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

Bibliographic data

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

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

18 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE to that ; I think we should have been able to carry out such an arrangement if Syed Mejid had lived, but owing to the death of Syed Mejid and tlie change in the government, I cannot answer so positively upon the subject. 233. Chairman.^ Without reference to the last despatch, which has been the subject of discus sion, have you any doubt as to the hona fide disposition of the Government of Bombay to put an end to the slave trade as far as in them lies ? — The Government of Bombay in all these matters is very much under the direction of the Viceroy in Council ; it is the Government of India, and not the Government of Bombay, that finally controls these proceedings, and it is from the Government of India that we generally re ceive our advices. The Bombay Government report to the Government of India, and the Government of Indici then send their views home to us. 234. With respect to the liberated slaves, a large proportion of them go to Bombay, do they not ?—A large number of them go to Bombay ; they are detained at Aden, and they are sent thence to Bombay ; I came upon a letter the other day, in which I found that in the course of five years charges have been paid by the Indian Government, and eventually paid by the Treasury to the amount of 15,000 1. odd, nearly 16,000 1. for five years, for the maintenance and support of those slaves ; so that they absolutely pay upwards of 3,000 1. a year for maintaining these captured slaves, besides, perhaps other ex penses upon the same account which I do not know. But as far as I understand financial mat ters, it seems to be a system of “ penny wise and pound foolish ” ; the Imperial Exchequer seems to be spending a great deal more money than it need spend, because it will not look the matter fairly in the face. 235. Sir Hny.'\ Is that 3,000/. a year the charge for the maintenance of the depot at Aden, or is it the whole charge for maintenance at Bombay and Aden ?—It includes maintenance at Bombay. 236. Mr. Kennaway. ] That is paid out of the Imperial Exchequer ?—The Indian Government pay the money, and then we recover it from the Imperial Exchequer. 237. Cliairman7\ "What becomes of those libe rated slaves after they reach Bombay?—I am not able to say what becomes of them. The details of the slave trade are under the cognizance of the Foreign Office ; they only come incidentally before me. 238. What is your opinion as to the prospect of increased trade arising between Zanzibar and Bombay ?■—I think, to a certain extent, that has been answered by the figures to which I referred showing the continued increase of imports at Zanzibar. I think, from the progressive increase shown in the last five or six years, the prospects are exceedingly good, and that there will be a still greater trade. A sudden stoppage of the importation of slaves into the island of Zanzibar would seriously affect the industrial position of the country, and therefore it would be very disad vantageous to disturb it suddenly, unless we were prepared at the same time with a scheme of free immigration. 239. Lord Enfield~\ There has been a great saving annually on the Slave Trade Vote by the abolition of mixed commission courts, has there not?—Yes. 240. That has been so much gain to the Ex chequer ?—Yes, that is one of the points we considered in our Report Mr. Rothery will give you the details, if he is examined. 241. In the summary of your suggestions these words occur : “ Our views are to urge upon the Sultan the ultimate abolition of the legal slave traffic, and of the export of slaves from the main land can you fix any date by which, supposing those suggestions to be carried out, and supposing there to be no financial difficulties in the way, we could look forward to the ultimate abolition of the traffic in slaves ?—I think that w^as a point considered by the Slave Trade Committee; I ain not competent to give an opinion from my own knowledge ; but it would not be desirable to stop the trade immediately, because it might throw the affairs of Zanzibar into some embarrassment. 242. Chairman^] Summing up your evidence, it is practically a question of 1,500 /. a year ?— Yes, in its immediate aspects. 243. If the Treasury w ere to advance 1,500 A a year, in all probability w^e should live to see the ultimate abolition of the slave trade on the east coast of Africa ?—I think we should ; but at the same time the Committee must thoroughly understand that this 1,500/. a year is only* the amount to be paid to the agency, that is to say, the European officers and their staff; but the question is, whether we can stop the east coast of Africa slave trade without paying, for a ceu tain number of years, a sum of money to thi Sultan of Zanzibar. M e cannot expect him to forego a part of his revenue without giving hint something in return for it. His continuing the slave trade is based solely on the ground^ that he cannot maintain his government without the amount of revenue which he receives from the duty on slaves, just as we uphold in India what we all know to be wrong, viz., the opiuiö monopoly and the salt monopoly, and othei things; our only argument is, that we cannot carry on the Government without them ; the Sultan of Zanzibar says he cannot carry on hi? Government without this tax upon slaves, and f think it is a great question whether the sum he receives from it, or a portion of the sum he re' ceives from it, should not be paid in some way oí other to him by the Government. 244. Mr. Crum-Ewing.~] Would you pay him all the tax he derives from the slaves, or the sum he pays to the Imaum of Muscat ?—It is stated iu the Report that he receives 20,000 /. as the taS upon slaves, whereas the sum which he pays the Imaum of Muscat is 8,000 /. ; but I think we must lay it down as a certainty that we must give him some bonus or compensation. It woiilJ be a matter for consideration what that should be. 245. Chairman.'] For carrying out his treaty, in point of fact ?■ Yes ; it was most strongly re' commended a number of years ago by Sir George Clerk, when Governor of Bombay. He says, ^ The British Government must be prepared to support the Sultan by its ships and by its money* The strengthening of the Cape fleet, and the frequent extension of its surveillance to Zanzibar and the adjacent African coast ; the stationino- oi gun boats at Zanzibar, and the grant of com pensation to the Sultan for the revenue he will sacrifice, are measures which it would be pre sumptuous in this Government to advocate. The honourable the Governor in Council cannot for a moment doubt that if the horrors described by an

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: 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

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation