In preparation for the 1840 anti-slavery convention in London, the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society sent out circulars inviting delegates from across the Americas and Europe, as well as the Cape, Mauritius, British India and Egypt. Along with these circulars, a list of queries was sent to each country in order to collect information about slavery (or the recent emancipation, in the case of Latin America and the British colonies) and abolitionist activity in the various countries. Delegates were also requested to bring copies of pro- and anti-slavery publications from their countries.