Until within the last few years, the vessels which carried the slaves from the East Coast of Africa were not solely engaged in this Traffic; each vessel took on board a few slaves in addition to its cargo; but at present from 100 to 200 slaves and upwards are shipped in one vessel, and it is made a distinct traffic; one Sooree vessel, captured recently by Her Majesty's ship Sidon, had on board 273 slaves. When carried in such numbers on board Arab craft, the sufferings and mortality of the slaves are greatly augmented; it is stated that frequently one-half the number embarked die before. arriving at their destination.

In the year 1840, the Acting Resident in the Persian Gulf reported to the Secretary to Government, Bombay, that the number of slaves sold annually in the Gulf was estimated at 4,000 to 5,000, and that 100 vessels were employed in carrying slaves between Zanzibar and the shores of the Persian Gulf. I believe that so far from the subsequent Treaties having had any effect in restricting this traffic, at the smallest computation 10,000 slaves are now taken north every year, and that upwards of 150 vessels are employed in carrying them.

Of the 10,000 slaves thus exported, I believe that fully one-half are shipped in the harbour of Zanzibar, with the full knowledge of the authorities, by whom no notice whatever is taken of the breach of Treaties which this traffic involves, unless urged by the British Consul to do so.

The Honourable Sir J. Carnac, Governor of Bombay, recorded, in a minute dated the 5th of January, 1841, as follows:-" It would appear by our past engagements that, though the Imaum of Muscat and the Joasmee Chiefs have taken credit for having conformed to the wishes of the British Government, the Slave Trade prevails, in fact, in its pristine vigour within certain limits, and, as far as they are concerned, the value to us of their engagements has been rendered nugatory; and as much revenue has been derived (by the Imaum of Muscat, for example) from the traffic of slaves as he enjoyed when the Slave Trade did not engage our attention."

The Honourable Mr. Anderson also recorded, in a minute without date: :- "I am assured that no effectual stop can be put to this traffic till the carrying away from Africa, on any pretence, slaves, either bought, kidnapped, or taken in war, is declared piracy, and that the measures for capturing vessels so laden are more effectually entered upon. The great step is, to make it no longer a trade of any profit to the slave-dealer in the interior of Africa to bring to the coast slaves for sale. Until this is done, slaves will be brought down, and the terrible miseries of the trade continued."

In a letter from Captain Hamerton to the Secretary to the Government, Bombay, dated the 13th July, 1841, he estimates the

number of slaves annually imported into the Islands of Pemba and Zanzibar from the Coast of Africa at from 8,000 to 10,000, a duty of 1 dollar per head being paid to the Customs master. The import of slaves has more than doubled since that time, and the duty charged is now 2 dollars per head.

Captain Hamerton also stated as follows:-"In no part of the world is the misery and suffering these wretched slaves endure whilst being brought here, and until they are sold, exceeded. They are in such a wretched state, from starvation and disease, that they are sometimes considered not worth landing, and are allowed to expire in the boats to save the dollar a-head duty." These remarks equally apply to the present state of this traffic. Arabs are more callous to the sufferings of slaves than to those of brute animals.

Captain Hamerton further reported, in a letter to the Secretary to the Government, Bombay, dated the 2nd January, 1842, as follows:-- "The Arabs from the Pirate Coast in the Persian Gulf yearly take a number of slaves by force from Zanzibar, yet the Imaum is unable to prevent them; he fears to do so. With respect to the suppression, or even the amelioration, of the Slave Trade which is carried on by the subjects of His Highness the Imaum and other Chiefs of the Coast of Africa, nothing can ever be effected by negotiation. The Imaum has not the power to interfere in this matter, even were he willing to do so, but he is not. Should Government determine to put a stop to the Slave Trade by sea, it can easily be done; but little or no assistance can be expected from the Imaum."

The state of the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa 20 years ago, as described in the above extracts, has continued up to the present time, in spite of Treaties, and of all the efforts of the British Government to put a stop to it. I believe that, with the exception of the Sultan himself, every Arab in Zanzibar is, and always has been, engaged in this traffic. I know that the Sultan's next brother, by name Abdool Wahab; his nephew, Sayyid Saood; his cousin, the nominal Governor of the town, by name Sayyid Suleiman; the Chiefs of the Shakshee tribe, and the chief Cazee of the town, were all engaged in supplying slaves to Spanish and French vessels. So little secresy is observed, that vessels belonging to Somalis and Northern Arabs lie at anchor and embark slaves just beneath the windows of the Sultan's palace. Unless a British cruizer happens to be in the harbour, there is absolutely no check whatever to the illegal export of slaves. I know of one Somali vessel which, this year, embarked 150 slaves; and of another which was at anchor for 3 days after having embarked 160 slaves; and of a third vessel which embarked 141 slaves. I informed the Sultan of the last, and procured the re-landing of the slaves, and at my

request His Highness has given to each of these slaves a certificate of emancipation.

One of the Arab vessels captured by Her Majesty's ship Sidon had shipped 67 slaves in the harbour of Mombass. I asked the Arab Commander how he could have done so without the connivance of the authorities. He replied that he had not attempted any concealment, and that, whilst there, five other vessels had embarked slaves for the north; and that the Governor of the place told them that they were doing no wrong, as the shipment of slaves was not forbidden by the Sultan. At Keelwa and Lamoo the slaves are also openly embarked; and from Keelwa alone 18 large dhows, filled with slaves, have sailed north (to the Persian Gulf and Arabian coast) this season.

The first season after my arrival at Zanzibar affairs were in a very unsettled state, owing to the expected invasion from Muscat, and therefore the Sultan had no time to interfere with the northern Slave Trade. Last year His Highness informed me that, in order to prevent the Gulf Arabs procuring slaves, he had prohibited the slave-market entirely during the north-east monsoon, whilst these Arabs remained here; and that he had also ordered his frigate Piedmontese to be stationed near the north end of the island to examine all Joasmee and Sooree dhows, and to prevent all but regular traders from entering the harbour.

Nevertheless, the slave-market was carried on daily, morning and evening, just outside the town, and the northern Arabs were permitted to purchase slaves to any extent. The Piedmontese was moved down to a narrow channel at the entrance of the harbour, but she had scarcely any crew, and did not stop or board a single dhow during the whole season. The only object of His Highness appeared to be, to induce me to think favourably of his efforts to suppress this traffic and report to Government accordingly.

The stoppage of the export of slaves from Zanzibar in Spanish and French vessels has been already effected, and all British subjects. have been prohibited from purchasing or holding slaves, and from taking them as security either for money advanced or for goods; and if this northern Slave Trade can be suppressed, the bringing of the slaves from a long distance to the coast for sale will be no longer profitable; for, in spite of their having carried on this traffic to so great an extent for so many years, the Arabs in Zanzibar and on the East Coast of Africa are yearly becoming more and more impoverished: their own detestable vices, and the diseases they engender, are destroying them, and all their landed property is passing into the possession of British-Indian subjects, and thus the Arabs can no longer afford to purchase many slaves for their

This Slave Trade has been this year checked for the first time on this coast by Her Majesty's ships Lyra and Sidon, which have together captured 25 vessels engaged in it, and redeemed a large number of slaves; if the blow it has received be followed up by active measures next year, it will prevent most of the piratical tribes of the Persian Gulf from coming to this coast in future, and thus put a stop to at least half the traffic in slaves on the East Coast of Africa. I trust that the day is approaching when the export of slaves from the East Coast of Africa will be entirely prohibited, for not only is this traffic a curse to Africa, and fast draining a fine fruitful country of its inhabitants, but it is equally a curse to the Island of Zanzibar, checking legitimate trade, and rendering the Arab population most degraded, idle, and sensual.

Until the export is entirely put a stop to, I am of opinion that the measures adopted to check the traffic in slaves with the Persian Gulf and coasts of Arabia should be entirely directed to the coasts of Africa. If two steam gun-boats were stationed at Zanzibar during the months of March and April, and also during the months of September and October, scarcely a vessel could escape; during the other months native vessels cannot go north, owing to the winds. Probably in two years this trade would be entirely stopped, and the piratical Arabs of the Gulf would find some more profitable occupation than coming to this coast for slaves. No place on the east coast is so well adapted as a station for vessels employed in checking the Slave Trade as Zanzibar, owing to the presence of a British Consul, and so many British subjects engaged in commerce who have correspondents at every place on the coast: information can always be obtained relative to the movements of slave-ships.

The experience of many years has proved that the efforts of the British cruizers in the Persian Gulf and on the coasts of Arabia to check this traffic have met with very little success, and from the open manner in which it is carried on, it is evident that the risk of capture in the Gulf is scarcely regarded at all by those engaged in it, and that all the Maritime Chiefs connive at it, and some of them send their own agents here to purchase slaves. I believe that not even one per cent. of the slaves taken north every year are captured by the British cruizers.

A further reason in favour of making the chief efforts for the suppression of this traffic on the coast of Africa instead of on the coast of Arabia, or in the Persian Gulf, is the suffering and mortality among the slaves before they reach the latter coasts. A dhow which was captured by Her Majesty's ship Lyra, only a few hours after it had quitted this harbour with 105 slaves on board, was so unbearable from the stench, that every man of the Lyra who went on board it to take out the slaves' provisions was immediately

taken ill, and the surgeon procured the immediate destruction of the dhow. Had this vessel not been captured, in all probability not one slave would have survived the voyage to Arabia. In addition to this the Arabs frequently cut the throats of all the slaves, and throw the bodies overboard, if they meet a Government vessel out The captured slaves are also more easily disposed of at the Mauritius, Seychelles, and Port Natal, than if taken to Bombay.

at sea.

The Zanzibar Arabs are fully prepared to expect the entire abolition of the Slave Trade as a circumstance they cannot avert; they have had the experience of the emancipation of all the slaves (in number 5,891 up to this day) belonging to British subjects in the Zanzibar dominions, and they perceive that their interests are in no way injuriously affected by it, and that their plantations are as well tilled by free labourers as before by slaves.

C. P. RIGBY..

No. 99.-Lieut.-Colonel Rigby to Lord J. Russell.-(Rec. Sept. 13.)
MY LORD,
Zanzibar, July 26, 1861.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch to my address, dated February 19, 1861, directing me to suggest to His Highness the Sultan that orders should be given by him, prohibiting, under severe penalties, the transport of slaves coastwise, from one portion of his dominions to the other; and also to propose to His Highness that he should conclude an Additional Article to the Treaty between Zanzibar and Great Britain, by which the Commanders of British cruizers should be authorized to seize and detain all vessels under the Zanzibar flag engaged in the coasting trade, on board of which slaves may be discovered.

I received the above despatch on the 30th of May last, and the following day I waited on His Highness, and communicated the purport of it to him; and I pointed out to him that the former Treaties entered into by the late Imaum with the British Government to put a stop to the export of slaves from his African dominions, had been rendered nugatory in consequence of all the Arabs of Zanzibar continuing to export, every year, thousands of slaves without any check whatever. I told him that in the Portuguese dominions, on both coasts of Africa, the transport of slaves coastwise was prohibited, and that after 15 years have elapsed all slaves in any Portuguese territories will be free. I also told him that the

Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia have forbidden the traffic in Negroes, and therefore I trusted that he would not hesitate to comply with the wishes of the British Government to effectually put a stop to the extensive export of slaves from his ports on the African coast. His Highness replied, that so far as regarded him