"أوراق تتعلق بتجارة الرقيق على الساحل الشرقي لأفريقيا والنظام المتبع لكبحها" [و‎‎٥‎٢] (٧٢/٤٣)

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invariably shown himself well-disposed towards England. The position of Johanna,
moreover, in the close neighbourhood of the French possessions of Mayotta and Nosse-b*?,
renders it not a little desirable that we should propitiate this friendly feeling. I have
therefore the honour to request that you will kindly give King Abdalla's brother, Seyd Ali,
and his cousin, a passage to Johanna, if you can do so conveniently.
The King will, I feel sure, be glad to see you at Johanna should you call on him.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HY. A. CHURCHILL.
No. 51.
Mr. Churchill to the Earl of Clarendon.—{Received April 17.)
(No. 6.)
My Lord, Zanzibar, February 26, 1869.
I HAVE the honour to inclose a copy of my despatch No. 19 of the 26th instant,
addressed to the Secretary to Government, Bombay, relative to the measures taken for
carrying out the orders of the Government of India regarding Kutchees and other natives
of India holding slaves in Zanzibar.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HY. A. CHURCHILL.
Inclosure 1 in No. 51.
Mr. Churchill to the Acting Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay.
Si r Zanzibar, February 26, 1869.
REFERRING to the natives of India holding slaves in the dominions of the Sultan
of Zanzibar, 1 had the honour, in my despatch of the 21st January last, to report the steps
that I had taken with a view to put a stop to the Trafficking in Slaves by the same
individuals within the jurisdiction of this Political Agency.
I was aware that I could not count upon the co-operation of Seyd Majid in carrying
out my instructions; but, however much I required that co-operation, I was determined to
do without it, if His Highness withheld it.
Soon after the publication of my notices (annexed to my despatch of the 21st of
January), a native of Kutch was reported to me as having put up one of his slaves for
sale in the market-place. The man was one of those protected by the Sultan. 1 caused
him to be arrested, and brought to trial. He did not deny the fact, but laughingly
declared that he ignored my power to punish him. I sentenced him to a fine of
500 dollars, and to imprisonment in the fort until I could send him out of the country.
This decisive measure, which I was prepared to follow up by others of the same
nature, brought the Kutchees to their senses ; and after a serious consultation, the
principal amongst them came to the Consulate to declare the slaves they held; while the
Sultan, careless of showing his vexation, addressed me a letter couched in very^ plain
words, such as he is not in the habit of writing to this Political Agency, in which he
protested with energy against my proceedings and threatened to report me.
I replied on the same day, expressing to His Highness my regret at the line of policy
he had been pleased to adopt, but showing him that I would not abandon the position I
had assumed.
I took an early opportunity to wait upon His Highness in person, to impress upon his
mind the futility of opposing the fulfilment of my instructions; and, as in the course of
this interview, His Highness urged the dissatisfaction of his subjects with himself and this
Agency, and his distrust of the maintenance of the public peace if I persisted, I requested
Commander Meara, of Her Majesty's ship "Nymphe," to remain at Zanzibar till further
orders.
Matters were in this position, and I had made every preparation to avert the
possibility of Kutchees engaging in the Slave Trade, by depriving them of the slaves in
their possession, over and above a certain number, when, on the 13th February, I received
your letter of the 16th January, by which I am informed that it is unnecessary to interfere
with the existing arrangements, by which domestic slaves are now actually possessed by
Kutchees at Zanzibar, for household purposes.
From the tenor of this Resolution, I concluded that I had misinterpreted the sense of