"مُلخّص المراسلات المتعلّقة بشؤون زنزبار من ١٨٥٦ إلى ١٨٧٢." أعدّه النقيب ب. د. هندرسون، الملحق بالإدارة الخارجية" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٠] (١١٤/٧٩)

Events in Zanzibar from the death of Syed Majid.
80. C ompensation paid by S ultan to a man under B ritish protec
tion illegally punished .—The Bombay Government in March 1871 for
warded a letter from Dr. Kirk reporting that an African, in the service of
Captain Eraser, had been flogged by the Arab authorities on a charge of simple
drunkenness without reference to the Consulate, such a proceeding being in
violation of Articles IV. and V. of the Commercial Treaty of 1839. On Dr.
Kirk's representation of the matter, the Sultan disowned all personal knowledge
that the man was entitled to British protection, and at once paid the sum of
50 Dollars demanded by the Political Agent as a compensation to the injured
party. Dr. Kirk's action was approved by the Government of India.— {Political,
A, April 1871, Nos. 22-24J
81. Views of Home Government as to relations with Zanzibar.—
Quoted below, in extenso, is an important despatch from the Secretary of State
for India (No. 3, dated list April 1871^, regarding the relations of the Govern
ment of India with Zanzibar, and the general policy to be pursued with respect
to that State.
" I have had for some time under my most serious consideration the affairs of Zanzibar, and
the relations of the Sultan of that territory with the British Government. But the course
of events continually presenting fresh complications in respect not only of the Zanzibar State
itself, but also of its Connection with Muscat and the affairs of the Persian Gulf, has rendered
it difficult, if not impossible, for Her Majesty's Government to dictate any general policy
with respect to those States which might not, and as events have proved, actually would have
been rendered, by some new revolution, inapplicable to the existing state of affairs at the time
of the arrival of my instructions.
" But there appears, after this succession of vicissitudes, to be a prospect of a settlement
of the affairs of Zanzibar and Muscat on a more permanent basis. The Sultan Syed Majid
is dead, and has been succeeded by his brother, Syed Burgash. The usurpation of Syed
Azan bin Ghes is at an end, and Syed Toorkee, another member of the family of Syed Saeed,
is now reported to be supreme at Muscat. The present time, therefore, seems to be opportune
for a re-consideration of the several important questions involved in the correspondence before me.
" But before I enter upon the family or dynastic questions arising out of the events
which have occurred since the death of Syed Thoweynee, it is expedient that I should refer to
Your Excellency's letter of the 12th August 1870, No. 45
• r? < fep.r ,g ra pi73. (Secret)* in which you indicate a course of policy which
would render all further consideration of the affairs of Zanzibar, on the part of the Indian
department of Her Majesty's Government, altogether unnecessary. You are of opinion that,
except in so far as there may be certain engagements or guarantees to be maintained by the
British Government, there is no reason why Your Excellency's Government should retain
the control of the Political Agency in that State, or why any portion of cost of the
Agency should be debited to the revenues of India; and you add—' We therefore request
that we may be freed from all official connection with the Agency, and that the Agent
may be appointed and controlled by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairsand again,
on the 21st December 1H70, No. 60 (Secret),! Your Excel-
t Vide paragraph 76. lency's Government wrote—' We would take this opportunity
of representing to Your Grace our earnest desire that our official connection with the Zanzibar
State should cease. The existence of a Political Agent there in no way serves the interests
of India/
" With reference to these observations, I have to invite Your Excellency's attention to the
views* expressed by the Government of your predecessor. In
• Vide paragraph 40. reply to an enquiry put by the Secretary of State for India, as
« t- j ;. to whether, in the opinion of the Viceroy, there were ' any
15th Febraar /i868 (No. 20). political and commercial questions arising out of the relations
between India and Zanzibar of sufficient importance to
render it necssary that any controlling authority should be exercised by the Govern
ment of India/ the Viceroy in Council stated, ' having regard to the position of Zanzibar
and its general relations to India, and to the tribes on the shores of the Indian sea,
it appears to us that the Political Agent there ought to be under the Bombay Government,
subiect to the control of the Government of India, rather than under the Forfiign Office; and
that the Agent should be chosen by the Government of Bombay, who have the best opportu
nities for making a good selection. Indeed it would, in our opinion, be better that the pre
sent anomalous state of things should continue, than that the control of political affairs at Zanzibar