ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 
117 
28. Nevertheless, as by the Treaty of 1845, all ships of Her Majesty’s Royal and Appendix No 7. 
Indian Navies have permission to seize and confiscate any vessels the property of His L_ 
Highness, or of his subjects carrying on slave trade, excepting only such as are engaged in 
the transport of slavis from one port to another of his own African dominions between 
Kilvva on the south, and Lamoo on the north, we already possess a right to interfere, 
which, if adequately used, might be very effectual in arresting, if not in abolishing, a 
considerable branch of the trade. In the first place, most of the export to the northward 
might be suppressed. I confess that I heard with surprise Colonel liigby’s statement that 
four tliOLisand slaves are still annually taken to the shores of Arabia and the Persian Gulf, 
there being generally a squadron at the latter place specially commissioned to stop such 
importation. It seems, moreover, a comparatively easy task, considering that almost all 
the chiefs of the gulf have formally given our ships the right of seizing them, to prevent 
any number of boats from landing a cargo of slaves if our measures were wisely concerted 
to that end; and yet I believe that very few captures have been made within the last ten 
or fift(’( n years. A small steamer, or two schooners, stationed between Rasel Hadd and 
Muzeira island, and a similar guard at the entrance of tlie Persian Gulf, during the season 
when the Arab boats usually return from their African trip (namely, from March to June), ^ 
ought to suffice to render the chance of escape so precarious, that few boats would venture 
to carry slaves. 
29. I am not aware that any relaxation has actually taken place in our efforts to arrest 
the traffic in the Persian Gulf; but in view of the number of slaves now reported to be 
conveyed in that direction, I venture to suggest the propriety of an inquiry being instituted 
into the subject.* Further, 1 believe that the efforts made would be much more effectual 
if each vessel was provided with an officer, conversant with the native languages, and 
capable to communicate directly with the persons found on board the coasting craft. At 
present that task is generally left to common native interpreters, who, as a class, are 
open to bribery, and by no means disposed to discriminate between the real crew and the 
slaves who are often falsely represented to belong to it. And, perhaps it would still 
further add to the efficiency of the Gulf squadron, and inspire the officers in command with 
greater zeal in the duty, if some more speedy mode of adjudicating on slave prizes could 
be adopted. I profess myself quite unable to pronounce a judgment on the legal bearino-s 
of this suggestion ; nevertheless, I am fully persuaded that the delay which frequentfy 
occurs in such cases, sometimes extending over two years, is a great cause of discourao-e- 
ment to the officers of the Indian Navy engaged in suppressing the slave trade. 
30. In addition to the above, I would strongly recommend the adoption of Colonel 
Rigby’s suggestion that a steam gun-boat of light draught be stationed at Zanzibar during 
the months of January and February, and March, to act in concert with the cruisers in the 
Persian Gulf in arresting the northern slave trade. The principal duty of such a vessel 
would be to prevent the shipment of any slaves on board the boats of the Northern Arabs, 
and if possible to seize such as succeeded in obtaining a cargo before they finally left the 
African coast. The knowledge that such a vessel was at hand would deter many from 
embarking slaves; it would encourage the subjects and soldiers of His Highness, who are 
now represented as standing in great dread of the warlike Northern Arabs, to resist them ; and 
it would tend to lessen the chances, which unfortunately accompany all our efforts to 
suppress the traffic, of the miserable victims being drowned by their captors in order to 
avoid seizure and confiscation. On this subject Colonel Rigby writes: “ I am of opinion 
“ tliat all possible activity of British cruisers towards the Persian Gulf and the coast of 
“Arabia will have little effect in checking these piratical tribes. Their boats beino-of 
“light draught, and most of them propelled by oars in addition to sails, creep close loathe 
“ shore where they know that it would be unsafe for ships to cruise ; and if chased by a 
“ship of war, they think no more of throwing slaves overboard than if they were brute 
“animals.” 
31. But another advantage which would follow the presence of such a steam gun-boat at 
Zanzibar, would be to arrest the foreign trade in slaves as it has lately been carried on in 
square-rigged vessels by European agents. I have already described this branch of the traffic* 
and the seizure of a large slaver off the island of Montea by Her Majesty’s steamer Lyra^, 
and the arrival of another shortly after on the eastern side of Zanzibar, prove the necessity of 
some prompt measures being taken to put a stop to the growing system. It is further 
reported that five other foreign ships are to visit the coast during the present season to take 
in slaves. Were a British steamer stationed at Zanzibar it is highly probable that the 
attempt would not be made, or if made, that it would result in failure, or in the seizure of 
the contraband vessels. 
32. But though considerable beneficial results would doubtless follow the energetic 
adoption of the measures above recommended, those measures, at best, deal rather with the 
details of the slave trade as prevailing at Zanzibar and its African dependencies, than with 
the most fruitful source of the evil. Viewing, indeed, the extent to which the permission 
to transport slaves between ceitain limits of his late Highness’s dominions has been 
abused 
• Perhaps it would be advisable that the vessels specially intended to suppress the slave trade should be 
detached from the Gulf squadron, and made a temporary separate command from March to June of each 
year. 
0.116. F 3