18 
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE 
to that ; I think we should have been able to 
carry out such an arrangement if Syed Mejid 
had lived, but owing to the death of Syed Mejid 
and tlie change in the government, I cannot 
answer so positively upon the subject. 
233. Chairman.^ Without reference to the last 
despatch, which has been the subject of discus 
sion, have you any doubt as to the hona fide 
disposition of the Government of Bombay to put 
an end to the slave trade as far as in them lies ? 
— The Government of Bombay in all these 
matters is very much under the direction of 
the Viceroy in Council ; it is the Government of 
India, and not the Government of Bombay, that 
finally controls these proceedings, and it is from 
the Government of India that we generally re 
ceive our advices. The Bombay Government 
report to the Government of India, and the 
Government of Indici then send their views home 
to us. 
234. With respect to the liberated slaves, a 
large proportion of them go to Bombay, do they 
not ?—A large number of them go to Bombay ; 
they are detained at Aden, and they are sent 
thence to Bombay ; I came upon a letter the 
other day, in which I found that in the course 
of five years charges have been paid by the 
Indian Government, and eventually paid by the 
Treasury to the amount of 15,000 1. odd, nearly 
16,000 1. for five years, for the maintenance and 
support of those slaves ; so that they absolutely 
pay upwards of 3,000 1. a year for maintaining 
these captured slaves, besides, perhaps other ex 
penses upon the same account which I do not 
know. But as far as I understand financial mat 
ters, it seems to be a system of “ penny wise and 
pound foolish ” ; the Imperial Exchequer seems 
to be spending a great deal more money than it 
need spend, because it will not look the matter 
fairly in the face. 
235. Sir Hny.'\ Is that 3,000/. a year the 
charge for the maintenance of the depot at Aden, 
or is it the whole charge for maintenance at 
Bombay and Aden ?—It includes maintenance at 
Bombay. 
236. Mr. Kennaway. ] That is paid out of the 
Imperial Exchequer ?—The Indian Government 
pay the money, and then we recover it from the 
Imperial Exchequer. 
237. Cliairman7\ "What becomes of those libe 
rated slaves after they reach Bombay?—I am not 
able to say what becomes of them. The details 
of the slave trade are under the cognizance of 
the Foreign Office ; they only come incidentally 
before me. 
238. What is your opinion as to the prospect 
of increased trade arising between Zanzibar and 
Bombay ?■—I think, to a certain extent, that has 
been answered by the figures to which I referred 
showing the continued increase of imports at 
Zanzibar. I think, from the progressive increase 
shown in the last five or six years, the prospects 
are exceedingly good, and that there will be a 
still greater trade. A sudden stoppage of the 
importation of slaves into the island of Zanzibar 
would seriously affect the industrial position of 
the country, and therefore it would be very disad 
vantageous to disturb it suddenly, unless we were 
prepared at the same time with a scheme of free 
immigration. 
239. Lord Enfield~\ There has been a great 
saving annually on the Slave Trade Vote by the 
abolition of mixed commission courts, has there 
not?—Yes. 
240. That has been so much gain to the Ex 
chequer ?—Yes, that is one of the points we 
considered in our Report Mr. Rothery will give 
you the details, if he is examined. 
241. In the summary of your suggestions these 
words occur : “ Our views are to urge upon the 
Sultan the ultimate abolition of the legal slave 
traffic, and of the export of slaves from the main 
land can you fix any date by which, supposing 
those suggestions to be carried out, and supposing 
there to be no financial difficulties in the way, we 
could look forward to the ultimate abolition of 
the traffic in slaves ?—I think that w^as a point 
considered by the Slave Trade Committee; I ain 
not competent to give an opinion from my own 
knowledge ; but it would not be desirable to stop 
the trade immediately, because it might throw the 
affairs of Zanzibar into some embarrassment. 
242. Chairman^] Summing up your evidence, 
it is practically a question of 1,500 /. a year ?— 
Yes, in its immediate aspects. 
243. If the Treasury w ere to advance 1,500 A 
a year, in all probability w^e should live to see 
the ultimate abolition of the slave trade on the 
east coast of Africa ?—I think we should ; but at 
the same time the Committee must thoroughly 
understand that this 1,500/. a year is only* the 
amount to be paid to the agency, that is to say, 
the European officers and their staff; but the 
question is, whether we can stop the east coast 
of Africa slave trade without paying, for a ceu 
tain number of years, a sum of money to thi 
Sultan of Zanzibar. M e cannot expect him to 
forego a part of his revenue without giving hint 
something in return for it. His continuing the 
slave trade is based solely on the ground^ that 
he cannot maintain his government without the 
amount of revenue which he receives from the 
duty on slaves, just as we uphold in India what 
we all know to be wrong, viz., the opiuiö 
monopoly and the salt monopoly, and othei 
things; our only argument is, that we cannot 
carry on the Government without them ; the 
Sultan of Zanzibar says he cannot carry on hi? 
Government without this tax upon slaves, and f 
think it is a great question whether the sum he 
receives from it, or a portion of the sum he re' 
ceives from it, should not be paid in some way oí 
other to him by the Government. 
244. Mr. Crum-Ewing.~] Would you pay him all 
the tax he derives from the slaves, or the sum he 
pays to the Imaum of Muscat ?—It is stated iu 
the Report that he receives 20,000 /. as the taS 
upon slaves, whereas the sum which he pays the 
Imaum of Muscat is 8,000 /. ; but I think we 
must lay it down as a certainty that we must 
give him some bonus or compensation. It woiilJ 
be a matter for consideration what that should 
be. 
245. Chairman.'] For carrying out his treaty, 
in point of fact ?■ Yes ; it was most strongly re' 
commended a number of years ago by Sir George 
Clerk, when Governor of Bombay. He says, 
^ The British Government must be prepared to 
support the Sultan by its ships and by its money* 
The strengthening of the Cape fleet, and the 
frequent extension of its surveillance to Zanzibar 
and the adjacent African coast ; the stationino- oi 
gun boats at Zanzibar, and the grant of com 
pensation to the Sultan for the revenue he will 
sacrifice, are measures which it would be pre 
sumptuous in this Government to advocate. The 
honourable the Governor in Council cannot for 
a moment doubt that if the horrors described by 
an