‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎124v] (88/114)

Events in Zanzibar from the death of Syed Majid-
" The outstanding- debt to the house of Jairam, on the 2'2nd August 1871, or before the
new arrangement, was as follows :
1. Balance of Syed Majid 's debt undischarged
2. Liabilities incurred to enable Syed Burgash to take over the
ships of war, palace, plantation, &c.
8. Old private debt of Syed Burgash before his accession
4. New debt incurred by Syed Burgash since his accession
Total Liabilities ... 540,002 81 i
By the settlement effected on the renewal of the right to farm the customs revenues
dating for five years from the 22nd August 1871, $ 340,002.80 of the above liability was
cancelled by Ludda, and the balance of $ 200,000 consolidated under a written acknowledgment
of obligation, which, however, bears no interest, while the customs remain in Jairam's hands,
or for the term of five years.
a Syed Burgash has also discharged $ 280,000 of the trust debts owing by Syed Majid
to the younger brothers ; and this is probably the last they will ever receive.
" Even with the aid obtained from Ludda, His Highness has been obliged to part with
many of the landed estates formerly in Syed Majid's hands; the average yearly produce of
those left with him not exceeding now $ 10,000 with which $ 300,000, yearly rent ol customs,
makes a total sum of § 310,000 (£65,263-3 -2), or an income of § 15,000 less than that of his
predecessor, for the tax levied on the Hadima of the island has been remitted. Syed Burgash
has, however, effected a saving by stopping political pensions formerly paid to such as Syed
Suliman bin Hamed, who received $ 5,000 yearly, and others of lesser sums, and he has yet
refused assistance to the insolent beggars from Oman who obtained from Syed Majid in later
years. This retrenchment, however, with the present Sultan, amounts in many cases to mean
ness, and he is most impolitic in dealing with those independent of him but whose interest it
is to conciliate."
" The Sultan's present montly expenditure on ships, soldiers, &c., &c., amounts to
$ 22,000, or $ 264,000 yearly, leaving a margin far too small for contingencies, and no
provision for gratuities to his brother Toorkee at Muscat, still less for the payment of any
regular subsidy which it would be for many other reasons most impolitic to re-establish.
" The information I have gained regarding the means of other members of the royal
family shows that their incomes are, in many cases, not sufficient for their support. Of the
male children of Syud Saeed there are now ten alive ;—of these, two are in Muscat and eight
in Zanzibar.
" Abdool Azeez, now with Syed Toorkee in Muscat, has an estate here, but his property is
so deeply mortgaged to Ludda as to be worthless.
" Next to Syed Burgash in age, comes Syed Khuleefa, the favorite brother of Syed Majid,
a lad of no energy, but personally popular; his property is worth about $19,000, but, wilh a
mortgage of $7,000 on it, his income cannot exceed £200 per annum.
" Syed Ali has an estate worth $35,000 mortgaged to Ludda for $3,300.
" Syed Abbas, an active lad, who speaks English very well, but cannot read or write any
language, has an estate worth very little.
" Among the youngest, Syed Abderab is, perhaps, the most independent, his estate being
worth $88,0U0, with mortgage on it of only $9,000.
" No care whatever has been taken with the education of these young lads, who are pur
posely left in ignorance, and kept, as much as possible, from mixing with people; and any
attempts 1 have made to alter this system have proved fruitless.
f lhe above information, as also that connected with the now arrangement regarding the
custom house, being given to me in confidence, it would obviously be injudicious to allow it to
become public first through official channels. In town, the terms on which the customs have
been rented are still unknown, and commonly said to be at five lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Concerning the more
detailed statistics of the Zanzibar liabilities, nothing certain whatever is known."
80
$
Cents.
114,300
18|
391,004
50
13,164
75
120,533
73*