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THE AMERICAN SLAVE TRADE
guns on deck and man her with as good men as can be found in the South. The fighting men will all be stockholders and gentlemen some of whom are known to you, if not personally, by reputation. My estimate runs thus:
| Steamer $150,000; repairs, guns, small arms,coal; etc; $50,000 | $200,000 |
| Supplies, $25,000; money for purchase of cargo, $75,000 | 100,000 |
| $300,000 |
I have, as you know, a vessel now afloat, but it is, in my mind, extremely doubtful whether she gets in safely, as she had to wait on the Coast until her cargo could be collected. If she ever gets clear of the Coast, they can't catch her. She ought to be due in from ten to thirty days. I have another now ready to sail which has orders to order a cargo of 1,000 or 1,200 to be in readiness the 1st of September, but to be kept, if necessary, until the Ist of October — which I intend for the steamer — so that no delay may occur. With her I can make the voyage there and back, including all detentions, bad weather, if I encounter it, etc., in ninety days, certain and sure; and the negroes can be sold as fast as landed at $650 per head. I can contract for them "to arrive" at that figure, cash, The "Vigo" can bring 2,000 with ease and comfort, and I apprehend no difficulty or risk, save shipwreck, and that you can insure against, I can get one of the first lieutenants in the navy to go out in command, and we can whip anything if attacked, that is on that station, either English or American. But I would not propose to fight; for the "Vigo" can steam eleven knots, which would put us out of the way of any of the cruisers.
In an estimate of the steamer's profits sent to William Roundtree, of Nashville, Tenn., Lamar placed the cost at $300,000, and the income — "1,200 negroes at $650, $780,000, which leaves net profit and steamer on hand, $480,000."
