ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA).
165
* Appendix B, reply
to Query 38.
t Letter No, 1 of
1860, paragraph 13.
the ruler of Muscat(«). lu fact, without that aid I do not perceive how Syud Thoweynee can Appendix, Ko. 8.
continue long to administer the government of Oman. Hence, as so many grave considerations
are involved in the prompt and regular payment of the stipulated subsidy, I trust
that the Rio’ht honourable the Governor General (should his Lordship coincide in the view
here taken of the subject) will attach such sanctions as he may deem expedient to ensure
the faithful discharge of that obligation by his Highness Syud Majeed.
50. I shall now proceed to notice briefly several collateral points connected with the
main subject of this report. And first—Colonel Rigby’s recommendation that some steps
should be taken to provide for the future succession to the sovereignty of Zanzibar m the
event of that state being permanently severed from Muscat. He writes thus ‘ I think
it will be extremely advantageous to the future prosperity of the Zanzibar state, if some
an-ano-ement as to the future succession can be made in the event of Syud Majeed being
decla^d its independent chief ; for this prince has no male issue, and I think it not likely
that he will have any. I think that it might be left to the choice of all the family oí the
late Imam, or Syud Majeed might nominate one of his brothers to succeed him, subject to
the ratification of the principal chiefs at Zanzibar. If the members of the Syud s f^^^v
could be induced always to admit in future the claims of primogeniture, I think it would
be a very great advantage. At present the subject is always in doubt, and leads to
quarrels and assassinations in the family.”* I fully concur with Colonel Rigby in believing
that oreat advantages might reasonably be anticipated if any such arrangement could be
mad^ In fact, I once entertained some hope of being able to effect it,t but increased
experience of the peculiar political constitution (if it may be so called) of these petty
sovereignties, and of the intractable temper and inveterate prejudices of the Arab tribes
on all matters in any way connected with their inherited rights, to say nothing of their
cross venality, has induced me, however reluctantly, to abandon the idea as impracticable.
There would, indeed, be little difficulty in securing the consent of Syud Majeed’s brothers
at Zanzibar, and of the principal chiefs there, to almost any scheme for providing for the
succession which might be proposed to them by us ; but no such concurrence would be
regarded on their part as depriving them of the privilege of acting in direct opposition to
their most solemn obligations in a matter of this nature, or of bartering whatever influence
they micht possess in the election of a new sovereign to the highest biddei. Hence,
unless the British Government undertook to guarantee the arrangement and enforce compliance
with its provisions, no pre-organised scheme of the kind is kkely to succeed better
than the custom which has hitherto prevailed among the tribes of Oman. And as I do
not conceive that Her Majesty’s Government is disposed to entangle itself with responsibilities
of that nature, I judge that it will be far more expedient to Wve such questions
to be settled by the people without any interference on our part. Failing male issue,
Svud Majeed’s present idea is, should the sovereignty be awarded to him, to associate one
of his brothers with himself in the administration, so that, in the event of his death, the
neonle from having been accustomed to regard that brother as his successor, will be pre-^»idtoraRfyhiscHhn
^ the Myenflgn^\ Under p^ndhu' cmcums^nces ofthe
Government ind people of the Zanzibar territories, his Highness scheme is, m my
opinion, as good as any other that could be adopted.
51. Another point which I deem it desirable to notice is Syud Thoweynee s grievance,
submitted by him to the late Lord Elphinstone, that Syud Majeed had wrongfully assumed
the guardianship of the younger orphan children of the late Syud Saeed at Zanzibar, and
had either appropriated, or taken into his hands, the management of their shares their
father’s inheritance.^ It is undoubtedly true that Syud Majeed has taken on himself the
office of o-uardian to his younger brothers and sisters who are under age, and has so far
appropriated their property as to borrow and use it ; nevertheless, he openly acknowledges
his liability to them to the extent of seven lacs of crowns.% He, moreover, justifies this
uroceeding on the ground of having been appointed an executor of his father’s will conlointly
with Bint Seif and Mahomed bin Salem, and maintains that, as the former has
cinpp died and the latter retired to Mecca, the entire responsibility of executing his
father’s will devolves on him. By the only will of the late Syud Saeed, hitherto forth-ÄatÄ:;
S:
Bint Seif are dead, and Mahomed bin Salem has declined to act Syud ihoweynee, as the
eldest brother, demands that the “ property of the orphans shall be given up by Majid
and deposited with a trustworthy person, in whose custody all parties may feel satisfied
that it will be safe.lf On the other hand, Syud Majeed avers that, on the death of Khaled,
his father appointed him a joint executor with Bint Seif and Mahomed bin Salem, and he
promises to obtain the said will from the latter, and to have it forwarded, through the
f Letter No. 205 of
1869, Persian
Department.
§ Appendix K,
paragraph 10.
II Muscat llepoit,
Appendix G.
^ Letter No. 2C5 of
1859, Persian
Department.
(a) Zanzibar.
The revenue of Zanzibar is estimated at - - - " ■
Svud Majeed's outstanding liabilities,independent of seven lacs of crowns borrowed from lus orphan
brothers (for the greater part of which, however, he holds their shares of the movable and
immovable property which fell to them by inheritance from their father), at -
Muscat.
The revenue of Muscat is estimated at
Svud Thoweynee's liabilities at -
0.116.
X 3
Crowns.
206,000
327,000
129.600
81,000
