"مُلخّص المراسلات المتعلّقة بشؤون زنزبار من ١٨٥٦ إلى ١٨٧٢." أعدّه النقيب ب. د. هندرسون، الملحق بالإدارة الخارجية" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٥] (١١٤/٧٠)

Events at Zanzibar from the arbitration to the death of Syed Majid
72. A lleged designs against Z anzibar by A zan bin G hes. V iews
of G overnment of I ndia as to protectorate of Z anzibar and M uscat .—In
December 1809 the Agent at Muscat reported that there were indications
then of an intention, if not on the part of Azan bin Ghes himself, at least on
that of some of the principal members of his Government, to invade Zanzibar.
Dr. Kirk.appears to have assured the Sultan that on his own responsibility he
would suppress by force any attempt to disturb the peace of the place. The
Government of India, therefore, desired that the Political Agent should be
informed—
" that the Government of India is not bound, under all circumstances, to undertake the
protectorate of Zanzibar, and that he should abstain from all proceedings likely to give rise to
the idea that Government is inclined to place itself in such a position. The Government of
India has already refused to allow the State of Muscat to attack Zanzibar by sending a naval
force against it, and the envoys recently sent from Zanzibar to Bombay have been informed
that the orders of the Supreme Government for the preservation of peace in the waters of the
Persian Gulf admit of no exception, and preclude the possibility of sanctioning any expedition
against Muscat by sea. While acting in this way for the common good of Zanzibar and
Muscat, the British Government can give no pledge that it will protect either Zanzibar or
Muscat from invasion, but will, under all circumstances, reserve to itself perfect freedom of
action."— (Enc. despatch to Secretary of State, No. 615 P, dated *±th April 1870.^
Colonel Pelly, on being referred to, expressed an opinion to the effect that
Syed Azan had not really contemplated any attack on Zanzibar. Syed Majid,
however, was apprehensive of an invasion, and issued a proclamation that any
vessel coming from Oman and bringing to his dominions the people of that State
after the monsoon, would be burnt, and the owner punished. This was ex
plained by Dr. Kirk as not being intended to interfere with trade, but to give
to the Sultan the power to arrest and detain suspicious persons, and to prevent
them from landing without being liable to subsequent claims for compensa
tion. Since the rumour, current in the fall of the previous year, about the
ambitious designs of Azan bin Ghes, all passengers from Oman had been
watched, and some arrested. To these measures Dr. Kirk attributed the peace
of the country.
73. C ost of P olitical A gency, Z anzibar, how to be borne .—In
acknowledging receipt of the report of the Commission on the slave
trade that sat in 1870, the Government of India observed in their despatch to
the Secretary of State, No. 29, dated 20tli May 1870—
" In providing for future administrative arrangements, such as those which form the
subject of paragraphs 75 to 80, it is expedient that the political duties of the Agent should be
kept entirely distinct from those relating- to the slave trade. The correspondence of the Agent
regarding political affairs should be addressed to the Government of India, and regarding the
slave trade, to Her Majesty's Government in England. It is, of course, not contemplated
that, in providing such additional agency establishments as may be required in connection with
the recommendations of the Commission, any fresh charge should be thrown on the revenues
of India. No additional agency is needed for the discharge of the political duties at Zanzibar.
We consider, therefore, that the political charges, as they stand at present, may properly
continue to be borne by the Indian Government, which should retain its present control over
the political duties of the Agency."
In the correspondence forwarded under cover of despatch from the
Secretary of State, No. 55, dated 8th July 1870, which contained an intimation
to the effect that the arrangements made under Lord Canning's arbitral award
would probably be discontinued, the Government of India were made aware
of the fact that Lord Clarendon had addressed the Lords of the Treasury, in
support of a proposal made by the Parliamentary Commission, that a portion
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