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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VIH REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE into foreign bottoms from the want of any regular postal communication with Zanzibar ; the mails lying sometimes at Seychelles for months together waiting for a chance vessel. It has been stated to them that a very small subsidy would suffice to start monthly steam communication, either with the Seychelles, distant about 800 miles, in correspondence with French steamers running from Aden, or from the latter port direct. Your Committee having heard the evidence, are strongly of opinion that all legitimate means should be used to put an end altogether to the East African slave trade. They believe that any attempt to supply slaves for domestic use in Zanzibar, will always be a pretext and cloak for a foreign trade, while the loss of life and the injuiy caused to maintain even the limited supply of slaves re quired for this purpose, must of necessity be so great as to forbid this country continuing to recognise any such traffic in slaves. It has been stated by some of the witnesses, that should the Sultan con sent to relinquish the slave trade a revolution would follow, and that a sudden stoppage of the importation of slaves into Zanzibar would seriously affect the industrial position of the island ; but on the other hand, a witness of great experience has given it in evidence, that the Zanzibar Arabs are fully aware that the trade will be stopped, and are beginning to understand that more profit can be made by retaining the labourers to cultivate their own country, than by selling them away as slaves, while the abolition of the trade would encourage free labourers from all parts to reside at Zanzibar, so ensuring a larger and. better supply of labourers than exists at present. It appears from the evidence, that the parties from whom serious opposi tion may be expected are the northern Arabs, but the presence of an English naval force at Zanzibar would afford sufficient protection. Your Committee therefore recommend that it be notified to the Sultan of Zanzibar, that the existing treaty provisions having been systematicallyevaded, and having been found not only insufficient to protect the negro tribes in the interior of Africa from destruction, but rather to foster and encourage the foreign trade in slaves. Her Majesty’s Government, unless further securities can be obtained for the entire prohibition of the foreign slave trade, will feel itself compelled to abrogate the treaty, and to take such further legitimate measures as it may find necessary to put an end to all slave trade whatever, whether foreign or coasting. Further, that should the Sultan he willing to enter into a new treaty, having for its object the entire abolition of the slave trade, Her Majesty’s Govern ment would agree to settle at Zanzibar a propoi’tion of adult negroes, who might thereafter be captured by Her Majesty's cruisers, provided the Sultan aoreed to such measures for their protection and freedom as might be deemed necessary.. It has l)een represented to the Committee by some of the witnesses, that as the Sultan derives a considerable part of his leveuues from the slave trade, it would be necessary to make him some compensation for the loss he would sustain by the abolition of the trade. It appears from the evidence, that the Sultan of Zanzibar levies a tax of two dollars upon all slaves shipped from Kilwa for Zanzibar, and four dollars upon those shipped for Lamoo, and a further tax of two dollars upon all slaves shipped from Zanzibar. The witnesses have estimated the proceeds of this tax at various amounts, some putting it as high as 15,000 1. oi- 20,000 1. ; others as low as 5,000/. ; but whatever the amount may be, the prospect of compensation has been suggested in the négociations for a new treaty with the Sultan, already alluded to in this Report. It has been suggested that, as an equivalent for the supposed loss to his revenue, the Sultan should be released from the payment of an annual subsidy of 40,000 crowns to the Sultan of Muscat, which was arranged upon the partition of the dominion of the Imaum of Muscat, between his two sons, by the Indian Government as arbitrators ; but it now appears that the circumstances under which it was supposed this release might be effected have altered. It has been given in evidence that from 1,700 to about 4,000 slaves is probably sufficient to supply the requirements of the island and dominions of Zanzibar

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