'Papers Respecting the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa and the System Pursued for its Suppression' [‎59v] (58/72)

58
Inclosure 1 in No. 61.
Dr. Kirk to the Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay.
Sii", Zanzibar, April 10, 1869.
I HAVE the honour to acquaint you, for the information of the Right Honourable
the Governor in Council, that Her Majesty's " Nymphe," under the command of E. S.
Meara, Esq., Commander in Her Majesty's Royal Navy, arrived in this port on the 9th
instant, from a cruise off the north-west coast of Madagascar, and the coast of East Africa,
between Delgado and Zanzibar.
Captain Meara has placed in my hands for adjudication, as Acting Judge in the Vice-
Admiralty Court, sixteen dhows which he has taken and destroyed on the grounds that they
were engaged in the Slave Trade. As many of these vessels were the property of wealthy
natives, I anticipate considerable delay and trouble in the settlement of these cases.
Captain Meara tells me that to the south almost every dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. is now under the French
flag; that when last year only five dhows with the French flag were seen by the
"Nymphe " during her cruise, in the same parts this year there are tifty, and that so well
do the natives know with what jealousy France protects her rights, that dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. owners
told him plainly that he no right to touch them even if they had a cargo of slaves, politely
showing their papers at the same time.
These papers he found in all cases drawn up regularly.
There is no doubt that very soon the French flag will be the only one in use on this
coast, giving, as it does, perfect protection alike to the honest trader and the regular
slaver.
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN KIRK.
Dr.
Inclosure 2 in No. 61.
Kirk to the Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay.
Sir
Zanzibar, April 12, 1869.
IN continuation of my despatch of the April, 1869, I have now the honour to
report, for the information of his Excellency the Governor in Council, what happened
subsequent to the arrival of Her Majesty's ship " Nymphe " at Zanzibar.
At about half-past 1 on the morning of the 11th instant, I received private informa
tion from Sheikh Suliman bin Ali Wizur to the Sultan, whose name, for obvious reasons,
it is particularly desirable should not appear, that the northern Arabs were engaged in
embarking slaves at a point within rifle-shot of the Consulate.
I at once communicated this to Commander E. S. Meara, of Her Majesty's ship
44 Nymphe," requesting him to send boats immediately in order to learn the truth, and
seize the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. if found.
Before an hour had elapsed two cutters, commanded by Lieutenants Clarke and
Hodgson respectively, where alongside a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. on the spot indicated. She lay within
twenty paces of the beach, where were assembled about thirty armed Arabs guarding a
crowd of Slaves.
On boarding the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , she was found to be half full of slaves. The few Arabs then
in the vessel jumped overboard and swam on shore, leaving the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. and slaves in the
hands of the boats' crews.
The Arabs on shore then fired on our sailors, killing one seamen, and wounding
Mr. Hodgson severely in the hand.
Under a murderous fire kept up from the beach, the boats' crews, behaving with the
greatest coolness and gallantry, succeeded in towing off the prize.
When alongside the ship, I examined some of the slaves as to how they had been
taken, and by whom, and I also seized thirty private letters, the greater part of which
proved to be invoices and advices of shipment of slaves, with prices and charges on them.
This consignment was meant for Ras el Had and Jailan, the country of the Beni bii
Ali and Beni bu Hassan, subjects to the Sultan of Muscat.
Part of the correspondence was of a political nature, which led to the immediate
arrest of several influential men in town.
I have asked the Sultan to secure all those engaged in this shipment of slaves, as the
originators of the outrage, and I feel assured that Seyd Majid will assist me in bringing
them to judgment. '