191
ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA).
a sum will be of material benefit to Syucl Thoweynee, and its payment will not be an in- Appendix, No. 8.
superable difficulty to Syud Majeed. -
16. The Honourable the Governor in Council, deeming it his duty to submit his opinion
on this important discussion, would recommend to the favourable consideration ot the
Ri.rht Honourable the Governor General the following propositions as offering the best
solution of the many complications which surround the case :—
I. That his Highness Syud Majeed be declared ruler of Zanzibar and the African
dominions of his late Highness Syud Saeed.
II. That the ruler of Zanzibar pay annually to the ruler of Muscat a subsidy of
40,000 crowns.
III. That his Highness Syud Majeed pay to his Highness Syud Thoweynee the
arrears of the subsidy for two years, or 80,000 crowns.
17. The Honourable the Governor in Council believes that this arrangement is, under
all the circumstances, the most just that can be effected ; that it is the best calculated
to preserve the future peace of the two states : and that it is the one most consistent
with the views of the late Syud Saeed, to whom Muscat and Zanzibar owe so much.
18. Brio-adier Coghlan proceeds, in the 50th paragraph of his report, to consider some
collateral points connected with the main subject under discussion.
19. The first of these is the propriety, or otherwise, of providing for the succession to
the sovereignty of Zanzibar on the death of his Highness Syud Majeed, who at present has
no male issue. The Honourable the Governor in Council considers that this is not a
question which calls for any expression of opinion by the British Government. It must
be left for decision to the chiefs of Zanzibar, who will, without doubt, pay very great
respect to any expression of the wishes of Syud Majeed. The more popular the rule of the
present Sultan, the greater influence will his wishes exercise on the succession. It is
dearly a question which must be left for the future ; any present attempt to regulate the
succession would be inconsistent with the principle asserted in the course of this discussion,
that the sovereigns are elected from the members of the royal family.
90 The second point discussed by Brigadier Coghlan is connected with the claims of
the youno-er children of the late Syud Saeed at Zanzibar. The Honourable the Governor
in Council is of opinion that as these younger children are at Zanzibar, and as the property
stated to have been left to them by the late Imam is at Zanzibar, the question of their
claims must be left to the justice of the ruler of Zanzibar ; the children are his subjects ;
he has acknowledged his obligation to make good to them their inheritance, and, as may
be inferred from Brigadier Coghlan’s statements in the 51st paragraph, there is at least
as much chance of their obtaining justice from Syud Majeed as from Syud Thoweynee. It
will be sufficient, in the opinion of the Honourable the G overnor in Council, if the Agent
at Zanzibar be instructed to intimate to Syud Majeed that the British Government does
not deem it necessary to issue any orders on the complaint of Syud Thoweynee relative to
the inheritance of the younger brothers, believing that full justice will be rendered to
them by the Sultan of Zanzibar.
21. Bri^mdier Coghlan next offers some suggestions as to the course to be pursued with
respect to'^Syud Barghash, who has now resided for several months in Bombay. The
honourable the Governor in Council regards the conduct of this young prince as open to
the gravest reprehension. He considers it to be entirely without palliation, and he must
also confess that he has very little confidence in the future amendment of the prince,
except so far as he may be influenced by his fears. But amidst a choice of difficulties
(and there seldom was a case in which, throughout all its turns, the advantages and disadvantages
attached to a proposed course of action were so nearly equivalent) the Honourable
the Governor in Council believes that the measure suggested by Brigadier C oghlan
offers the fairest prospect of success. That officer, in effect, proposes that Syud Barghash,
who has in writing made abject submission to his brother, should be permitted to return
to Zanzibar and reside there under the surveillance of the British Agent, being at the same
time recommended to the forgiveness and protection of Syud Majeed. ^ The Honourable
the Governor in Council sees no other course open. It would not be just to impose the
maintenance of Syud Barghash upon Syud Thoweynee, but Syud Majeed may fairly be held
liable to accept this turbulent prince as a charge on Zanzibar. But, as a part of the
arrangement, Syud Barghash should be plainly informed that, in being permitted to return
to Zanzibar, and in being recommended to the favourable consideration of the Sultan, it
is to be clearly understood, if he again seeks to undermine his brothers authority, the
British Government will not interfere to save him from the just reward of his misdeeds,
but will leave him to his fate.
22. Brigadier Coghlan, in paragraphs 55 to 62, adverts to a question intimately connected
with the main dispute between Muscat and Zanzibar ; the claim of Syud 1 oorkee
to the independent sovereignty of Sohar. The Honourable the Governor in Council
fully concurs in the opinion expressed by Brigadier Coghlan, that the claim cannot be
maintained. Sohar would seem to be in the position of an appanage to Muscat; a provision
to a younger brother, and it would neither be just nor politic to dissever it permanently
from the superior power. His Excellency in Council would submit to the Bight
n A A 4 Honourable
