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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8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFOKE SELECT COMMITTEE Hon. Slave Trade Committee of 1870?—This despatch C, Vivian, dated the 16th of July 1870, embodying the pro- ' posed treaty, which I have read, was written to 10 July Mr. Churchill, in which he is requested to 1^71* urge the views of Her Majesty’s Government on the Sultan. 119. Mr. Crum-Eu'hiff'j Supposing you stopped the foreign slave trade, there would be no induce ment for the northern Arabs to come down ?— The foreign slave trade is prohibited entirely. 120. But it goes on underhand ?—Yes. 121. If it was entirely stopped there would be no inducement for them to come down ?—That is exactly the question, how we can stop it ; the foreign slave trade is forbidden as much as it can be forbidden, by treaty now. 122. Supposing the plan which you have sug gested were carried out, that would stop the seizure of slaves altogether, and there would be no inducement for the Arabs to come down from the north and carry on the trade?—Ho, they would probably try and carry it on for some time after we stopped it. 123. Mr. Kmyiaird.^ In recommending one central jiort for the shipment of slaves, you con sider that that could be so effectively guarded that you would stop the trade altogether ?—Yes; on the Other hand you would have to keep vessels on the look out at the old ports of shipment ; they would still try and export them from the places they had been used to ; particularly from Kilwa. 124. Ton-would have to continue watching those ports?—Ho doubt. 125. Sir JTf/y.] Has the proposal to obtain the cession of Zanzibar to this country ever been considered ?—Hot the cession of it, because they have never offered to cede it, but the seizure of it has been proposed ; I do not see that we should have the slightest right to take possession of it. 126. Mr. Kinnaird.~\ Was the proposition to purchase the island ever entertained?—Ho, never to my knowledge. 127. Chairman.^ Have you never heard that the Sultan would be ready to sell Zanzibar ?— Ho; the Sultan has said, you may as well take all I have if you go on in this way, but that was mere pettishness ; there was a proposal to take possession of it. 128. Have there been difficulties standing in the way of your doing more than you have done with reference to carrying out the proposals of the Committee of 1870 ?—Yes. 129. What have been the special difficulties ? —The Government appear to have thought that those proposals did not go far enough. They said, that whatever their views might be, if the absolute extinction of the East Coast of Africa slave trade were in question, they were not dis posed to spend a greater amount of public money than at present on measures which had the appearance of lending, at least, a j)artlal countenance to the slave trade. 130. ^\v R. Anstruther.~\ When was that opinion expressed?—This year. I cannot tell you ex actly when ; it was after the proposals of the Committee had been considered as to increasing the number of ships, appointing vice consuls and sharing the expenses of the Zanzibar Agency. 133. lAw Kinnaird.'] Which was strongly re commended by the Foreign Office ?—Yes. 132. It is that determination of the Govern ment on the proposals of the Committee which has hung up the question for the present?—Yes, we have desired Dr. Kirk to make our proposals to the new Sultan, but without an increase of torce and without consuls on the coast, I do not thinly our ^n oposals will have very much effect. 13o. Lnless we follow them up with some active measures we cannot give effect to them ? —It is of no use adopting them in part unless you adopt them in the whole. 13T The Committee, in making that report, anticipated that the Government \reuld carry it out?—Yes. ^ 135. Chairman.'] You attach very consider able importance to placing an additional number OÍ vice consuls on several parts of the coast?— Ao doubt; I think it would be necessary. Sir hoivell Buxton objected to that particularly; he said he did not consider it a proper duty for a British consular officer to look after the slave trade. He wrote a strong letter to the Foreion Office, pointing out that it was not the duty'of British consuls to superintend the traffic in slaves. 136. I he Sultan, as I understand, has not yet leiused m declined to entertain those proposi tions. The late Sultan had promised to enter tain them, and he and Mr. Churchill were to talk the matter over. Then he became very ill and died, and the present Sultan absolutely refused to entertain them. When Mr. Churchill pro posed them to him, he said he had had quite enough of treaties as they were, without ooin«" into any further ones, and Mr. Churchill and he separated not very good friends. However, since Mr. Churchill left, he has shown a disposition to come to terms, and he has made, indirectly, overtures to Dr, Kirk, to the effect that he is prepared to do something, but Dr. Kirk said the oveituies fell so far short, even of what we, the Committee proposed, that he would not entertain them for a moment, but he is, no doubt, rather frightened at our attitude. 137. Mr. Crum-Eicing.] At what ¡lart of the coast would you think of placing the vice consuls ? -—At the old place of export Kilwa and Dar Selam (which we propose to be the sole port of export from the coast, it beinoj opposite Zanzibar, and therefore easily controlled). 138. Sil R. Ánstruther.] You would propose to have a consul also at Lamoo?—Yes, one at Kilwa and perhaps one at Lamoo to watch the two extremities of the coast, and one at Dar Selam, which we mean to make the only port of export. We recommended that ‘‘ A consular officer should also be appointed at Dar Selam, under the super intendence of Her Majesty’s consul, to whom he should report upon all matters connected with the slave trade, the number of slaves exported, and whether the Sultan’s engagements with Her Majesty’s Government are strictly observed. This officer would probably be required to visit, from time to time, the various points on the coast, and to report whether any irregularities exist, or any illegal exports are carried on. It is probable that for some time the slave traders will attempt to continue the exportation of slaves from Kilwa, while its distance from Zanzibar and Dar Selam will not enable the British authorities at those places to watch and check such practices ; and it may be necessary at first to station a consular officer at that port also.” 139. Chairman.] Are the latest accounts re garding the prevalence of the slave trade on the Zanzibar coast worse or better than heretofore ? \\ orse ; Dr. Kirk says the trade has never been so vigorously carried on as it has been latterly. 140. Sir

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