"أوراق تتعلق بتجارة الرقيق على الساحل الشرقي لأفريقيا والنظام المتبع لكبحها" [ظ‎‎٥‎٣] (٧٢/٤٦)

46
I shall also suggest, in compliance with your wishes, that natives of Zanzibar born of
Indian parents may be allowed to elect their nationality after coming of age; and that the
Kutchees settled in Zanzibar before 1836, the date of the Rao's Proclamation regarding
the Slave Trade, may be permitted to enjoy all the privileges of your Highness'
subiects.
(Signed) HY. A. CHURCHILL.
Inclosure 5 in No. 51.
The Sultan of Zanzibar to Mr. Churchill.
(Translation.)
(After the usual compliments.) Zanzibar, 12 Thil Karda, 1285 (February 26, 1869).
YOUR letter has reached us, and its contents have been understood. Our friend
Soliman conveyed to us your verbal message, and it was in exact accordance with the
purport of your letter, namely, that you would allow the natives of Kutch to keep what
slaves they had as a mark of deference towards us. We have to express to you our sincere
thanks for this ; we believe that you are well disposed towards us, and we earnestly trust
that the friendship happily existing between us will increase daily ; but the correspondence
that passed between our Government and Colonels Pelly and Playfair, some time back,
acknowledges our right to protect all natives of Kutch whose names are not inscribed in
the Consular Register Books kept in Zanzibar, and to consider them as our own subjects
in every way. You, however, latterly wished to pursue another course; and it was then
agreed to refer the matter to the Indian Government. When, a few days ago > you insisted
on taking active measures in the matter, we purposed sending some one to the Govern
ment of India to represent our case.
You further state that, in future, all new arrivals from India shall be amenable to
British law. We can easily understand that the natives of Bombay and Surat, and other
parts of India subjugated by Great Britain, should be subject to your jurisdiction ; but
that that those who come from States that have not been conquered should be amenable
to British law is at variance with the explanations previously given by Colonels Pelly and
Playfair, namely, that if they have not elected the protection of the British Consulate, by
writing their names in the Consular Register, their status shall be that of the Arabs, our
subjects. Now, however, with a view to the maintenance of the friendly relations between
us, we are willing to accept the position assumed by you, as explained in your letter
under present acknowledgment, until such time as our Envoy may return from India,
when we trust that the most perfect understanding will be arrived at on this subject
between us.
This is from your friend Majid bin Saeed.
No. 52.
Mr. Churchill to the Earl of Clarendon.—{Received April 17.)
(No. 7.)
My Lord, Zanzibar, February 27, 1869.
I HAVE the honour to inclose a copy of my despatch No. 20 of the 27th February,
addressed to the Acting Chief Secretary, Bombay, relative to the mission of Seyd Mahomed
bin Salim to London and his return to Zanzibar.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HY A. CHURCHILL.
Inclosure in No. 52.
Mr. Churchill to the Acting Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay
Sir, Zanzibar, February 26, 1869.
MAHOMED BIN SALIM, the Sultan's Envoy to Her Majesty's Court in London,
returned to Zanzibar on the 11th instant.
He has brought me no letters, so that I am unacquainted officially with the result of
his mission ; but from the Queen's letter to Seyd Majid, and Lord Clarendon's communica
tion to His Highness, of which I have been allowed to take copies, which I have the