John Clarke, Plymouth, to W. W. Stanger, 6 Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London, 27 February 1843.

Plymouth
Feby 27th 1843

My dear Brother,

   The interest you take in African affairs I shall ever remember with much feeling, and do, & ever shall, rank you among the sincere friends of that dark land—I am of opinion that we may begin missions on some of the rivers by means of a Schooner, but am also convinced that no regular means of communication can be kept up with these stations without a Steam Boat—I really do not care how small the Steam Boat might be, nor how slow its progress, when compared with larger ones—all I desire is power to go to the Rivers regularly; and around the Island when it might be found necessary to do so—I have no objection to a Schooner to take Missionaries from Jamaica; but I think a small Steamer ought not to be given up—I know the Committee will start at the idea of having both—but if the Schooner was not required for keeping up a regular communication with Jamaica, she could be sold to good advantage, I dare say, in Africa, or in the West Indies—If we don’t attempt great things, we need not expect them—I expect much from Jamaica, & hope that no such excessive expense is to be incurred, as has been in the case of the Cambden—

   We have two men who are Practical Engineers—one at Newcastle, another in Mr Horton’s Church at Devonport—what then stands in the way of taking out a small Iron Steam Boat in parts, & having her put together there; and engaging these two men as Missionaries, as well as Engineers for Africa?—

  I have seen the difficulties in the way from the first, but do not think them insurmountable—I hope soon we shall find a place for the Ark, on the Mountains of the Cameroons & then our way into the vast Interior will gradually open—

   I remain your ever affectionate

                           Br & Friend

                                       John Clarke

P.S. Love to your Father, Mother, and dear Family

P.S. The Engineer here is employed in the Government dock yard, & would give up all immediately to go to Africa—Mr Horton speaks very highly of him—Another fine young man in the same Church wishes to go as a Missionary to Africa—

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 308-09 (annotated version); also MAW, Box 39 (BMS 2750), John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Thomas Horton (1796-1877) was the Baptist minister at Morice Square, Devonport, 1820-1850. The “engineer” Clarke is referring to in the above letter is Alfred Saker (1814-1880), who later became an important BMS missionary at the Fernando Po mission in Africa. See BMS Committee Minutes, Vol. I (Jan. 1843-May 1844), ff. 36, 40, 89, 98, 101, 107.