"مُلخّص المراسلات المتعلّقة بشؤون زنزبار من ١٨٥٦ إلى ١٨٧٢." أعدّه النقيب ب. د. هندرسون، الملحق بالإدارة الخارجية" [و‎‎٨‎٧] (١١٤/١٣)

• 5
Events preceding the arbitration by the Government of India.
i. nqp ^ arrival of the Astaye a circumstance occurred, which showed the
. _ t • er ? ^ U1 ^ 1 About halt past 9 o'clock at night His Highness Syed Majid
was returning by boat from his residence in the town on board the S/iaA Allum, and, on the
in * th r h0US ? oi S ^ ed a volley of muskelry was discharged at
XV,- ] i e i 10U !f ; u u n • y a runm,,i ? nre was kept n P; and, as I was sitting at the
window 1 heard the shot flying past the British Consulate. His Highness the following day
ordered the Ariemse to occupy a position in face of Syed Burgash's house, and intimated to
mm that he would no longer continue to pay him the monthly allowance of 700 Crowns, which
ne had hitherto given him from his own treasury."
The news of the abandonment of the Muscat expedition, and the arrival
ot the Assaye, caused great consternation among the conspirators. Abdulla
bin Salem and the chief men of the El Harth tribe tendered their submission
to oyed Majid; l)ut he refused to receive them, and intimated to Captain Kin-bv
his intention of deporting to Muscat four Chiefs of that tribe, and also "his
brother, Syed Burgash.
5. riigceedings OF the Feench at Zanzibar —Certain proceedings of
the French at Zanzibar should here be noticed.
When the expedition was daily expected at Zanzibar, the French Consul
asked Captain Rigliy, Her Majesty's Consul, what he intended doins on the
arrival of Syed Thoweynee.
f ' I told hitn," says Captain Ri<jby, I should do my upmost to prevent his (Thoweynee's)
• Nearly the whole trade of the I'l '-ding, by tlireatening him with the severe displeasure of
port of Zanzibar paesea through the British Government, and warning him of the heavy
^ 15riti8h !' est on5ibili ty he would incur if any British subject suffered
' 111 hfe or property* Upon this he (the French Consul)
remaiked—' Why, we shall be acting exactly contrary to each other/"
On hearing of Syed Majid's determination to deport Syed Bunjash, the
French Consul, in "very violent language," threatened him with the inter
ference of the French Government if he did not abandon his intention. The
French Consul soon after took Syed Burgash with him to Syed Majid's house
and made the brothers shake hands.
At a dinner given at the French Consulate, at which Captain Eigbv and
others were present, the French Consul spoke of Syed Majid in the most
abusive and contemptuous terms, and said that Syed Burgash was " now under
French protection" and could not be touched, and that—
the question of the right of succession to the government of Zanzibar would have to
be settled in Europe."
With reference to this last remark, Captain Rigby, on a subsequent occa
sion, pointed out that both parties (Syed Thoweynee and Syed Majid) had
agreed to abide by the arbitration of His Lordship the Governor General of
India, and that tiie matter would be peaceably arranged. Upon this the
French Consul said—
"1 have instructions from my Government, and- the French Government will never
consent to abide by the result of any arbitration to which it is not a consenting party. We
have treaties with the late Imam, and we have a right to make our opinions respected."
At length Captain Bigby thought it best to come to a clear understanding
with the French Consul regarding his proceedings ; this he did in the presence
of the Commodore of the French Squadron, who happened to be in Zanzibar at
the time. Finding himself unsupported by the Commodore in the position he
had assumed, the French Consul explained that there had been a misunder
standing, and promised that he would not interfere in any way in the internal
atfairs of the State. This satisfactory understanding averted the danger of an
outbreak, which Syed Burgash, relying on French protection, might otherwise
have attempted.