Richard Johnson, 2 Rumford Street, [Liverpool], to Joseph Angus, [Baptist Mission House, London,] 8 September 1842.

2 Rumford St

8 Sept 1842

My dear Sir,

   Since I received your favour of the 29th, I have made enquiries about the Vessels to Africa, but am sorry to say that none are going just at present, that you could send by to the friends at Fernando Po, most of them only call there on returning from their voyages & the delay would be too great by them, & only one house here sends direct & I have got a friend to look out for his next vessel when we will try to get permission to send & I will also try to find a reputable captain who will leave letters at Bonny (about one day’s sail of Fernando Po) but it will be some three weeks before I have even a chance, but I will keep a sharp look out, as there are several vessels now loading here for Africa & I need not assure you it will at all times give me the greatest pleasure to facilitate your communications to our dear Friends there & in the meantime believe me

                           My dear Sir

                                       Yours very truly

                                                   Richd Johnson

To Revd J Angus A. M

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 247-48 (annotated version); also MAW, Box 39 (BMS 1305), John Rylands University Library of Manchester.  The BMS initiated an expedition to Africa in 1840, sending John Clarke and G. K. Prince to explore the possibilities of establishing a mission on the island of Fernando Po, off the coast of West Africa at the mouth of the Niger River.