John Clarke, Plymouth, to Joseph Angus, 6 Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London, 28 February 1843.

Plymouth
Feb. 28th/43

My dear Bro,

  I have recd a request from Bristol to attend meetings in May—I hope you will not, on any account, engage me for a date beyond the London Meetings in April—as it will then be full time for me to rest a few days in quiet to prepare for a speedy departure to the proper sphere of my labours—I wish to write you at great length about the Steamer, could I find time—I am afraid all is going wrong in this matter, and that a plan is about to be adopted which will prevent thousands from hearing the Gospel for many years to come—

  My opinion is that a ship could be freighted to go by Jamaica for the first Missionaries, far cheaper than to buy one for this purpose—Indeed if you do not keep such a Vessel as the Schooner you propose constantly going to Jamaica and England I do not see what we can do with her in Africa—for next to a little 30 Tons steamer, a sort of Gravesend boat would be the only thing we could well manage in the Rivers we wish to visit—But every a common sailing boat, or Schooner must have great disadvantages connected with Navigation in the part of the world for which they we require it—The risk of life is such that you out [ought] not to lose sight of this point—risk from getting sick in long calms—risk from not being able to remove soon an invalid to a more healthy spot—risk in getting aground near dangerous tribes at a distance from large & frequented Towns—Excuse this hasty scrawl—I have scarcely had time today to withdraw to write it—I have written to Mr Winter to say I cannot engage for May but will see him on the 9th—    

                                       ever yours in love

                                                   John Clarke

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 311-12 (annotated version); also MAW, Box 39 (BMS 2777), John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Thomas Winter (1790-1863) was the Baptist minister at Counterslip, Bristol, 1823-1860.