"أوراق أخرى تتعلق بتجارة الرقيق على الساحل الشرقي من أفريقيا والنظام المتبع لكبحها" [ظ‎‎٨‎٢] (٥٠/٣٢)

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ascertain whither he was bound; also that he never, in my presence, claimed Persian
nationality for his vessel, or that she belonged to Mogoo,
And I further swear, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the said dhow was more
than three miles from the shore when I boarded her.
And I make this solemn affidavit, conscientiously believing the same to be true.
(Signed) W. FARR.
Sworn to at Trincomalee, this 12th day of July, 1869.
Before me :
(Signed) A. B. Mason, J. P. for Trincomalee.
Inclosure 13 in No. 11.
Commodore Sir L. Heath to Sir S. Fitzgerald.
"Forte" at Trincomalee, July 13, 18fi9.
I HAVE the honour to forward, for your Excellency's information, and to be dealt
with as your Excellency may think fit, an explanatory letter from the Commander of Her
Majesty's ship " Dryad," accompanied by affidavits from himself and others on the subject
of the dhow recently captured by him in the Persian Gulf, and referred to in the letter
No. 1,719 of 1869 with its inclosures addressed to me by Mr. Secretary Gonne.
With respect to the second paragraph of Mr. Gonne's letter, I beg to point out that
the presence of a Persian officer on board the capturing vessel is necessary only when the
vessel captured is of Persian nationality.
The two points raised in letter No. 80 of 1869 from Colonel Pelly, namely, first,
whether the vessel was Persian; and second, whether, if not Persian, she was in Persian
waters when seized, are fully met by the inclosed affidavits.
The third point, namely, u the burning of the vessel without reference to any
civil authority, whether English or Persian," appears to me beside the question. From
Commander Colomb's point of view the vessel should, if possible, have been taken to the
nearest English Vice-Admiralty Court, and as she was not seaworthy for such a voyage, he
was quite justified in burning her after survey, and taking upon himself the responsibility
o the damages which would be claimed should she not eventually be condemned.
With respect to the sixth paragraph of Colonel Pelly's letter, it will be in the recollec
tion ot your Excellency that the date of the " Dryad's" sailing, and the general nature of
Commander Colomb s instructions, were settled in* concert with your Excellency, and I am
mformed by Commander Colomb that the fact of the capture was made known to Colonel
Pelly upon meeting him, and that if any official statement had been asked for on the subiect
it would have been freely given.
I have, &c.
(Signed) L. G. HEATH.
No. 12.
The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Otway.—{Received September 18.)
^ r ' t a i \/r j , , _ Admiralty, September \7 t 1869.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you
herewith copy of a letter and its inclosures, dated 31st July last, received from Commodore
L Heath, respecting the inefficiency ot the interpreters employed by officers of Her
Majesty s ships engaged in suppression of the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa
and suggesting a mode for securing the services of a better class of interpreters • and to
MSI'' ' * . C T™ ttee . appmirted to inquire into the sylte^
Majesty s crmzers in dealing with vessels suspected of being engaged in the Slave Trade
may be instructed to favour their Lordships with their opinion on the subject.
I am, &c.
(Signed) VERNON LUSRINGTON.