ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA).
]81
Appendix (K.)
To H. L. Anderson, Esq., Secretary to Government, Bombay, dated Zanzibar,
18 September 1860.
(Secret Department.)—(No. 52 of 1880.)
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letters and enclosures, as per
margin,* relative to the dispute between the Sultans of Muscat and Zanzibar, and desiring
meto ascertain whether his Highness Syud Mujeecl is still willing to make an annual payment,
as he formerly agreed to do, of 40,000 crowns annually as a free gift, not a tribute, to his
brother Syud Thoweynee, ruler of Muscat; and stating that the agreement on the part of
his Highness Syud Majeed, should constitute the basis of a permanent settlement of the
existing dispute between him and his brother Syud Thoweynee.
» # # # *
6. After a long interview with his Highness on this subject yesterday, during which he
repeatedly expressed bis earnest desire to comply with the wishes ol his Lordship the
Viceroy, he sent me a letter (a translation of which is herewith enclosed), the contents of
which he desired me to communicate to Government for consideration, before giving a
positive answer relative to the proposed payment.
7. I was aware that his Highness was indebted to the customs master here to the amount
of 327,000 crowns, and as the payment of interest on money is considered by Arabs unlawful,
his Highness some months ago raised the import duty on slaves from one dollar per head to
two dollars, and also increased the duty on ivory brought here from the mainland, in order
to compensate the customs master for the loss of interest on the sum due to him.
The en lire revenue of the Zanzibar state amounts to 206,000 crowns per annum, viz. ;
Crowns.
Annual farm of customs at Zanzibar - - - - 180,000
Ditto - ditto for Island of Pemba - - 6,000
Tax paid in lieu of carvie by the Mukhatlim - •• 10,000
German Crowns - - - 206,000
There is no tax upon land or houses, or any other payment to the state whatsoever.
8. The agent of the customs master acts as treasurer and banker, and scarcely a dollar
reaches his Highness or any of his family except through him. Being indebted to him in
80 large a sum, his Highness is entirely dependent on his goodwill for any money he
requires, and the agent here of the customs master has of late frequently told his Highness
that he must in fuuire confine his payments to sums absolutely required for the service of
the State, and for the household expenses of his Highness and the members of his family.
9. I was also aware that the large sum of ready money left by the late Imam was
expended during the disturbances ; but Arabs have such a dislike to talk of their family
affairs, that I did not know that his Highness owes so large a sum as seven lacs of crowns
to his young brothers and sisters on account of their shares of their father’s property.
10. On the death of the late Imam, all the property of the state was accounted as
forming part of the private estate. The shijis of war, guns, stores of every description, even
the arms in possession of the troops, were set down at a valuation, and charged against the
new ruler as a debt due to his father’s estate, and thus ii is that his Highness owes so large
a sum to his brothers and sisters. The property left by the late Imam was divided
amongst the 34 surviving children. The sum afiportioned to each son was 57,917 crowns,
and to each daughter 28,958 crowns, and a great portion of these sums was debited to his
Highness as follows :—
Price of the Frigate “ Shah A Hum ” - -
„ “Victoria” - - -
“ Piedmontese ” - -
,, CorvetteArtemise ” - - -
“ Nazree ” - - -
:: : : :
Rupees
Price of the Trading Ship “Nadir Shah” -
„ „ “Saleh” _ - -
„ Plantations and houses - - -
,, Horses ------„
Arras, jewels, and household property
Jiupees.
1,50,000
1,55,000
50,000
30,000
18,000
10,000
8,500
4,21,000 =
Total Crowns
Crowns.
195,814
23,256
1,000
173,933
6,360
25,000
425,363
In
• The references, and several paragraphs of this letter, not being relevant to the subject of this inquiry,
are omitted.
0.116. z 3
Appendix, No. 8.
Appendix (K.)
