"مُلخّص المراسلات المتعلّقة بشؤون زنزبار من ١٨٥٦ إلى ١٨٧٢." أعدّه النقيب ب. د. هندرسون، الملحق بالإدارة الخارجية" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٦] (١١٤/٥٢)

Proceedings subsequent to the arbitration relating to the question of the subsidy-
Majid, the ruler of Zanzibar, who were brothers, and that, after a searching- enquiry and
elaborate report by Brigadier Coghlan, Lord Canninor, in communication with the Governor
of Bombay (Sir George Clerk), determined that it would be just that Syed Majid should
be maintained as ruler of Zanzibar, and that ' the ruler of Zanzibar should pay annually to
the ruler of Muscat a subsidy of 40,000 Crowns/ Announcing this reward to the two
Chiefs, Lord Canning wrote to each of them saying— < I am satisfied that these terms are
just and honorable to of you; and as you have deliberately and solemnly accepted my
arbitration, I expect that you will faithfully and cheerfully abide by them, and that they
will be carried out without unnecessary delay. The annual payment of 40,000 Crowns is not
to be understood as merely personal between Your Highness and your brother, Syed
. It is to extend to your respective successors, and is to be held to be a final and
permanent arrangement, compensating the ruler of Muscat for the abandonment of all
claims upon Zanzibar and adjusting the inequality between the two inheritances.'
"It is clear, from these words, that the subsidy was not intended to be merely personal,
but was to be paid at least to the successors of the Sultan of Muscat. But it is not equally
clear, since the contemplated succession was spoken of as an ' inheritance/ whether the
subsidy is still to be considered as due from Zanzibar, whatever changes or revolutions may
occur in the ruling power in Muscat.
"Two such changes have already taken place. In 1866 the Sultan of Muscat, Sved
Thoweynee, died, under circumstances which left little doubt of the fact that he had been put
to death by his son, Syed Salem, who was then declared Sultan in the place of his father.
Your Excellency's Government recognized him as the de facto ruler of Muscat; and, although
some question was naturally raised as to whether the Sultan could justly be called upon "to
recognize the legitimacy of this succession, your Government enforced the continued payment
of the subsidy by that ruler. I now learn that another and more complete revolution has
taken place at Muscat, and that Syed Salem has been deposed. His successor is Syed
Azau bin Ghes, brother-in-law of the ex-Sultan. But the power by which he is represented
to have succeeded in possessing himself of Muscat, is said to be of the nature of a foreign
power; and the result seems to have been, in fact, the conquest of Muscat by the Wahabee
Arabs of the interior. I assume, however, that in the event of Syed Az;in finally establishing
his authority at Muscat, he will be recognized as the de facto ruler of that country ; but I
do not know whether, in your view, it would follow from such recognition as a necessary
consequence that he would be entitled to the rights guaranteed under British arbitration to
Syed Thoweynee and his successors. •
" Her Majesty's Government, at all events, cannot be surprised that the Sultan of
Zanzibar should be encouraged by violent changes of this kind, which, he declares to be illegal
usurpations, to assert his right to be relieved from the payment of the subsidy to Muscat.
This charge presses severely upon his limited revenues, and he frequently alleges it as a
reason why he is unable, to the full extent desired by us, to suppress the slave trade on the
East Coast of Afaca. He has recently had, as Your Excellency is aware, a mission in this
country charged with the duty of representing his case to Her Majesty's Government and
sohcitmg, on the part of His Highness, relief from the payment of the subsidy, in return for
which he professes his willingness to abandon the revenues derived from the slave trade and
to enter into a new treaty with the British Government respecting the prohibition of the
tramc an object which Her Majesty's Government have long been anxious to attain.
,, " T *P < i U !? ti0 i 8 ? h f w ® ver ' arise with respect to this proposal,—the first is, ' How far
is the faith ot the British Government in India pledged to enforce payment of the subsidy by
the Sultan of Zanzibar and the second is, ' Supposing us to be free in this matter, so far
as our honor is concerned, how far have we any political interest in desiring that it should
continue to be paid ?
"As regards the first of these questions, I have to observe that an arbiter, as such, does
not necessarily bind himself to enforce his awards; but under the circumstances which have
hitherto existed, we appear to have undertaken this duty; nevertheless, it may well be onen
to serious doubt whether we should continue to do so. It appears to me that there is much to
be said in favor of the claim advanced on behalf of the Sultan of Zanzibar, to the effect that
the recent revolutions in Muscat have so entirely changed his relations to its ruler that he
ought no longer to be compelled to pay the subsidy. Were it not for our interference this
question would probably be decided by war; but we forbid war between the two States
because of the danger it involves to the peace and safety of the seas. If we do this it appears
to me that we ought to construe very strictly the original contract, which was imposed by us
under very different c.rcumstances, and that we are not justified in enforcing byTr superior
power the continued payment of this contribution by Zanzibar, if there is any reasonable
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