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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191 ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). a sum will be of material benefit to Syucl Thoweynee, and its payment will not be an in- Appendix, No. 8. superable difficulty to Syud Majeed. - 16. The Honourable the Governor in Council, deeming it his duty to submit his opinion on this important discussion, would recommend to the favourable consideration ot the Ri.rht Honourable the Governor General the following propositions as offering the best solution of the many complications which surround the case :— I. That his Highness Syud Majeed be declared ruler of Zanzibar and the African dominions of his late Highness Syud Saeed. II. That the ruler of Zanzibar pay annually to the ruler of Muscat a subsidy of 40,000 crowns. III. That his Highness Syud Majeed pay to his Highness Syud Thoweynee the arrears of the subsidy for two years, or 80,000 crowns. 17. The Honourable the Governor in Council believes that this arrangement is, under all the circumstances, the most just that can be effected ; that it is the best calcu lated to preserve the future peace of the two states : and that it is the one most consistent with the views of the late Syud Saeed, to whom Muscat and Zanzibar owe so much. 18. Brio-adier Coghlan proceeds, in the 50th paragraph of his report, to consider some collateral points connected with the main subject under discussion. 19. The first of these is the propriety, or otherwise, of providing for the succession to the sovereignty of Zanzibar on the death of his Highness Syud Majeed, who at present has no male issue. The Honourable the Governor in Council considers that this is not a question which calls for any expression of opinion by the British Government. It must be left for decision to the chiefs of Zanzibar, who will, without doubt, pay very great respect to any expression of the wishes of Syud Majeed. The more popular the rule of the present Sultan, the greater influence will his wishes exercise on the succession. It is dearly a question which must be left for the future ; any present attempt to regulate the succession would be inconsistent with the principle asserted in the course of this discus sion, that the sovereigns are elected from the members of the royal family. 90 The second point discussed by Brigadier Coghlan is connected with the claims of the youno-er children of the late Syud Saeed at Zanzibar. The Honourable the Governor in Council is of opinion that as these younger children are at Zanzibar, and as the property stated to have been left to them by the late Imam is at Zanzibar, the question of their claims must be left to the justice of the ruler of Zanzibar ; the children are his subjects ; he has acknowledged his obligation to make good to them their inheritance, and, as may be inferred from Brigadier Coghlan’s statements in the 51st paragraph, there is at least as much chance of their obtaining justice from Syud Majeed as from Syud Thoweynee. It will be sufficient, in the opinion of the Honourable the G overnor in Council, if the Agent at Zanzibar be instructed to intimate to Syud Majeed that the British Government does not deem it necessary to issue any orders on the complaint of Syud Thoweynee relative to the inheritance of the younger brothers, believing that full justice will be rendered to them by the Sultan of Zanzibar. 21. Bri^mdier Coghlan next offers some suggestions as to the course to be pursued with respect to'^Syud Barghash, who has now resided for several months in Bombay. The honourable the Governor in Council regards the conduct of this young prince as open to the gravest reprehension. He considers it to be entirely without palliation, and he must also confess that he has very little confidence in the future amendment of the prince, except so far as he may be influenced by his fears. But amidst a choice of difficulties (and there seldom was a case in which, throughout all its turns, the advantages and disad vantages attached to a proposed course of action were so nearly equivalent) the Honour able the Governor in Council believes that the measure suggested by Brigadier C oghlan offers the fairest prospect of success. That officer, in effect, proposes that Syud Barghash, who has in writing made abject submission to his brother, should be permitted to return to Zanzibar and reside there under the surveillance of the British Agent, being at the same time recommended to the forgiveness and protection of Syud Majeed. ^ The Honourable the Governor in Council sees no other course open. It would not be just to impose the maintenance of Syud Barghash upon Syud Thoweynee, but Syud Majeed may fairly be held liable to accept this turbulent prince as a charge on Zanzibar. But, as a part of the arrangement, Syud Barghash should be plainly informed that, in being permitted to return to Zanzibar, and in being recommended to the favourable consideration of the Sultan, it is to be clearly understood, if he again seeks to undermine his brothers authority, the British Government will not interfere to save him from the just reward of his misdeeds, but will leave him to his fate. 22. Brigadier Coghlan, in paragraphs 55 to 62, adverts to a question intimately con nected with the main dispute between Muscat and Zanzibar ; the claim of Syud 1 oorkee to the independent sovereignty of Sohar. The Honourable the Governor in Council fully concurs in the opinion expressed by Brigadier Coghlan, that the claim cannot be maintained. Sohar would seem to be in the position of an appanage to Muscat; a provi sion to a younger brother, and it would neither be just nor politic to dissever it perma nently from the superior power. His Excellency in Council would submit to the Bight n A A 4 Honourable

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