‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎132r] (103/114)

Mb
!S vJ
Slave Trade-
pping- their victims in the in-
)f slavery."
iquire from Messrs. TVaser
ent these large demands
0 increased activity in the
e they had that the labor-
3e would be declared free.
ber 1866 observed to the
of the case might be—
lies in its power to discourage
sistent with the attitude which
ipect of slave dealing."
ly that the Government
itracts, or aid in respect of
d by Dr. Seward to the
06 Lord Stanley replied—
n, I have to imform you that
50 this contract, Messrs. Fraser
■ 98, which renders applicable
ritish subjects wherever they
laborers are to be at the sole
are to be set free. During the
following words of the Act'of
3 be dealt with as j-laves'; ' con
ies'
r and Company that by entering
ts in question, and you will
r anything, and what, has been
)mpany have any representation
aken."
sr Majesty's Government,
opportunity of stating his
1 on a contract previously
it at Zanzibar, and which
Dr. Seward urged that
-acts, but, as a copy of the
nitted to the Government
nion in the matter. Mr.
ic case—
3t seem to me to have anything
the case that Messrs. Fn.ser's
rmer Consul, Colonel Playtair.
collect from this most unin-
• slaves (which cannot generally
ing for their labor."
stary of State for foreign
)d 711 slaves who had been
npany. Lord Stanley ex-
ated that no proceedings
could undertake to abstain
temher 1866, Nos. 45-47;
me 1867, ISos. 24 25;
110. E xportation of slaves as crew of vessels trading to B ombay.—
In December 1866 it was stated by the commander of Her Majesty's steamer
Wasp that the crews of the Zanzibar dhows trading to Bombay were all slaves
belonging to people at Zanzibar; that they were paid nominally two or three
dollars for the voyage to Bombay and back, but many were taken on to the Per
sian Gulf. The Commissioner of police at Bombay stated that every precaution
was taken by the water police to guard against the importation or exportation of
slaves, the crews and passengers of all dhom being mustered both on arrival
at and departure from the harbour.— (JPoliticcil, d., jUavch 1867, Aos.
242 8f 243.)
111. N egotiations for reduction of limits of slave traffic .—Mr.
Churchill assumed charge of the Zanzibar Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. about the middle of 1867,
and shortly after entered into negotiations with the Sultan, having for thcii
object the reduction of the limits within which the transport of slaves for
domestic purposes would be permitted. After considerable pressure the Sultan
agreed to fix Bas-ya-dege, in S. latitude 7 as the southern, and Mombas, in
latitude 4°, as the northern limits for this traffic. The extent of the con
cession comprised about three-fifths of the Sultan s seaboard. In obtaining
this concession, however, Mr. Churchill had held out hopes to Syed ^ Majid
of bein 0 * relieved from payment of the subsidy to Muscat. A negotiation on
this basis was declared by the Bombay Government, with the concurrence of
the Government of India, to be wholly unauthorized.— A, February
1868, Nos. 174-76.)
112. Establishment of a V ice -A dmiralty C ourt .—From a letter dated
30th November 1867, addressed to Lord Stanley by Mr. Churchill, it appears
that with the consent the Sultan, a Vice-Admiralty Court had been estab
lished a short time previously in Zanzibar.
113 R ights of K utchees to hold slaves .—In 1867 a question y as
raised by 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. as to whether the British Government had a right
to interefere with the subjects of the Kao of Kutch who held slaves, but who had
not registered their names as entitled to British protection. Irom xlr.
Churchill's letter of the 22nd December 1867, it appears that, previous to
Colonel Rigby's departure from Zanzibar, all natives of India, whether subjects
of the British Government, or of independent Native Mates, were under Bu is j
Diotection • but in 1863 those of the latter class who had not formally applied
for such protection and registered their names at the British Consulate, were
deprived of consular protection, and were allowed to place themselves un ei
the protection of the Sultan.
ThP ponrse then followed by 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. was supported by the
Bombay Government; but in 1806 it bad been ruled (Foreign Department letter
No. lOi, dated 3rd February 1866) by the Government of India with regard to
Kutchees resident in Muscat that—
" the subjects of any Native State bound, as Kutch '3
powers, are morally entitled to be admitte in 0 ' u ^" Sultan of Muscat and the subjects
natives of British India enjoy in the ~fmarSy quoted, neither of
of Kutch, residents in his dominions, seem, ^ c » ci , c y on q ccive6 that there
them to cnteiUin any doubt on his point samc authorit , y i n r e S peet
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. should be autbori Z ed to
act in accordance with this opinion. ^