The Black Joke capturing a Spanish Slaver, 1829


This image shows the Brig, Black Joke, intercepting a Spanish slaver attempting to illegally transport slaves from Africa to the Americas. The Spanish slaver, the Almirante, put up a ferocious fight knowing that the consequences for illegal slaving were severe indeed. Unfortunately, the profits were so vast that few were deterred. The Royal Navy estimated that it was only intercepting 5% of slavers every year.


Southern Nigeria


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by Stephen Luscombe