Captain 
P. Colomb 
R. N. 
25 July 
1871, 
o4 MINUTES OP EVIDENCE TAKE 
secured only one port 'of embarkation for all 
^ sla\cs ui the Sultan of Zanzibar's dominions, 
would not that very much facilitate the suppres 
sion of the slave trade?—1 should think it 
would. 
128o. Lord F. Ccwenclish.~\ Do all dhows im 
porting slaves into Arabia and Persia pass the 
point you mention. Ras el Iladd ?—Yes. 
1286. You think a tolerably strong fleet, sta 
tioned oif that point, would absolutely stop the 
import into Arabia and Persia?—At first they 
would ; then as it became known that the ships 
were stationed there it is not impossible that 
the slaves might be landed further down the 
coast. 
1287^ Are there ports where they could be 
landed ?—They would be landed on the beach ; 
but there is a considerable difficulty about that, 
because theie is nothing like settled Grovernment 
on that part of the coast, and I think the number 
so landed would be small. 
1288. Of course if the trade were absolutely 
stopped, if it were known to the Northern Arab 
that all the slaves were certain to be seized, the 
trade would soon come to an end, because it w-ould 
not pay ; therefore though for a time the slaves 
might have to undergo the suffering caused by 
the 40 days’ passage, yet it would diminish the 
suffering, on the whole ?—You would have fewer 
slaves, but the trade might still remain brisk, be 
cause the demand remaining the same in Arabia, 
as you diminished the supply the price would 
rise. 
1289. If they could not pass Ras el Hadd, 
where could they be landed ?—You are fighting 
a sort of battle with people who have great in° 
terests at stake, and it is quite possible that they 
might find some means, after a little time, of 
evading you. 
1290. Do you imagine that the ruler of Mus- 
cat^could put an end to this trade if he wished ? 
—So far as 1 know, and so far as I have heard, 
he is in the hands of his great men, and he can 
not do very much. 
1291. If we made it his interest to stop it 
could he do it ?—I should think so. 
1292. Mr. Shaio Lefevre.~\ Are there many 
points where slaves could be landed along the coast 
of Arabia, or are they generally landed at one or 
two special points ?—Nearly all the slaves are 
landed inside Ras el Hadd, and further up on the 
Arabian coast inside the Gulf. 
1293. Supposing a slaver is pursued near the 
coast, could it land at any point and deposit its 
slaves ?—If the slave vessel is between the ship, 
or the boat and the coast, the slave vessel will 
always land her slaves on the beach. 
1294. Could the slaves be forwarded on to 
the port of destination from there ?—Yes. 
1295. There would be no difficulty in that ?— 
There would be a difficulty, but it could be 
done. 
1296. And is done ?—Yes. 
1297. So that in fact the whole coast is open to 
the dhows in that way ?—No, it is not, because of 
the unsettled state of the country ; if they landed 
their slaves further down the coast than some- 
wheie CiOse to Ras el Hadd, they w ould never be 
certain that their cargo wmuld not be captured 
from them after it w as landed. 
1298. AYhat is the extent of coast upon which 
they could land their slaves with safety ?— 
Probably, 20 miles. 
1299. It would only be necessary to watch 
r BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE 
closely those 20 miles?—You wmiild spread a 
larger circle to seaward than that, but the close 
watching of the coast wmuld extend over that 
area. 
1300. Are any slaves landed at Mokullah or 
Shera ?—I think very few ; there are no signs of 
slaving going on there of late, so far as our%hip9 
knew. 
1301. Mr. KinnairdJ] Have you any reason 
to think that any slaves are shipped to Cuba ?—- 
No. 
1302. Mr. J. Tulbot.~^ Are you acnuainted 
with Zanzibar itself ?—Yes. 
1303. IVhat is your opinion as to the healthi 
ness of Zanzibar ?—I think it is very healthy. 
1304. Do you think that occupation is to be 
found there for liberated slaves ?—I think there 
would be if Zanzibar belonged to the EnMish. 
1305. If its caijabilities were properly de 
veloped ?—Yes ; but I think that as things stand 
at present, liberated slaves there would simply be 
slaves under another name. 
. 1306. Do you agree wdth a former wdtness that 
it would be very desirable if some place could be 
provided under the jirotection of the British flag, 
at which liberated slaves could be received prior 
to_ their being absorbed in free labour?—Cer 
tainly. 
1307. T ou think that would be a very good 
wmy of providing for the gradual suppressimi of 
the ti acie ? Yes, I think that would be very 
desirable. 
1308. Mr. Fötaler.1 Did you find your health 
suffer in your service on the coast?—Consider 
ably; chiefly because it is very arduous work 
when you are actively engaged in the suppression 
of the trade. You have to chase vessels, and 
board them at the rate, perhaps, of 10, 12, 14, or 
20 per day ; you are obliged to be perpetually 
in the sun, and perpetually on the strain, and it 
tells upon you after a few weeks of it. 
1309. It was on that ground you expressed 
the opinion that three years was long enough for 
any officer to remain on the station ?—Spelikino- 
of the station generally, I think three years i1 
enough. 
1310. Sir J. Hay.~\ Is there anything further 
which you wmuld wish to state to the Committee? 
—I should like to mention that there is a trade 
to Madagascar which is still in a more or less 
flourishing state ; though we have suppressed it 
to a considerable extent by the treaty with Ma 
dagascar, there is still a regular trade from the 
southern part of A trica, a trade which does not 
pass through Zanzibar at all. 
1311. In the Portuguese territory? Yes, 
south of it. 
1312. South of Cape Delgado?—Yes. 
1313. Commander De Kantzow says, in a 
letter dated 1st October 1869, in Blue Book B. 
for 1871 : '' The whole coast has been searched 
by our ship and boats without observiim a slave 
dhow, and it is but fair to add, without a sio-n of 
slave-trading”; do you concur in that state 
ment ?—That might be true, and yet the slave 
trading might he going on, because, at the same 
time at Madagascar, the current report was that 
there were slaves in the interior waiting the de 
parture of our ships to be sent over, and Captain 
de^ Kantzow mentions rumours of slave ships 
being heard of south of his station. 
1314. You do not think the Portuo'uese 
Government has entirely suppressed the 'slave 
trade on their portion of Southern Africa?—We 
know