The same merchants, too, had asserted that the town of Liverpool would be ruined by the abolition.

But Liverpool did not depend for its consequence upon the Slave-trade.

The whole export-tonnage from that place amounted to no less than 170,000 tons; whereas the export part of it to Africa amounted only to 13,000.

Liverpool, he was sure, owed its greatness to other and very different causes; the Slave-trade bearing but a small proportion to its other trades.
Having gone through that part of the subject which related to the slaves, he would now answer two objections which he had frequently heard started.
The first of these was, that the abolition of the Slave-trade would operate to the total ruin of our navy, and to the increase of that of our rivals.
For an answer to these assertions, he referred, to what he considered to be the most valuable part of the report, and for which the house and the country were indebted to the indefatigable exertions of Mr.Clarkson.

By the report it appeared, that, instead of the Slave-trade being a nursery for British seamen, it was their grave.