'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎281] (458/524)

OF 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. AT ZANZIBAR,
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to Zanzibar via Hamburgh and India; they are taken to the interior
of Africa, and form one of the principal articles of barter for slaves
and ivory.
Cowries are collected on the mainland, brought here in native boats,
and exported to the West coast of Africa
Cowiiete. by Hamburgh merchants, and to India
by Indian traders. Formerly large sums of money were made in this
branch of trade, but owing to the more extended use of the precious
metals as currency, it has very much fallen off, and the decline is so
stead}^, that it promises erelong to become extinct.
The well-known fossil gum copal is found by digging a loot. or two
below the surface of the ground, in local-
Copal * ities where the forests which produced
it have long since disappeared. The island of Zanzibar, where not
a tree is known to exist, produces a small quantity, but the most pro
ductive fields are on the mainland. The recent gum is also found fur
ther to the north, but it is softer and much less valuable than the fossil
resin.
It is only in copal and ivory that any monopoly exists m the Zanzibar
dominions ; in every thing else the
Iv0ry * market is open to all, and the only
customs duty charged, is one of five per cent, on imports. Ivmy
variously charged, according to the districts whence it comes ; the ru e
which guides the authorities in fixing the duty, is simply t e ques ion
how much it will bear, without driving trade into other channe s.
Thus—
Ivory from Uniamezi pays * * * ^ ^ P er ^
Keelwa 35 ^
Panguni and Tunga ^
Mombassa and Lamboo .... >> ^
The Somali country - - 2
>>
3>
>3
« • • • *
33
33
33
33
I entertain hopes that this false system w ^P° e ^ l ^ g any sudderl
at present the state of the finances of anzi ^
change which would result in a loss of revenue.
It is a very few years since Sesamum seed was grown on the East
36 g