the more important negro chiefs. Because not always the treaties signed by Britain and France are of that general nature as aforementioned. Often the European powers acquire special influence by the means of treaties, even a protectorate over the chiefs, and they use their position to secure privileges for the subjects of their nation. Such a protectorate places the citizens of other nations at a greater disadvantage than if the district had been annected as a colony; because in such a case the respective power would have to treat the citizens of other nations on the same footing, while in the former case it can pass on the responsibility for inequal treatment to the independent chief.
The concerned merchant houses fear such measures lately to be taken by the French at Porto Novo near Lagos; and similar infavourable conditions prevail in the fertile Niger River Valley, inhabited by a numerous, consumption-able population. This river is already frequented by English and French steamers up to the confluence of Niger and Benue, circa 300 miles up from the coast. The area crossed by it, its numerous tributaries and sidearms already delivers annually, in addition to large quantities of ivory, palm kernels, ebony and other products, 40,000 tons of palm oil, at a value of 25 million Mark, to England, and this export can be further increased. If so far not a single German merchant house engaged in this trade, according to the statement of the houses established in Lagos, in close vicinity to the area, this is explained with the privileged position foreign houses enjoy based on treaties their governments have signed with the local chiefs, and because of the lack of protection for German houses. Especially these merchant houses advocated most strongly a most favoured nation treaty to be concluded by the Reich with the respective chiefs, a step which would result in a certain, significant increase of German trade.
These houses agreed unanimously, that such treaties were without use, if the natives would not be forced to punctually fulfil their obligations. This could only be achieved by the constant presence of warships which can appear immediately to hold the natives responsible for arbitrary acts or transgressions.
The concerned houses regard such a protection as impracticable, unless the Reich would decide to establish a naval station in the region, and they believe to have to raise this subject all the more, as thei can propose the most suitable location, the Spanish island of Fernando Po.
Spain owns no other colony on Africa's west coast as this island of 2,071 square kilometers, next to the small islands of Grand-Eloby and Small Eloby in the Bay of Corisco, as well as a small stretch of land on the coast of Corrisco Bay, located just north of Gaboon. There are no Spanish merchants on any of these places, and there is no Spanish trade worthy to mention with any of these islands, nor with any point on the coast. A Spanish governor resides in Fernando Po, together with a number of Spanish officials. The colony is of no profit to Spain, causes only expenses. A few cocoa plantations, which have existed on the islands in earlier days, have decayed, because the Spanish owners were inable to manage them with employed labour, after slavery was abolished.

For the following reasons, Fernando Po is well-suited for the establishment of a German naval station :
1. because of its central location in the mentioned West African trade region
2. because of its deep, excellent harbour, which protects many deep-going ships by the means of a mountain chain against storm and high sea - unlike the open roadsteds along the West African coast - and is one of a kind in West Africa.
3. The climate is, despite of the great heat prevailing in the island's main place, Port Clarence, less unhealthy than on most other coastal places, especially in the river estuaries, where great humidity and manifold (p.120) swamp evaporations have detrimental effect. The high island mountains provide the opportunity to easily reach higher and healthier spots, and this has caused the British government to contemplate the creation of a health station here some time earlier.
The present island trade is of a small volume and is mainly limited to answer the needs of the few Europeans residing there. On the island's southern end lives a population which has hitherto shown little inclination toward trade (Bubies).
The island is excellently suited as a coaling station for the ever-increasing traffic of steamers, and would also be suited for the establishment of repair docks, drydocks etc., easily to be developed into a hub for shipping in the area.
In continuation of the already listed desiderata, especially the acquisition of Fernando Po as a naval station, the representatives of merchant houses established in West Africa present in the aforementioned meeting advocate the acquisition of a German trading colony on the mainland, and they recommend the coast opposite Fernando Po as best-suited. England has already focussed its attention on the area; the British consul Hewett had visited the region in 1882 with the gunboat "Flirt" to sign a treaty regarding the cession of that land with the native chiefs. While that treaty did not materialize for unknown reasons, it shows the attention given by Britain to the area, and makes it highly probable that in the case Germany acquires Fernando Po as a naval station, but not the opposing coast, this will be immediately occupied by other nations. If Germany wants to gain a lasting benefit from this region - to which it certainly, with justification, can lay claim, because in the last decade it contributed so much to the exploration of the region, and as the Reich itself has actively the "Afrikanische Gesellschaft" by considerable financial contributions - now it has to act and to act swiftly. That Germany's trade and the sale of products of German industry will develop more quickly and favourably in a colony of our own, than under foreign rule, is evident from the conditions described above. As smaller, independent enterprises emerged in the British colonies, owned as well by Europeans as well as by negroes, especially since steamer navigation came up, and as the large number of which greatly contributed to the extension of Liverpool trade, so without a doubt, especially given the inclination and skill of German merchants overseas, also a great number of them will emerge in a German colony, and direct this trade to Germany in place of England. The manifests of steamers arriving weekly in Liverpool, attached as attachment no.2, show a large number of recipients as opposed to the few which appear on steamers directed to Hamburg; this clearly shows the development German trade can take under the described circumstances.
The interior of Central Africa, with its dense, consumption-capable population and the large markets described by all travellers offer a very favourable marketing area for products of Europe's industry, especially as not only trading goods, but also labour is paid not with money or drafts, but always in foreign goods. The opening of this area for Germany's industry, in need of export markets, is thus of high importance; but it is not less obstructed by foreign colonies, as it is by the independent negro tribes inhabiting the coast. The Kamerun-negroes, for example, do not permit any white to travel beyond the river estuary into the interior, and if it is permitted in individual cases, he is accompanied by a chief who obstructs any trade with the indigenous. Similar conditions apply in the so-called Oil Rivers, Old Calabar, New Calabar, Bonny etc. The coastal negroes have acwuired European habits, demand pricy textiles and houdehold goods (furniture, mirrors, lamps, clocks etc.) for their household and clothing; thus an important trade in these luxury goods developed for coastal consumption. They permitted only items of minor value to reach the negro in the interior, the so-called 'bush negro'. So in order to extend the marketing of European indurstrial products, direct trade with Europeans is essential; this can only be facilitated if the coast is in the possession of a European power; the country controlling it will take the lion's share in it.
The acquisition of the aforementioned region ia also especially recommendable, because it is well-suited for the establishment of plantations. Until now, the country's products were not cultivated, but harvested in the wild. The rich presence of spices, rubber, coffee etc. in the wilderness proves the fertility of the soil and goes to show, how much the production can be increased. Suited labour is at hand, the west coast negroes, as slaves, having provided the most sought-after workforce in all hot climates. As a free worker, the negro will also perform excellently, if under qualified instruction. Proof for the correctness of this statement provide the Kroo negroes, which are employed all along the coast as free workers, the considerable successes in the coffee plantations in Liberia and the newly established plantations in Gaboon.
On the other hand, it was elaborated, that plantations are not possible where planters are exposed to the arbitraryness and greed of uncivilized chiefs, rightless and powerless, where he has to fear that the years and the capital he invested to cultivate the soil may be destroyed by a raid by the indigenous. Thus plantations can be begun only there, where the rule of a civilized nation provides necessary protection. But that it is not only advantageous for the entrepreneur, but also the best instrument to raise the welfare of the country and its people, is taught by manifold experience.
Finally it was pointed out in favour of the acquisition of the coastal stretch, that (p.121) German interest is already strongly represented here. Klein-Eloby functions as a main depot for the German factories established in the area, there European goods are offloaded to be distributed to the factories, and from there the products of the country are shipped to Europe. To the north of Eloby up to Kamerun German factories are established at Benita, Bata, Batanga, Small Batanga, Malimba, Kamerun and Bimbia. The German merchant houses are known to the natives in the entire country, which facilitates an acquisition all the more, as it has been noticed, that the Kamerun chiefs are not disinclined to recognize the sovereignty of a European nation. Favourable would also be, that negotiations would not have to be held with a single, powerful king, such as in Dahomey or Ashanti, but with many small chiefs, so that possible differences with them never can assume serious character.
The Chamber of Commerce endorses the wishes aforelisted, expressed by the merchant houses engaged in the West Africa trade, and vividly supports their consideration, especially in regard to the establishment if a naval station and in the acquisition of a coastal stretch for the establishment of a trade colony.
As the statistical table shows, German trade in West Africa is of such an importance and undergoing such a satisfactory development, that it would be utterly regrettable if it would be obstructed in its development by external conditions, or even decline in the face of these. According to the explanations of those merchants regarded competent experts, a serious threat exists for such a development to happen, if Germany does not decide, by the means of acquisition of a suited territory, to provide its protection and support for German trade, at first in the specific area, and then, by the impression created through such an act, in the entire surrounding. The Chamber of Commerce places all the more emphasis in these explanations by experts, as the German merchant houses established in the respective area would not draw a measurable immediate benefit from the German acquisition; they, because of the position they take in, know how to ensure protection by the means of signing treaties with the chiefs etc.; the almost certain arrival of numerous competitors in a German colony would rather be disadvantageous for them. A further distribution of trade, as previously emphasized, will lead to an upsurge of trade in general, and this wide area, hitherto accessed only in a small part, would be opened up as a market for Germany's industry. Under such circumstances, the Chamber of Commerce in in no doubt to say that the establishment of a German trade colony on the coast of West Africa is in the interest of German trade and merchant shipping. Not less would it benefit almost all other branches of industry. The agitation for a German colonial policy, pursued inland with such an effort by men from so different occupations and so different economic background, no matter how one might think of it, can be taken as an indication, that this is not just a question interesting only small circles, but the totality.
The Chamber of Commerce did not regard it appropriate to use this occasion to enter in a discussion of the principles of colonial policy, because it believes, that in every individual case it is to be examined, in case of an eventual colony, how advantages and disadvantages relate. All the more it refrained, in this case, from discussing it, as here the predominant factor of colonial policy, the matter of utilization for the purpose of emigration in the interest of German economic life, is out of the question; because that West Africa's coast is not suited for this purpose does not have to be mentioned. It can only be a small number of persons, in charge of trading business or of the administration of plantations and other enterprises. Because of the great importance the supported measure would have, without a doubt, as a first step in German colonial policy, the Chamber of Commerce has thoroughly examined the scruples which might be brought against the acquisition of a colony in the area in question, and which have been made in her midst, even if these scruples do not touch the economic conditions to be examined by it, and thus it has only a limited competence in judging them. As such scruples the following were brought up :
1. The climate. It is recognized that the climate in the area is infavourable for Europeans. If a not inconsiderable number of Germans presently exposes themselves to it, they do it voluntarily in order to conduct their business. Things would be different, if the Reich sends administration officials for the naval station and the colony, as well naval troops. In this aspect, Germany with its system of general military service faces a different situation as Britain, which uses only conscripts.
2. The costs. One-time expenses for the establishment of a naval station disregarded, there would be not inconsiderable expenses for its maintenance. In addition, it is regarded rather probable that the present size of the navy does not suffice to protect the possessions to be acquired, and to elsewhere provide adequate effective protection for German interests. Therefore an enlargement of the German navy and of navy troops would be necessary.
3. Armed conflicts. If the two points listed before apply to regular conditions, on which perhaps most emphasis is to be placed, it has to be pointed out that overseas possessions easily can give cause to a war, both with indigenous tribes, as well as with jealous European colonial powers. The younger history of almost all the colonial powers (England, France, Spain, the Netherlands) provides ample examples.
The Chamber of Commerce can accept these scruples only as of limited validity and believes, that they are not decisive in comparison with the advantages to be expected in case of the acquisition of a colony in West Africa. Even if the climate is infavourable, it is not (p.122) so bad as often described, not worse than in most tropical lands, for instance in some regions of Brazil. The diseases Europeans living in the region have contracted, often were caused by unwise, excessive lifestyle. The German is better suited to live in the hot climate than citizens of many other nations, because he is usually rather careful, and the rising number of Germans living in the region speaks against the detrimentality of its climate. The aforementioned difference between merchants and officials, the first moving there on their free will, the second because ordered, should not be of great importance. Because if, what has to be arranged and what is the case in other nations with colonial possessions, salary for officials serving in the colonies is of a considerably higher level than those paid in the motherland, the number of applicants will be more than sufficient. For the navy, also a way can be found so that, under normal circumstances, only volunteers are sent to the colony, and there would be sufficient numbers of those because of higher payment and possibly a favourable accredition of service years. Finally it has to be taken in consideration, that in the region the proper service on merchant ships, and all the more on navy vessels, is not conducted by the European crew, but exclusively by Kroo negroes, and that, according to experience, a force can be recruited from the indigenous population, sufficient to provide protection under ordinary circumstances.
The cost factor will also not cause serious misgivings. Regarding the important trade already conducted with the area in consideration, and its upsurge to be expected in case of a German acquisition, it may be assumed with confidence, that, while not in the early period, the costs will be more than covered by import tariffs; this view is supported by the not inconsiderable surplusses of the British colony of Lagos. To which sums such import tariffs amount, may be seen from the example of a Hamburg marchant house which pays 50,000 Dollars annually in Liberia, another one, and not the largest, 8,000 Pound Sterling in Lagos. If an enlargement of the German navy is necessary, is beyond the judgment of the Chamber of Commerce; probably it would only be a matter of acquisition of a small number of gunboats, which should not cause too great expenses. But it should be stressed that the protection of German interests abroad is the proper responsibility of the German navy.
Concerning the risk of armed conflicts, this point extends beyond the examination and judgment by the Chamber of Commerce; it restricts itself to refer to the fact, that, at least in recent years, no such conflicts have appeared among European colonial powers, and that wars with powerful indigenous chiefs in the area in question are not to be feared.
The Chamber of Commerce believes to have dealt with all essential arguments which can be raised against the establishment of a German colony in West Africa, at the same time to have stated that these arguments, in expectation of the economic advantages to be expected from a German acquisition, are not to be given decisive importance. Regarding the wish expressed by the merchant houses engaged in the West Africa trade pertaining to the establishment of a German colony in West Africa it regarded it appropriate to take a position approving that wish, and to support it with arguments, yet it will not be necessary to do so in the case of the other points discussed in the meeting, and it may restricts itself to list wishes further expressed:
1.) The appointment of a German consul at the Gold Coast
2.) Conclusion of treaties with Great Britain, and possibly with France, in which it is assured that Germans are reated on equal footing with citizens of these countries, namely in the matter of acquisition of real estate (especially in Sierra Leone).
3.) To influence France in regard the discrimination of German trade, as exercised by the prohibition of the import of guns into the colony of Gaboon and the simultaneous import of large quantities of guns intended for trade by de Brazza
4.) Achieve the recognition of taking force of the trade treaty with Liberia; eventual revision of the treaty and assure equal treatment of Germans in Liberia as compared with citizens of third nations
5.) Protection of German interests in the districts populated by independent negro tribes, by the conclusion of treaties with chiefs, and by stationing gunboats in the region
6.) Neutralization of the Congo estuary and adjacent coastal stretches
7.) Establishment of a naval station (Fernando Po)
8.) Acquisition of a coastal stretch in West Africa to establish the trade colony of Biafra Bay

The Chamber of Commerce humbly requests the deputation to recommend this expertise to Senate, to approve it and to support it in negotiations with the Reich government.

The Chamber of Commerce

To the Deputation for Trade and Navigation

Supplement no.1 to attachment no.3 [continue]

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translation and English language table of contents: AG