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). 107 12. I tliink the cost of a property sufficiently extensive for all purposes, if it were not Appendix, No, 5. Purchased in haste, would be so moderate as to lender it needless to concern ourselves about free giants from the Government. I am not prepared to point out the exact locality most suitable for our purpose, but I think there would be many advantages in fixing it at a distance of four or five miles at least from Port Victoria, and that the western side of the island may be more suitable that the eastern. 13. You are aware that two or three cargoes of rescued slaves were discharged at Mauri lilis seven or eight years ago, and the children sent to Powder Mills Asylum. A very large proportion of them soon died, and many were after cards carried off by the epidemic. I think some of the survivors might be seat over here as soon as the mission is begun and would be very useful in helping to teadi English to the African children, and ■in assisting the nev\ missionaries to acquire their resp ctive languages. I will c nfer with Ansorge on my return to Mauritius, and ask him to point out any whom he may be able to recommend for this service, so as to have them in readiness when they are wanted. 14. A fact that offers créât promise of success in the endeavour to form the Africans into a settled and orderly little community, is that the males and females hitherto brought here are about equal. Mr. Vandin has solemnized some lew marriages and baptized several infants born in the island. Amongst other happy results to be hoped for, from the labours of a missionary amongst them, it may reasonably be expected that their settlement in families will become much more geueral than it will be if they are h ft to themselves, like “sheep without a shepherd.” 15. The communication between Seychelles and Zanzibar is at present very uncertain and irregular. S. Ward, Esq., to the Reverend S. Hobbs. (Extract.) Seychelles, 22 May 1869. 2. I'he number of Africans who have been brought here by tier Majesty’s cruisers amounts to nearly 2,000, quite sufficient for the local demand for labour. The increase of the ^ frican population cannot well be asceitained, as no distinction has been made by the civil status between Creoles and Africans. I be latter, once distributed, are classed as British subjects, and absorbed into the general popul.ition. But there is no doubt that the Africans brought here have increased and multiplied to a very considerable extent. This, however, does not affect the (¡uestion in which the society is interested, except so far as showing that the climate of these islands is very h althy, and peculiarly well adapted to the African constitution. At Zanzibar, the African races do not reproduce themselves at all. From what I have heard resj.ecting the East Coast, there appears to be no spot at which it would be either desirable or practicable that an establishment for the regeneration and education of captured Afiicaus could be set on foot. These islands present every ad vantage with respect to proximity, climate, and poaer of control, and should the society determine upon trying the experiment here, I think that it would be eminently successful. 3. It is, of course, impossible to give any idea of the number of slaves likely to be brought here, but I cannot look forward to any reduction in the amount of captured dhows. More have been taken by our cruisers during the past 12 months than in any previous year, partly owing to the withdrawal of the whole East African squadron during the Abyssinian war, and partly owing to the limited number of ships in the squadron, a quite inadequate number for the proper protection of the coast, am! for anything approaching to the suppression of the slave trade. On an average four dhows out of five run their cargoes successfully, so that, judging by ihe numerous captures, the amount of slaves exported to Arabia and Persia must he very large indeed. During the last five months, 451 slaves have bei n brought here bv Her Majesty’s ships “Daphne” and “Nymph,” and a con siderable quantity have been taken to Aden. 4. From the southern limits of the “ soi-disant ” Portuguese Settlement, slave trade is always carried on to the fullest extent, permission to trade m slaves being always, I am given to understand, considered a ¡lart of the salary of a Portuguese official. Most of that infamous traffic is now in the hands of the Arabs, and a very considerable trade is earned on with Magotte, Nossibe, and Madagascar, in which latter country almost any number of slaves can be absorbed. The major portion of these Africans are conveyed in dhows under French colours, and carrying French papers issued from Magotte or Nossibe. Our cruisers cannot touch these French dhows, although when overhauled they may be found full of unmisiakeable slaves. One, with several slaves on board, was boarded by the “ Nymph.” The papers were French, given for one year, during which time many trips might be made, but no one on board spoke a word of the language, or could read the papers. 5. The above remarks, however, only refer to the main question of slave trade on the East Coast generally, and I have offered them only vvnh a view to show the society that in all probability very many more Africans will be brought to these islands, and that any 0.116. G 2 arrangements ! ,1 -

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