Report from the Select Committee on Slave Trade (East Coast of Africa); together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, appendix and index

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 832922498

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-79587

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report from the Select Committee on Slave Trade (East Coast of Africa); together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, appendix and index

Place of publication:: [London]

Publisher:: [The House of Commons]

Year of publication:: 1871

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (XXIV, 242 S.)

Collection:: Economics Books

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112 APPENDIX TO REPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE Appendix, No. /. Appendix, No. 7. [pAPERg RELATING TO THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA. Slave trade in the Portuguese Settle ment of East Africa. (Secret Department.—No. 14 of 1860.) Muscat-Zanzibar Commission. From Brigadier W M. Coghlan, in charge, Muscat Zanzibar Commission, to H. L. Anderson, Bsquire, Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay; dated Aden, 1 November 1860. ^ Sir, directed by Government to avail myself of the opportunities which w'ould be afforded me, while in charge of the Muscat Zanzibar Commission, to inquire into the actual state of the slave trade on the East Coast of Africa, and it possible to suggest some more effectual means for its extirpation than those now in force, Í have the honour to submit, for the information of the Honourable the Governor in Council the hdlowing general report on the subject, comprising therein the result of my recent inquiries at Afuscat, and of those lately instituted at Zanzibar. 2. Whether owing to a falling off in the supply of slaves on the West Coast of Africa, or to the vigilance cf Her Majesty’s cruisers on that station, or to the comparative immu nity with which It has been found that the traffic can be pursued on the opposite side of the continent, it is unquestionable that the exporiation of slaves from the Portug-uese territories on the East Coast of Africa has greatly increased within the last few years. (Í According to an extract pub'ished in the ^‘Anti-Slavery Reporter (Supplement). 1 July 1859,’ the senior naval officer on that station had reported that, “ he has reason “ to believe no slaver has been fitted out on the East Coast, or taken away slaves round the “ (^pe of Good H(ipe for the last three years.” Such an assurance of the extinction of the traffic, if coriectly quoted, may have justified a less watchful surveillance. I am not able to state that any such relaxation has actually occurred ; but I believe that until within the last three months no slaver has been captured on the East Coast of Africa for the last six yeais, aiid the impression has become general that the traffic on this side may be carried on with perfect safety. An American merchant, who had resided long at Zanzibar, published his opinion to that effect in one of the United States journals; and the captain of the Spanish slaver, captured two months ago by Her Majesty’s ship “ Lyra,” off the Island of Montea, stated th.at he had received the strongest assurance of there bein^ no British cruisers stationed on the Bast Coast of Africa to interfere with his proceedingsT 4. The officird reports of Mr. M'Leod, late British Consul, will have apprised Her Maiestv'a Government of the extent to which the slave trade was being prosecuted between the Portuguese settlements on that coast and different ports of Soutli America during his resi dence at Mozambique, and also of a similar traffic, which under the title of French Fr^e Labour Emigration” was being carried on simultaneously between those settlements and La Reunion. 5. The information since obtained by Colonel Rigby, Her Majesty’s Consul at Zanzibar, fully conoboiates Mr. M‘Leod s statements. In September, of last year, he reported that “ an extensive trade was being carried on at Eboo, situated on the East Coast of Africa within the Portuguese territories, in about 12° south latitude, with the full knowledge of “ the Portuguese authorities at that port,” And in proof thereof he adduces the fact of at least four large vessels being engaged at the time in embarking cargoes of slaves from that vicinity. 6. As further evidence bearing on the same point, I may adduce the capture of two large dippei-built vessels, under bpanish colours, within the last four months; one taken by Her Majesty s sliip Brisk, in the Mozambique Channel, with 864 slaves on board, obtained froni the Portuguese territories, and the other (already referred to), cantured bv Her Majesty’s ship “ Lyra,” fully fitted out and provisioned as a slaver. In all probabilHv this vessel, having found some difficulty in securing a ready cargo within the Portuouese settle ments, had come up as high as the Island of Mon fea, confident of obtaining as many slavers as were required from the African territories dependent on Zanzibar. ^ '8, owing to the absence of any British agents on the coast, to secure accurate information of the lull extent to which this nefarious traffic prevails within the n«vri settlements, the foregoing facts are sufficient to prove that it has long been fpw vp«.r' emboldened by impunity, its agents have within the last few yeais gieatly increased their slave transactions in those parts. 8. Further,

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