ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 
37 
%(1 there can be no doubt that boys brought up 
the way they have been are quite able to earn 
their livelihood, either in India or if they go back 
to Africa. 
458. Mr. Kinnaird.'] I think that you are of 
opinion that rather an unwise economy has been 
exercised somewhere, which has prevented this 
policy which yon have indicated being carried 
out?—Yes, I think an economy has been exer 
cised which, as far as I can judge, is very un- 
wise, if the Government really wishes to put a 
®top to slavery. 
459. Has that proceeded from the Indian De 
partment of the Government ?—Yo, not from the 
Indian Department of the Government, I think. 
The general feeling of the Indian Government 
iias, I think, been this ; that the suppression of 
the slave trade was pre-eminently an imperial 
■'vork, which had been undertaken and almost 
carried out by Her Majesty’s Government, and 
that, as a purely anti-slavery question, India was 
Hot bound to take any action, or to go to any 
expense in the matter ; but they were willing to 
go, and they would have gone, much further 
than they have ever gone, in the way of meeting 
Her Majesty’s Government half way, to carry 
out what they were told was a matter of imperial 
Hioment ; anil, I have no doubt that if the feeling 
^vhich actuated Her Majesty’s Government some 
years ago actuated them still, and if the matter 
''Vere put before the financial authorities of the 
Indian Government, the Indian Government 
^^ould not hang back in any way from doing 
^^kat they were told the Cabinet considered their 
<3uty to do in the matter. But when they saw 
■that Her Majesty’s Government appeared to be 
half-hearted in the matter and inclined to curtail 
every expense, they naturally said, “ If that is 
the case with regard to their own efforts, ci 
fortiori, it is our duty to save everything we pos- 
®ihly can, and not to attcmjit in a quixotic spirit 
that which has been found too much for Her 
Majesty’s Government to effect.” 
460. In your communication with the Indian 
HHd with the Foreign Office, did you find any 
^Hipediments ?—None whatever; the Foreign 
Office appeared to hold the same views that they 
have always held. 
461. You have no doubt that it proceeds from 
the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s over watchful 
Care, I suppose ?—I have no doubt it proceeds 
from some general view of financial policy which 
more apparent to the Chancellor of the Exche- 
ffHer than it is to the public or to me. 
462. From the evidence you have given, you 
^hink it is clear that as a very lucrative trade 
^’^ould probably spring up, it is a penny wise and 
Pciind foolish policy ?—I feel as convinced as I 
be of anything theoretical, that that is the 
463. Then with regard to the steam communi 
cation that yon have alluded to, have any of the 
Companies ever offered to open a trade and carry 
,He mails to Zanzibar ?—Yes ; I believe there 
have been two or three offers, but it lias always 
cen found that the Post Office has dealt with it 
^ H purely Post Office question. At present, of 
Course, when some three months elapse without 
Opportunity of receiving or sending a letter, 
.he letters are as few as they would have been 
hi the days of Richard the First, between Lon 
don and York ; but there cannot be a doubt that 
here won hi Ln n vp w large 
would be a very large postal communi- 
cabon, if a proper and regular system were 
established ; and no doubt, as has been the case 
everywhere else in those seas, there would ulti 
mately be a very large steam traffic. 
464. Could not the Indian Post Office under 
take that in itself?—I have no doubt they would 
do their share, as they have done with regard to 
the Peninsular Company, and other companies, 
whenever they saw that the Government at home 
did their share, and pointed out what they 
thought India might reasonably be expected to 
do. 
465. Suppose a liberal and judicious offer was 
made by the Indian Government, would the Post 
Office here be disposed to refuse it, do you think ? 
—I presume they would look at it as a mere Post 
Office question, and, departmentally, no doubt 
they would be right. They would say, ‘At is 
not our business to look after possible profitable 
routes. Somebody else must do that ; tlie number 
of letters that we get stamped at the Zanzibar 
post office is such that a steam lino would not 
pay.” But it seems to me a Cabinet question, 
whicli should be dealt with as a matter of ge 
neral policy, in which the Post Office, as well as 
the India Office, and every other department 
of the Government, should be required to do 
what is considered necessary by the head of the 
Government to carry out the great national work 
of putting a final stop to slave trade by sea. 
466. In India the Indian Government and its 
Post Office acts in a very different spirit ; it en 
deavours to develope, by means of the Post 
Office, the countries tiirough which it can possibly 
communicate, does it not?—Undoubtedly it has 
been very successful in that way. I may mention 
cases, like the communication.between Bombay 
and Scinde, where, originally, a rather heavy 
subsidy vfas required, but at each renewal of the 
term the subsidy was reduced until now little is 
paid for that particular voyage. The same would 
no doubt be the case elsewhere, and you might 
always make sure of reducing your subsidy to 
just that point which is necessary to allow the 
Government to have an opportunity to say some 
thing with respect to punctuality of arrival and 
departure. 
467. With regard to Rangoon, has there not 
been a very marvellous development of trade 
with Rangoon ?—There has been an enormous 
development of trade with Rangoon, but I think 
that the circumstances of this East African Coast 
are still more favourable, inasmuch as there is 
a long line of coast with very few harbours, and 
with very strong currents and persistent winds 
lor a great portion of the year. Those are just 
the circumstances under which sailing vessels are 
shy of making the coast, and you can never ex 
pect much to be done by sailing coasters ; but 
steam coasting vessels can always either be sure 
of making the port, or keeping from not exposing 
themselves to danger, 
468. It is steam communication which may be 
said to have developed that Rangoon trade, or 
very materially developed it, at all events? — 
Certainly ; the development has been most im 
portant since steam communication commenced. 
469. It is almost in that way a considerable 
supply of food is obtained from Rangoon, is it 
not ï—There is a great exportation of rice. 
470. TVith regard to the evidence you gave us 
on that old connection of so many centuries be 
tween Africa and India, have those points been 
fairly brought before the English Government ; 
is there no department of the English Govern- 
E 3 ment 
Sir B. P/erCj 
o.c.s.i., 
K.C.B. 
17 July 
lb‘71."