General No. 28 of 1874, Forwarding a Copy of a Letter from the Acting Political Agent at Zanzibar, Submitting a Report on the Present Condition of the Jail Building at Zanzibar [‎368r] (5/20)

Building for Zanzibar Jail and Hospital.
No. 67, dated Zanzibar, 3rd June 1874.
From—Her Majesty’s 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 Consul-General, Zanzibar,
T 0 —Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 666 G.,
dated the 23rd March 1874, enclosing copies of correspondence from the India
Office, and desiring that a report may he submitted on the present condition
of the building which it is proposed should he used as a jail and hospital,
together with an estimate of the cost of the arrangements necessary for fitting
it up for those purposes.
2. In reply I have the honor to state that the house, which appears to
have been well and substantially built, is in very fair condition, with the
exception of a foot or two of the wall on the westerly side, which had been
eaten away slightly by the waves before the sea-wall was finished. The whole
of the wall surrounding the house has lately been completed at a cost of Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
1,374-11, which has been met from the general grant of Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 20,000 sanc
tioned by Government of India letter No. 1976G., dated the 16th September
1872. This wall is strongly built, and is quite capable, I think, of withstanding
the effects of any ordinary weather.
# 3. Before reporting upon the adaptability of the house to the purposes of
a jail and hospital, I requested Dr. Robb, Civil Surgeon, to favor me with his
opinion on the subject; and I have now the pleasure to enclose that officer’s
report, in which I may state that, after a careful examination of the premises,
I entirely concur. Dr. Robb has also been good enough to furnish me with
plans of the building, which will, I think, prove of use to Government when
coming to a decision in the matter.
4. As regards the jail accommodation, I consider that two cells are amply
sufficient for the requirements of the place. During my residence here, I have
only had occasion to imprison one European seaman in the fort, and that was
only for a couple of days. The cells would be more frequently used as places
of detention for drunken men and stragglers from the ships than for purposes
of actual punishment. When occasion required it might be advisable to
confine Bhattias and other Hindoos in them, whose caste might be vitiated or
destroyed by imprisonment in the fort.
5. A hospital on the scale proposed by Dr. Robb, and indeed any hospital
or infirmary, would require a small staff of assistants. If the ward were
reserved for Europeans alone, three or four beds would be sufficient, but even
then the services of a Hospital Assistant would be needed. At present, as I
have already had the honor to report to Government, Dr. Robb has not only
to compound every mixture he prescribes himself, but is compelled to employ
his own private servant in distributing the medicines among the patients who
are too ill to attend personally at the dispensary. It would be impossible for
him to undertake, in addition, the duties of a Hospital Assistant. Unless,
therefore, a Subordinate Medical Officer can be spared for service at Zanzibar,
it would be futile to think of establishing a hospital on even the smallest scale
here. 0 £ menial servants a sweeper only would be required, but a good one
could not be procured under $ 4|, or say Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 10 per mensem. I do not think
it would be necessary to engage the permanent services of a cook; one might
be temporarily employed wdien needed.
6 . Should the wards not be required for Europeans, I trust that
Government would have no objection to natives occupying them.
7. If a Hospital Assistant were appointed, he would of course have the
general superintendence of the building, including the portion set apart as cells.
But whenever prisoners are confined in them, it would be necessary to have at
least a couple of guards. As the services of these men, however indispensable
they might be, would be but rarely required, I venture to recommend that
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