'Slave-dealing and Slave-holding by Kutchees in Zanzibar' [‎127r] (42/63)

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.
No. 960, dated Simla, the 13th July 1869.
W. S. Seton-Karr , Esq., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Depart
ment, 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. , Political Department.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letters noted on the
* No. 113, dated 31st March, margin,* with enclosures, from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at
„ 132, „ I2tli April. Zanzibar, on the subject of slave-dealing and slavery in
" ^ locality.
144, „ 17th „ ^
2. In reply, I am directed by His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor
General in Council to state, that he approves, generally, of the views of the
Bombay Government in this matter, and that he does not think it necessary,
with reference to the suggestion made in your letter of the 17th of April
last, to issue any further instructions for Mr. Churchill's guidance on the subject.
3. But the Bombay Government might take an opportunity of intimating to the
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. that, while using all legitimate influence in the discouragement of
the slave trade, he should avoid, as much as possible, the expression of opinion
as to purely domestic, or household, slavery when practised in Zanzibar by
Kutchees or others.
Slave Trade Draft, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
gi r) Foreign Office, April 5th, 1869.
I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to transmit to you, to be laid
before His Grace the Duke of Argyll, the accompanying copies of a Despatch and
its enclosures from Mr, Churchill, Her Majesty s Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and Consul at
Zanzibar, reporting the steps taken by him for giving effect to the orders of the
Governor General of India in regard to the suppression of slave-dealing, as carried
on by the Kutchees, or by the subjects of other protected Indian States residing
at Zanzibar. . .
I am to state that Lord Clarendon is not aware of the precise nature ot the
instructions on this subject which Mr. Churchill has received from the Govern
ment of India, but it would appear from the tenor of Mr. Churchill's Despatch
and its inclosures that it is proposed to tolerate, if not to recognize and allow, the
holding of domestic slaves by Kutchees and other protected Indian subjects.
His Lordship desires me to observe that, after having once manumitted all the
slaves held by protected Indian subjects at Zanzibar, as was done a few years
since by Colonel Rigby, to tolerate now the holding of slaves by any Indian sub-
iects protected or otherwise, would be a material concession on our part towards
slavery, likely to encourage the slave trade, and calculated to place us in a false
position towards the Sultan of Zanzibar, whom we have been urging for some
time past to adopt stringent measures for putting a stop to the slave tramc in his
d0 Lord Clarendon would suggest, therefore, unless there are any Indi an interests
involved which would prevent the adoption of such a course, whether a notice
might not be issued prohibiting entirely the holding of domestic slaves by Indian
subjects, or by the subjects of any Indian State under British protection, allowing
them, however, should it be thought advisable to do so, a reasonable period for
ffettinff rid of the slaves that may be in their possession. , -
g I am further directed to state that, if the Duke of Argyll has the means of
furnishinff it Lord Clarendon would request to be supplied with a copy of such
part of the Indian Penal Code as prohibits the holding or trafficking in slaves by
Indian subjects.
The Under Secretary of State
for India.