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). rally they object to pay the whole expense them selves. 98. Chairman.'] Are British Indians in Zanzi bar allowed to hold or deal in slaves?—There have been different orders about that; most of British Indians in Zanzibar are not natives ^ British India, but natives of protected States. Many of the important men in Zanzibar are Datives of Kutch, which is an Indian State under British protection, and the Rao of Kutch has by proclamation made over to us the protection of his subjects abroad, for us to deal with them in |he same way as if they were British subjects ; but I believe in Kutch itself domestic slavery IS recognised. However, when our Committee Diet last year, we determined that on no conside- lation would we allow any Indians under British protection to hold slaves in Zanzibar, and it is Dne of the provisions of the proposed treaty that, niter a certain date to be fixed by the Government oi India, all slaves held by Kutchees are to be leleased, and, in the meantime, they are to be lorbidden to acquire any fresh ones ; they have been allowed to hold slaves. 99. Do you think the Sultan of Zanzibar could be compelled or induced to prohibit the transport of slaves by sea altogether ?—I think he might gradually ; I do not think he could do it at once ; I do not see how he could do without some sort of labour in Zanzibar. 100. Lord F, CavendisliC\ What is the size of ■^nzibar ?—It is about 25 miles in length, I thi^ ; the number of slaves required in Zanzibar, in Dr. Kirk’s opinion, is about 1,700. 101. How would you suggest that the Sultan iDight be induced to put an end to the export of slaves ?—I think you would have to give him a jDOney compensation, to make up for the loss of his revenue. 102. Sir R. Anstruther.^\ He derives about a ourth of his whole revenue from the slave tax, ^ oes he not ?—Yes ; we calculated that he derived ^bout 20,000 A a year from his tax upon slaves, ®c that we could not expect him to give that up 'vithout getting some compensation for it. 03. Mr. Kinnaird.'] Those are not all slaves ^^DÍfic in which is recognised by the treaty ? •iNo; and though, in answer to a previous ques- put to me by the Chairman, whether the ultan ot Zanzibar had ever violated the treaty, answered that he had carried out the treaty, I bave always thought that indirectly he must have violated it, because he must know that this large of slaves cannot be required for Zanzibar; and he accepts a tax for a larger number of slaves 1 be required for the legal traffic. 04. Was not there an idea entertained by the ommittee, or by some Members of it, that if we ^fbeved him from what he was obliged to pay to c imaum of Muscat he might be induced to n ^"3^ tfcaty to discontinue the slave trade ^^^Dinions ?—Yes; that would be about ^ that is what we suggested. ®Dggested that, anticipating that if nf T if the slave tiade was sup- nrvf trade would spring up which would Y Dny outlay of that sort?— es, but I think, to inaugurate that new trade, 7 i would have to go to other expenses. For anee, you would have to establish steam com- ramiication with Zanzibar; at present the com- 1 with Zanzibar is extremely irregular. U)b. J here have been very liberal offers from ^^^^Dipanies to run to Zanzibar, have there not ?—There have been offers, but they all wanted a subsidy, and to that proposal the Government has turned a deaf ear. 107. Your opinion is, that one of the most useful ways of putting down the slave traffic would be by encouraging and subsidising for a time steam communication?—No doubt; nothing did so much good on the west coast, in the way of checking the slave trade, as the establishment of steam communication and opening up trade. Lagos, which is now a place of considerable trade, was formerly the very hotbed of the slave trade. 108. It now returns a very considerable re venue ?—Yes. 109. Chairman.'] What effect in your opinion would the abolition of the slave trade ha^ e upon the prosperity of Zanzibar ?—If you did it sud denly, I think it would very likely provoke a revolution ; if you managed it gradually, as the Committee proposed, by establishing a depot of slaves, either at Zanzibar, or on the coast, under proper precaution, and hiring them out to differ ent employers under proper precautions for their safety and good treatment, I do not think any harm would result, on the contrary I think the resources of Zanzibar would be opened up, and that there might soon be a flourishing trade. 110. ^Tho would be the people who would join in a revolution ?—The Arabs. 111. Would they be strong enough to bring about a revolution?—The Sultan is a weak sovereign, and the Arabs do almost anythino- they please. We had some despatches to-day from Zanzibar, in which it was stated that the Arabs had sent a message to the captain of the “ Wolverine ” to say that one of Her Majesty’s vessels had gone on shore and that 20 men had been drowned, and that she steamed off to the rescue : it turned out that it was a mere trick of the slave traders to get her out of the way. 112. MTiat precautions would you suggest for the protection of the freed slaves ?—In the first place every slave ought to be registered at the British Consulate, and should be under his pro tection. You must have a ship and steam launch there constantly till the scheme began to work, and the Sultan should publicly notify his inten tion of punishing most severely any attempt to molest or kidnap a freed man. Then if you managed to shut out the northern Arabs as well, I do not think there would be much danger of the liberated slaves being kidnapped. 113. T ou said that the liberated slaves were badly treated at Aden ?—I hardly meant badly treated, but there is no emifloyment for them there ; they are virtually kept in prison there till they are sent off to Bombay. 1)4. Mr. Crum-Eivmg.] When they go the colonies they are apprenticed for a certain num ber of years with a planter ?—Yes; who has to give security for his treatment of the slaves. 115. Their position is the same as that of the coolie labourers ?—Yes. 116. Mr. Kinnaird.] M by are they sent to Aden ?—Those taken in the north are obliged to be taken to Aden ; it would be difficult to bring them to Seychelles or Mauritius ; they are kept at Aden till notification is received from Bombay that labour is required. 117. What is done with them at Bombay?— I do not know what happens to them when they get to Bombay ; they are not slaves. 118. Chairman.] What steps have been taken to carry out the proposals in the Report of the A4 SHve Hon. C. Vivian. 10 July 1871.'

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