Zanzibar Affairs [‎75r] (13/18)

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No. 76—281, dated Zanzibar, the 18th July 1871.
From— Dr. J. Kirk, Acting 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 Her Majesty's Consul at Zanzibar.
To—Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreion Affairs, London.
I HAVE the honor to acknowledge receipt of Your Lordship’s despatches
Nos. 4 and 5 of the 9th and 17th March last, relative to the recognition by
Her Majesty’s Government of His Highness Syud Burgash as Sultan, and
instructing me as to the course to he followed with the Zanzibar Government
in slave trade matters.
I have now the honor to report that I lost no time in placing Your Lord
ship’s letter in the hands of Syud Burgash, who expressed his highest gratifi
cation on its perusal.
Much as His Highness has in his outward and official hearing affected
an independence of recognition by foreign nations, I have been well aware of
the inward importance he attached to that of England, and of the strenuous
endeavours he has of late been making by allying himself to his brother, Syud
Toorkee at Muscat, to ward off the danger that he had reason to apprehend in
that quarter. His aim has steadily been to convince his brother that any hints
at the recovery of the old subsidy paid by the late Syud Majid under protest,
after the murder of Thowaynee, and subsequently in abeyance, could only be
dictated by personal motives on the part of those who gave them, and that the
two brothers might make a better arrangement themselves. How far he has
reason to be satisfied with the results of his negotiations may be judged by the
tenor of a letter from Syud Toorkee that reached Zanzibar on the 15th instant.
It seems to me that we are now in a favorable position, if not to obtain all
that has been asked, at least to effect such temporary modifications of the
slave trade as will hamper seriously the slaving operations of the Muscat
Arabs, and make the action of our cruizers more easy without seriously
impeding legitimate commerce.
Some time ago I had reason to think that His Highness might he willing
to abolish all slave trade by dhows between Quiloa and Zanzibar, and to put
on one of his steamers for that service. If he could be induced to make Dar
Salam, and not Quiloa, the port on that side, more than has been asked would
he granted in all except the numerical limitation which can only become prac
ticable after we have concentrated the traffic in one or two channels; the diffi
culty will he in getting him to apply some such regulation to the Lamo trade,
for it is obvious, once this traffic enters into the hands of the Arab Government
alone, that we have a much simpler means of control and a clearer line of
distinction between slavers and legal traders than is now possible when every
Zanzibar dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. may at any moment become a legal slaver.
I am not prepared to say that His Highness will grant such terms, hut I
think that some time ago he was favorably inclined to entertain them, and I
shall endeavour to sound him again, feeling my way well before approaching
him with any proposition in person.
My post has, however, now become a very difficult one, and my position and
influence not what they were a few days ago, as it is published that Major Way
had been appointed to take over from me the Acting Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and Consulate.
My personal influence remaining the same, an independent sovereign can
scarcely be expected to listen to the proposals of one who will in a few days be
superseded and whose policy is, therefore, construed not to have been in accord
ance with that of the Bombay Government.
Translation of a letter from Toorkee bin Saeed bin Sultan El Imam, to Burgash bin Saeed.
After compliments, — ****** And we await
with anxiety receipt of your letter, for we are convinced that we are of one
mind and the bonds between us as of a building each supporting the other;