; 
99 
ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 
forth by sea alone the importation and exportation of negroes into the Persian dominions is 
entirely forbidden, but not by land. Not a single individual will be permitted to bring 
negroes by sea without being subjected to severe punishment. 
That high in rank must in this matter give peremptory orders throughout his Govern 
ment, and not be remiss. 
Written in the month of Rejjeb 1264. June 1848. 
Meerza Nebbee Khan. The Shah. 
Convention for the Detention and Search of Persian Vessels by British and East India 
Company’s Cruisers. 
(Translation.) 
Shevval 1267 (August 1851). 
The Persian Government agrees that the ships of war of the British Government and of 
the East India Company shall, in order to prevent the chance of negro slaves, male and 
female, being imported, be permitted, for the period of 11 years, to search Persian mer 
chant vessels, in the manner detailed in this document, with the exception of Persian 
Government vessels, not being vessels the propeity of meicbants or the property of Persian 
subjects; with those Government vessels there is tobe no interference whatsoever. The 
Persian Govern rent agrees that in no manner whatever shall any negro slave be imported 
in the vessels e , tOe Persian Government. 
The agreement is this : 
I. That in giving this permission to search mercantile vessels and those of subjects, the 
search shall, from the first to the last, be effected with the co-operation, intervention, and 
knowledge of Persian officers, who are to be on board vessels of the English Govern 
ment. 
II. The merchant vessels shall not be detained longer than is necessary to effect ihe 
seanh for slaves. If slaves should be found in any of those vessels, the British authorities 
are to take possession of them and carry them away, without detaining or causing them (that 
is, the people of the ship importing slaves) any other damage besides that of depriving them 
of the slaves. The vessel itself (in which the slaves have been imported) shall, by the 
co-operation and knowledge of the officers of the Persian Government who are on board 
of the British cruisers, be delivered to the authorities of the Persian ports, who are there 
on the part of the Persian Government, and the authorities of this (the Persian) Govern 
ment are to punish and fine in a manner suitable to the crime he has committed, the owner 
of that slaving vessel who has acted in contravention of the commands of his Majesty the 
King cf Persia, by importing slaves. 
The British ships of war are not in any manner to interfere with the Persian trading 
vessels, without the co-operatiou of the Persian Government officers : but the Persian 
Government officers also must not, on their part, be remiss in the duty committed to 
them. 
This convention is to be in force for a period of 11 years, and after these 11 years have 
expired and the stipulated period has elapsed, if the Persian vessels shall be interfered with 
for even a single day beyond the 11 years, it will be opposed to the course of friendship 
with the Persian Government and to the maintenance of her rights, and this Government 
will make a demand for satisfaction. 
III. If the slaves who have been heretofore in Persia, and are now there, should from 
the present date and henceforward wish to proceed by sea on a pilgrimage to Mecca or to 
India, or travel by sea, they must, with the knowledge of the British liesident in Bushire, 
piocute a passport from the officer at the head of the Persian passport office in Bushire, 
and no exceptions shall thereafter be taken to any slave holding a passport. The pas?^port 
(regulation) obtained with the knowledge of the British sident at Bushire, is, like the 
other stipulations written above, to be for a period of 11 years. 
This agreement of [the right of] search, and the appointment of the Persian Govern 
ment officers (to be on board the British cruisers) will first come in force on the 1st of 
Rebbee-ool-evvel, 1268 = 1 January 1852. 
From the date of this document to the above date, there is no right of search. 
The articles written in this document have, from first to last, been agreed to by both 
parties, and confirmed by the Ministers of both Governments, and nothing is to be done in 
contravention thereof. 
Written in the month of Shevval 1267 (August 1851). 
Justin Shell, 
Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister Plenipotentiary and 
Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of Persia. 
Meerza 'Tehkee Khan, 
Ameer-i-Nizara of the Persian Government. 
N 2 
Appendix, No. 4. 
0.116.