![‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎126v] (92/114)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x0001a7/IOR_L_PS_18_B150A_0092.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎126v] (92/114)")
‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [126v] (92/114)
The record is made up of 1 file (55 folios). It was created in 1872. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Slave Trade
dollars a head on slaves, which yielded him between £5,000 and £8,000 a
vear. But Brigadier Coghlan suggested that Her Majesty's Government
might, perhaps, be induced to give His Highness compensation for this for a
space of, say,' 10 or 12 years. " Nothing is needed," he said, " beyond an insis
tent urgency, coupled with an offer of reasonable indemnification and our sup
port to ensure them against any overt acts of their subjects in consequence of
the concession, to obtain the consent of either Syed Thoweynee or Syed Majid
to the measure here suggested" for the more effectual abolition of the slave
trade.
Brigadier Coghlan further proposed that the co-operation of France, and
the United States of America might be secured, and a joint convention con
cluded for the total suppression of the slave trade on the East Coast of Africa.
No orders were passed by Government on this report at the time, pending the
decision of the Home Government with regard to the reduction of the Indian
Navy.— {Proceedings, May 18G1, Nos. 9-11.)
93. L ieut.- C olonel R igbt's report of 1861 on slave trade.— A
further report on the slave trade was received in May 1861 from Colonel
Riirbv, who stated that the treaties with Muscat for the suppression of
the slave trade had been considered a dead letter from the day they were con
cluded. About 10,000 slaves a year were exported northwards. The trade in
slaves was recognized as a distinct traffic, and gave employment to about 150
vessels. Colonel Kigby was of opinion that the slave trade could only be effec
tually checked by operations on the African coast. During the previous year
Her Majesty's ships Lyra and Sidon had captured 25 slaves. If this were fol
lowed up by active measures on the following year. Colonel lligby thought
that it would prevent the piratical tribes of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
from coming to
the Zanzibar coast in future, and thus put a stop to at least half the traffic in
slaves on the East Coast of Africa.
Her Majesty's ships Lyra and Sldon had returned to England, but
Colonel Rigby stated that if two steam gun-boats were stationed at Zanzibar
during the months of March and April, and also during the months of Sep
tember and October, scarcely a vessel would escape. During the other months
Native vessels cannot go north owing to the winds.
The Bombay Government considered the expediency of adopting Colonel
Rigby's proposal to be urgent. On receipt of this report the Government of
India announced its intention of addressing the Secretary of State with a
view to adequate measures being taken for the presence of Her Majesty's
cruisers at the station of Zanzibar during the proper months. As a temporary
measure, 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.
were authorised to station two gun-boats
at Zanzibar, if such were available, authority for the destruction of dhows
having slaves on hoard being given to the commanders of such vessels. With
regard to the revision of the treaty, a measure proposed by Colonel Rigby, it
was said that any overtures for a revision would be premature in the absence of
a naval force adequate to the suppression of the Zanzibar slave trade.—
(Proceedings, Political, A, October 1861, Nos. 92 93J
In October 1861 Colonel Rigby, in a report to the Bombay Government,
gave several instances of the Sultan's apathy regarding the northern slave trade,
and his neglect to carry out his treaty engagements. He had also refused to
enter into negotiations for the modification of the existing treaties. The
presence of Her Majesty's ship Gorgon had been most successful in checking
the northern slave traffic.
Government still declined to interfere with the Sultan until there was
a sufficient naval force in the Gulf.
84
About this item
- Content
The file is a précis of correspondence related to affairs at Zanzibar between the years 1856 and 1872, prepared by Captain Philip Durham Henderson of the Foreign Department in the Government of India. The contents of the précis, which includes reports from Christopher Palmer Rigby, the British Consul at Zanzibar, and Sir William Marcus Coghlan, relate to: the death in 1856 of the Sultan of Muscat Syed Saeed [Sa‘id bin Sulṭān al-Sa‘id] without a direct heir; the succession struggle between Syed Thoweynee [Thuwaynī bin Sa‘id al-Sa‘id] and Syed Majid [Sa‘id Majid bin Said al-Sa‘id]; British arbitration in the dispute; succession arrangements at Muscat and Zanzibar; the slave trade between Zanzibar and Muscat. The précis is organised into six chapters (labelled I to VI), as follows:
- I – Events preceding the arbitration by the Government of India;
- II – Arbitration of the Government of India;
- III – Proceedings subsequent to the arbitration relating to the question of subsidy;
- IV – Events at Zanzibar from the arbitration to the death of Syed Majid;
- V – Events in Zanzibar from the death of Syed Majid;
- VI – Slave Trade.
The contents page lists four appendices (labelled A to D) that are not included in this copy of the précis.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (55 folios)
- Arrangement
The correspondence contained in the précis is arranged in an approximate chronological order, with those of earliest date (1856) at the front, and those of latest date (1872) at the end. The correspondence is further arranged into six chapters labelled I to VI. Subheadings throughout the précis are numbered from 1 (for the first subheading in chapter I) to 131 (for the last subheading in chapter VI). A contents page (ff 82-84) lists the chapters, subheadings and subheading numbers. Note that a discrepancy appears between the subheading numbers and the subheading contents in chapter VI.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at f 81, and terminates at f 137, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additonal foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 6-192; these numbers are also written in pencil but, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
Pagination: The file also contains an original printed pagination sequence 1-105.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B150A
- Title
- ‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’
- Pages
- 81r:137v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence