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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138 APPENDIX TO EEPOET FKOM SELECT COMMITTEE Appendix, No. 8. Thoweynee is assured that the agreement, in the sense in which he regards it, was known to the late Colonel Haraerton ; that it was made with his cognizance ; and that the French and American Consuls at Zanzibar were privy to the same. _ 41. In the course of our inquiries on this subject, Syud Thoweynee mentioned a circumstance which may afford a clew to its elucidation. He informed me (addino- that the fact was too notorious to be denied) that on accomplishing his mission to Zanzibar, Mahomed bin Salem had succeeded in inducing Syud Majeed to make him an allow ance of 12,000 crowns per annum. That the first year the entire sum was paid, and the second year only half, after which it was discontinued altogether. The money was re mitted to Mecca through a Muscat merchant named Kdheyyed. 42. Supposing this statement to be true, it occurs to me as very probable that the agent, Mahomed bin Salem, for his own private ends, deceived both parties. (Syud Thoweynee did not mention what reward he had received from him, but there can be no doubt that he was adequately paid for his services.) At Zanzibar he was willing to accept the 40,000 crowns as a fraternal gift from Majeed to Thoweynee, while at Muscat he represented that the stipulated sum was tribute from Zanzibar to the Muscat State. , 43. Further inquiries at Zanzibar may throw additional light on the foregoing transac tion. The matter may have been recorded at the French and American Consulates, and a reference to them, in a prudential way, may be desirable. The point, however, whether Zanzibar in future should be tributary or not to Muscat will, I presume, depend on the decision arrived at on the more general and important questions regarding the succession and the respective claims of Syud Thoweynee and Syud Majeed lo the sovereio-nty of Muscat and Zanzibar respectively. ^ 44. I now proceed to notice Syud Thoweynee’s vindication of himself from a number of charges brought against him in the course of the official correspondence which has taken place on the foregoing subjects. I do so, in the first place, because I candidly be lieve that statements have been made to the prejudice of his cause, which the explana tions given will tend in some degree to remove ; and, secondly, because the said explana tions will serve to throw additional light on the untoward disturbances which occurred at Zanzibar, after the return of Syud Thoweynee’s expedition to Muscat. 45. The first charge occurs in Colonel Rigby’s letter. No. 34, of 1859, and is to the following effect : “ His Highness (Syud Majeed) some months ago sent one of his tradino- '' ships to Muscat, and instructed the Commander to sell it if he got a good offer. The '' ship was sold at Muscat for 11,000 dollars, and Syud Thoweynee has forced the ao-ent ‘‘ to pay him this money.” ' 46. In reply, Seyed Thoweynee admits the charge, but justifies the act on the grounds that Syud Majeed had seized his portion of the inheritance of his two younger brothers, Jemsheed and Hamadan, who bad lately died at Zanzibar. Also that Majeed had pre vented the proceeds of a house belonging to him, which had been sold at Zanzibar for 12,000 dollars, from being transmitted to him. The house in question had been the property of Bint Seif, the wife of the late Imam, on whose death it fell to her sister, who made it over to Seyud Thoweynee. It was eventually bought by Aysha bint Saeed, daughter of the late Imam, but Syud Majeed has forbidden her to transmit the purchase money. The seizure of the price of the ship, therefore, Syud Thoweynee regards as a just act of retaliation. “ * Letter, No. 40, of 1859. 47. As indirectly connected with this subject, I may here notice Syud Thoweynee’s justification of himself for having made a demand on Syud Majeed, in behalf of the late Imam’s younger children, for which he appears to have incurred some blame. Colonel Rlgby,^ in his letter. No. 59, of 1859, says that he, Syud Thoweynee, had demanded (of Majeed) “ the renunciation of the custody, as his father’s executor, of the property of “ the younger children of the late Imam.” Syud Thoweynee admits having done so, but refers to the Imam’s will as a proof that Syud Majeed was not nominated one of the executors. He further adds that his demand was coupled with a request that tlie property should ^ be committed to the safe custody of a third and disinterested party. This, he maintains, was a necessary precaution, and adduced, in proof, a letter addressed to him by six of the surviving children, showing the abject state of want to which they were reduced through the neglect of Syud Majeed. A translation of this letter is o-iven in Appendix E. ^ 48. The next charge mentioned by Colonel Rigby is,* that Abdallah bin Salem and others of the El Harth tribe had " been writing to Syud Thoweynee, invitino- him to “ dethrone his brother, and promising him the aid of their tribe and theii” slaves.” Syud Thoweynee does not deny that, prior to his expedition to Zanzibar, several of the El Harth tribe did correspond with him on the subject, but he denies ever havino- encouraged them to any act of insubordination. He maintains that it was quite natural for the El Harth tribe, who regarded Oman as their native country, and who were ill affected towards Majeed, to endeavour to enlist his sympathies in their behalf.” 49. With regard to Syud Barghash and his confederacy with the El Harth at Zanzibar, Syud Thoweynee denies ever having held any correspondence with him on the subject. “ Think you,” said he, “ that I would correspond with a lackbrain ; such he

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