182
APPENDIX TO EEPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE
Appendix, No. 8.
In addition to the above the new corvette “ Iskunder Shah,” built for his Highness in
Bombay, cost him four lacs and thirty thousand rupees; and the debt owing by his Highness
to his customs master is mostly on account of advances made in l^ombay to the builders of
this vessel.
11. His Highness appears to consider that lie has been very unfairly treated by his brother
Syud Thoaeynee, wlio took possession or all his deceased father’s property in Oman of every
description, and has not accounted to the estate for any portion of it ; and when his Highness
sent his ship Nazree ” to Muscat and sold it there for 11,000 crowns, Syud Th iweynee
seized the money and appropriated it, although Syud Majeed had paid 18,000 rupees for
this vessel to his fatlier’s estate.
12. During the disturbances In re, money was squandered on the chiefs and their followers
in a very lavish manner. I have urged on his Highness the absolute necessity of economy
and retrenchment, and he has within the last month reduced the expenditure on his ships
and troops from 9,000 to 7,000 crowns per mensem. He is paying the debt due to the
customs master by instalments of 5,000 crowns per men em, and he has 5,000 crowns per
mensem left for the expenses of all the branches of his family, and the stipends paid to the
chief Arabs, all of whom, though c nitnbutino nothing to the State, and many being possessed
of private wealth, do not scruple to accept pensions from the Saltan. His Highness
is very frugal and abstemious in his own habits, but he has little idea of the value of money,
and he is surrounded by a greedy and unprincipled set of people. With the exception of
the customs master, there is not a single honest or trustworthy person about him, or any
one wliose word on oath could be trusted.
I have, he.
(signed) C. P. Rigby.
(Enclosure.)
Translation of a Letter from His Highness Syud Majeed, Sultan of Zanzibar, to Lieutenant
Colonel C. P. Rigby, Her Majesty’s Consul at Zanzibar, dated 2nd of Rabia-el-Awwal.
A.H. 1277, corresponding to the 11th September a.d. 1860.
A. C.—We have heard and understood all that you have represented to us relative to
the annual payment lo our brother Syud Tiioweynee of 40,000 crowns, and that the agreem
nt on our part to do so would lead to a termination of the existing disputes between us.
We will never depart from the wishes of the British Government; but you are acquainted
with our state, and how little money we have at our disposal. All our resources were
exhausted during the period of hosdlities which our brother fhoweynee commenced against
us, and to repel which we were obliged to raise troops and make expensive preparations.
And even after the British Government had so kindly interfered and pro ven ed an invasion
of oiir dominions, he continued to aid and abet oui brother Syud Barg hash and the El-Harth
trilles, and furnished them v\i h money to rebel against us, and, in consequence, all the
property we possessed was expended in defensive measures ; and besides this we have
become indebted to our friend Ziiam'bin Sewjee, the farmer in the customs, in the sum of
327,000 crowns; and, in addition to this, we owe to oiir orphan brothers and sisters the
sum of seven lacs of crowns; and all this is owing to our brother Thoweynee. If we now
pay our brother Thoweynee 40,000 crowns per anniium, how can we satisfy the claims of
Zirarn and of our orphan brothers and sisters, and how can we keep up the necessary troops
for the preservation of order in our dominions? for ihe countries of Zanzibar and Africa do
not resemble Oman: without troops it is impossible to do so.
Moreover, we desire to complain to the Bmish Government of the conduct of our brother
Thowevnee; for he has deprived ui of our rights, by keeping to himself all the ships, and
horses, and date-trees, and household property, which our late father died possessed of in
Oman; and he has appropriated to himself the price of our ship “ Nazree,” amounting to
11,000 crowns. Nevertheless, whatever the British Government deems advisable for us to
do, please God we will agree to, and will not raise any objection.
And for whatever \ou may wish, the sign is with you.
Dated 2nd of Rabia-el-Awwal a h. 1277.
[Postcriptum written by his Highness Syud Majeed, with his own hand.]
Please to inform Government that all the property to which I succeeded at Zanzibar on
the death ot my late father, viz., the ships of war and public stores, &,c. &c., I did not take
as the heritage of the State, but paid the price of everything in ready money to my father’s
estate, for the benefit of my brothers and sisters. Salaam.
Written by the humble servant of God,
(signed) Majeed bin Saaed.
(True translated purport.)
(sigvud) L’. P. Rigby, Lieutenant Colonel,
Her Majesty’s Consul and British Agent, Zanzibar.
(True copies.)
(signed) W. M. Coghlan, Brigadier,
In charge Muscat-Zanzibar Commission.
