How the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron Fought the Atlantic Slave Trade

The West Africa Squadron, a Royal Navy detachment, was deployed after Britain's Slave Trade Act of 1807 to patrol the Atlantic and suppress the slave trade. The squadron, which included British sailors and Kru and Kran freemen, faced immense challenges: vast distances, tropical diseases, and slavers who used American flags or dumped captives to evade capture. Early efforts were largely ineffective. However, by the mid-19th century, steamships improved patrols, and diplomatic pressure on foreign governments increased. The American Civil War in 1861 and subsequent cooperation from the U.S. Navy further bolstered enforcement. When the squadron retired in 1867, it had seized 1,600 ships and freed an estimated 100,000 Africans over nearly 60 years. The article, published by The Collector, details this history, highlighting the roles of abolitionists like William Wilberforce, whose act outlawed the trade, and the squadron's complex legacy.