'Papers Respecting the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa and the System Pursued for its Suppression' [‎61v] (62/72)

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No. 64.
Dr. Kirk to the Earl of Clarendon.—(Received May 28.)
(No. 15.)
My Lord, Zanzibar, April 23, 1869.
1 DO myself the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch
No. 2 of the 10th of March, relative to the rapid increase in the number of native craft
under the protection of the French flag.
Your Lordship will find this subject alluded to in my despatch No. 30 of the 10th of
April, addressed to the Secretary to Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , of which a copy has been
addressed to your Office. . _
I will add that, in consequence of the sudden departure of Her Majesty s ship
" Nymphe," I was unable to inclose a copy of the letter which Captain Meara proposed
addressing to Sir L. Heath on this subject, and which will be accompanied by the deposi
tions of the various boarding officers sent for the purpose of verifying the genuineness of
the flag, when used in suspicious looking vessels.
I will mention that Captain Meara states that where there were five French flags last
year, this season he found fifty, and that although he made a rule of boarding them, in no
case did he find the ship's papers irregular. He was told, in at least one case, that
although there were negroes on board, he had no right to inquire whether they were slaves
or free, and he stated to me that if the system of getting the French flag continued much
longer, our efforts in the seas between Zanzibar and Madagascar for the suppression of the
Slave Trade would be fruitless.
Among the European and American merchants in Zanzibar there is now a demand for
coasting craft under the French flag. In a native dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. there is always the risk that some
one of the crew or passengers may buy a slave, and so compromise the freight which has
been placed on board in good faith; and therefore a flag which defies scrutiny has obvious
advantages.
Mistakes may also occur from a crew composed of negroes being taken for slaves;
and there are cases still more difficult, in which the crew are slaves, but working for w T ages,
a portion of which goes to the master ; yet these slaves are sufficiently free to go to India
and return to Zanzibar.
Of the fact that the French flag is rapidly covering the Arab native craft there can be
no doubt, and it is greatly to be regretted that it has been found impossible to grant the
English flag even to born subjects of British India who may enter into the coasting trade.
These men are reduced to flying the red flag of the Arabs for want of a better, and this, in
the eyes of our cruizers, is always a most suspicious colour.
Referring your Lordship, therefore, to the Commanders of Her Majesty's vessels in
these seas, especially to Captain E. S. Meara of Her Majesty's ship " Nymphe," for full
particulars as to the use made of the French flag.
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN KIRK.
No. 65.
Lieutenant-Colonel Disbrowe to the Earl of Clarendon.—{Received May 31.)
(No. 247.)
My Lord, Muscat, April 30, 1869.
I HAVE the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information, copy of a communi
cation I have this day addressed to the Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , soliciting
the opinion and temporary instructions of the Right Honourable the Governor in Council,
relative to the amount of jurisdiction that may be lawfully exercised by me over vessels
captured on suspicion of being engaged in the Slave Trade within the dominions of the
Sultan of Muscat.
2. No Sultan and no Government having as yet been recognized at Muscat by Her
Majesty's Government, doubts have arisen in my mind as to how far 1 am justified in
adjudicating in the matter of slavers or suspected slavers, seized within dominions
apperti.iining to the sovereignty of Muscat.
3. I do myself the honour to solicit your Lordship's instructions on this subject, and
as I have found it necessary to obtain advice and opinion from the Right Honourable the
Governor in Council of Bombay for my temporary guidance, I venture respectfully to
suggest, for your Lordship's consideration, whether it would not be to the interest of Her