St. George's Bay Company to finance the Province of Freedom.
When the news of the destruction reached Sharp he asked the
British Government to continue its support of the settlement.
No reply was received.  Then Sharp turned to wealthy men in
London for support of the Province of Freedom.  However,
these men needed some guarantee for a return on their money.
The right of self-government was surrendered to a London
board so that the settlement could continue.  Sharp was
opposed to this but was unable to convince the shareholders
otherwise.

The Sierra Leone Company, as it was now known, was al¬
lowed the right to incorporate by the Parliament on 6 June
1791.  It was not until 5 July 1799 that the Charter of
Incorporation was finally drawn up.  During the interim
period there was some question about the legality of the
London-appointed Governor to rule.  In the interim the
London directors issued a declaration that, "the civil,
military, personal and commercial rights and duties of
blacks and whites should be the same and that it was illegal

for anyone to deal or traffic in the buying or selling of
2

slaves."

The Royal Charter that was finally issued in 1799 author¬
ized the London directors to appoint a Governor and Council
to rule the settlement.  The Governor and the Council were
authorized to make laws so long as they were acceptable to

2.  T.O. Elias> Ghana and Sierra Leone - The Development of
Their Laws and Constitutions, p. 227_______________________