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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ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 57 Monday, 24th July 1871. MEMBERS PRESENT: Sir Robert Anstrutliei% Lord Frederick Cavendish. Mr. Crum-Ewing. Viscount Enfield. Mr. Robert Fowler. Mr. Gilpin. Mr. Russell Gurney. Sir John Hay. Mr. Kennaway. Mr. Kinnaird. Mr. Shaw Lefevre. Mr. O’Conor. Mr. John Talbot. Mr. Percy Wyndham. Eight Honourarle RUSSELL GURNEY, in the Chair. Sir Leopold Heath, k.c.b., called in ; and further Examined. ^56. Mr. Shcno Lefevrei\ You were for three J^ars yourself on the station?—Yes. "57. During the whole of that time had you ^even vessels under your command? — Yes; in early part of the time I had more, but they ''’ere engaged in the Abyssinian Expedition. 758. Were they during the whole of the year 11:e Zanzibar coast ?—No ; they did the gene- ^•'^l^duties of the Indian station as well. "59. So that during the greater part of the year they were on the Indian coast ?—They '''ere on the Indian coast during those months of ll:e year when the dhows did not run. 760. During only three months of the year 'ey were on the African coast?—I should say ''ere nearly five months. 761. You found that they were ineffective in D’eventing the slave trade ?—They captured on ^'e average 1,100 slaves a year;" and there is ^eed reason for supposing that 20,000 slaves are ^4'orted. 762. Every year?—Every year. :63. You agree with that?—I agree with ^"*-1 ; but I do not think that those 20,000 can all F'' l'y sea to the Persian Gulf or that neighbour- "od ; and I say so, because, though I have no ^tistics to prove the number of dhows on that still, I can hardly fancy there would be ^Ullage enough available for carrying those jOOO every year. ^ 764. You state that the vessels under your ^''"'mand, boarded no less than 400 dhows in the j of the year ?—They boarded a great many Ihan 400 during the year, but that was the to I'oarded in those particular three months I referred in my last day’s evidence ; ^ mentioned that particularly, because it was j '''er a new disposition of the squadron which 'va V' ^'11 yo" explain what that disposition •'—The disposition was attempting to block- I'Qp ^ 'e ports of Arabia as had been previously Cof in the reports of Colonel Playfair, paid Polly, and other gentlemen, who had attention to the subject of the slave (1.116. 766. IVhat ports of Arabia?—My eastern vessel was oft’ Ras-el-Hadd ; the western one was off Macullah, and there was one between those two ; one vessel was just south of Cape Guardafin, which is on the African coast, and two were left to act as the senior officers in command of them, thought best in the neighbourhood of Zanzibar. My own ship, the flag-ship, was cruising from Ras-el-Hadd up to Macullah ; there were thus four stationed along the coast of Arabia ; one near Cape Guardafin, and two at Zanzibar. 767. Sir IX. Ansfruther.'] Was it with the view of blockading the ports of imports as well as the ports of export that you made that disposition of the fleet ?—It was with a view of blockading the ports of import which had not been previously attempted on so large a scale, but I did not think it right to leave the ports of export quite clear, or to leave the consul at Zanzibar, and the Bri tish community, quite unprotected. 768. Mr. Shaio hefevj'e.'] By which ships were the greatest number of captures made during that disposition of the fleet ?—By the ship, or ships, south of Cape Guardafin. 769. Not by the vessels watching the Arabian coast?—There were seven full slavers captured during that season ; of these one was in Zanzibar harbour ; two were off Ras-madraka ; one off Cape Fertaka ; three south of Socotra, the others had but a small number of slaves on board. 770. Notwithstanding that disposition of the fleet, it is probable that only one dhow out of ten was captured, according to the calculation which have been male?—I would not say one dhow out of ten. I would say only one slave out of 20 reported to be exported was captured. 771. You expressed the opinion in your evi dence on Thursday that it would be necessary to maintain ten vessels on the coast, with the view of stopping the trade entirely ; what disposition of the fleet would you make, supposing you had ten vessels ?—I named ten vessels as the very least that should be sent there, if an earnest effort would be made. I look on the naval pro ceeding as only auxiliary to others. I look upon them as quite necessary, but still only auxiliary. H I should Sir L. G. Heath K.C.B. 2^ July 1871.*

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