File 3939/1926 Pt 5 'Revision of Aitchison's Treaties: Persia, Seistan, Kerman and Persian Baluchistan' [‎65r] (123/558)

Cn
, PERSIA—NO. XIX—1882/ g3
I
No. XIX.
Convention between Great Britain and Persia for the Suppression of the
Traffic in Slaves.
Signed in the English and Persian languages, at Tehran, 2nd March 1882.*
[Ratifications exchanged at Tehran, Wh June 18.82.]
In the name of God, the Almighty, All-Merciful.
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
Empress of India, and His Majesty the Shah of Persia, being mutually animated •
by a sincere desire to co-operate for the extinction of the barbarous Traffic in
Slaves, have resolved to conclude a Convention for the purpose of attaining this
object, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that it to say :
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, Empress of India—Roland Ferguson Thomson, Esquire,
Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. at the
Court of Persia ;
And His Majesty the Shah of Persia—His Excellency Mirza Saeed Khan,
His Minister for Foreign Affairs ;
Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found in
g ood and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :—
Article 1.
Permission to British Cruizers to visit and detain Persian Merchant Vessels.
In order to prevent the chance of negro slaves, male and female, being imported
into Persia, British cruizers shall be permitted to visit and detain merchant vessels
under the Persian flag, or belonging to Persian subjects, which may be engaged
in, or which there may be reasonable grounds for suspecting to be or to have been
engaged during the voyage on which they are met, in carrying slaves ; and if any
such slaves are found on board such merchant vessels, the vessel, with all on board,
shall be taken before the nearest Persian authorities for trial.
Persons provided with Government Passports not to be molested under certain cir
cumstances.
But no person whatsoever who, being furnished with a Government passport,
countersigned by a British Resident or Consul, may have gone from Persia to
visit the places of pilgrimage, shall, when returning, be interfered with, provided
such person be not accompanied by more negroes, either male or female, than
the number mentioned in his original pass. The presence of any such additional
negro or negroes shall be prima facie evidence of an attempted Traffic in Slaves.
* From “ State Papers,” Vol. 73, page 31.