ON SLAVE TRADE (EAST COAST OF AFRICA). 
57 
Monday, 24th July 1871. 
MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Sir Robert Anstrutliei% 
Lord Frederick Cavendish. 
Mr. Crum-Ewing. 
Viscount Enfield. 
Mr. Robert Fowler. 
Mr. Gilpin. 
Mr. Russell Gurney. 
Sir John Hay. 
Mr. Kennaway. 
Mr. Kinnaird. 
Mr. Shaw Lefevre. 
Mr. O’Conor. 
Mr. John Talbot. 
Mr. Percy Wyndham. 
Eight Honourarle RUSSELL GURNEY, in the Chair. 
Sir Leopold Heath, k.c.b., called in ; and further Examined. 
^56. Mr. Shcno Lefevrei\ You were for three 
J^ars yourself on the station?—Yes. 
"57. During the whole of that time had you 
^even vessels under your command? — Yes; in 
early part of the time I had more, but they 
''’ere engaged in the Abyssinian Expedition. 
758. Were they during the whole of the year 
11:e Zanzibar coast ?—No ; they did the gene- 
^•'^l^duties of the Indian station as well. 
"59. So that during the greater part of the 
year they were on the Indian coast ?—They 
'''ere on the Indian coast during those months of 
ll:e year when the dhows did not run. 
760. During only three months of the year 
'ey were on the African coast?—I should say 
''ere nearly five months. 
761. You found that they were ineffective in 
D’eventing the slave trade ?—They captured on 
^'e average 1,100 slaves a year;" and there is 
^eed reason for supposing that 20,000 slaves are 
^4'orted. 
762. Every year?—Every year. 
:63. You agree with that?—I agree with 
^"*-1 ; but I do not think that those 20,000 can all 
F'' l'y sea to the Persian Gulf or that neighbour- 
"od ; and I say so, because, though I have no 
^tistics to prove the number of dhows on that 
still, I can hardly fancy there would be 
^Ullage enough available for carrying those 
jOOO every year. 
^ 764. You state that the vessels under your 
^''"'mand, boarded no less than 400 dhows in the 
j of the year ?—They boarded a great many 
Ihan 400 during the year, but that was the 
to I'oarded in those particular three months 
I referred in my last day’s evidence ; 
^ mentioned that particularly, because it was 
j '''er a new disposition of the squadron which 
'va V' ^'11 yo" explain what that disposition 
•'—The disposition was attempting to block- 
I'Qp ^ 'e ports of Arabia as had been previously 
Cof in the reports of Colonel Playfair, 
paid Polly, and other gentlemen, who had 
attention to the subject of the slave 
(1.116. 
766. IVhat ports of Arabia?—My eastern 
vessel was oft’ Ras-el-Hadd ; the western one was 
off Macullah, and there was one between those 
two ; one vessel was just south of Cape Guardafin, 
which is on the African coast, and two were left 
to act as the senior officers in command of them, 
thought best in the neighbourhood of Zanzibar. 
My own ship, the flag-ship, was cruising from 
Ras-el-Hadd up to Macullah ; there were thus 
four stationed along the coast of Arabia ; one 
near Cape Guardafin, and two at Zanzibar. 
767. Sir IX. Ansfruther.'] Was it with the view 
of blockading the ports of imports as well as the 
ports of export that you made that disposition of 
the fleet ?—It was with a view of blockading the 
ports of import which had not been previously 
attempted on so large a scale, but I did not think 
it right to leave the ports of export quite clear, 
or to leave the consul at Zanzibar, and the Bri 
tish community, quite unprotected. 
768. Mr. Shaio hefevj'e.'] By which ships were 
the greatest number of captures made during that 
disposition of the fleet ?—By the ship, or ships, 
south of Cape Guardafin. 
769. Not by the vessels watching the Arabian 
coast?—There were seven full slavers captured 
during that season ; of these one was in Zanzibar 
harbour ; two were off Ras-madraka ; one off 
Cape Fertaka ; three south of Socotra, the others 
had but a small number of slaves on board. 
770. Notwithstanding that disposition of the 
fleet, it is probable that only one dhow out of ten 
was captured, according to the calculation which 
have been male?—I would not say one dhow out 
of ten. I would say only one slave out of 20 
reported to be exported was captured. 
771. You expressed the opinion in your evi 
dence on Thursday that it would be necessary to 
maintain ten vessels on the coast, with the view 
of stopping the trade entirely ; what disposition 
of the fleet would you make, supposing you had 
ten vessels ?—I named ten vessels as the very 
least that should be sent there, if an earnest 
effort would be made. I look on the naval pro 
ceeding as only auxiliary to others. I look upon 
them as quite necessary, but still only auxiliary. 
H I should 
Sir 
L. G. Heath 
K.C.B. 
2^ July 
1871.*