'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎639] (683/733)

' K.
SLAVE TRADE.
Suggnr, Rashid bin Humeed, Muktoom bin Butye, and Khaleefa bin
Shakboot, the Chiefs of Ejman, Debaye, and Aboothabee, were induced
to enter into and sign an Article of an Agreement, dated 17th April
1838, conceding to our cruisers the right of searching and detaining
vessels upon the high seas in all cases where their crews might be
suspected of having been engaged in the kidnapping of slaves, and at
the same time to admit the further right of seizing and confiscating
them in case the suspicion proved to be well founded.
Up to this time ( a. d. 1838) vessels engaged in the Slave Trade were
(according to the Treaty concluded by Captain Moresby, of His
Majesty s ship Menai, with His Highness the Imaum, on the 29th
August 1822) liable only to seizure if found " to the eastward of a line
drawn from Cape Delgado passing east of Socotra, and on to Diu
Head, the western point of the Gulf of Cambay"; but as a further
advance toward circumscribing the field for the prosecution of the Slave
Tiade in these quarters, and diminishing the number of marts for the
sale and purchase of human beings, the Resident, in July 1839,
succeeded in engaging the Maritime Arab Chiefs, viz. Sultan bin
Suggur, of Ras-ool-Khyma, Khaleefa bin Shakboot, of Aboothabee,
Muktoom bin Butye, of Debaye, and Abdoolla bin Rashid, of Amulga-
vine, to accede to the wishes of the British Government, by attaching
their seals and signatures to a new engagement, # Article I, of which
gave to our vessels the right of search beyond a line drawn from Cape
Delgado, passing two degrees seaward of the island of Socotra, to
1 ussem, on the Mukran Coast; Article II. rendered vessels belonging
to the above chiefs, or their subjects, found with slaves on board beyond
the limits specified, liable to seizure and confiscation; and Article III.
made the sale of Somalees an act of piracy.
To this engagement, which modified and formed an addition of three
new Articles to the Treaty concluded by Captain Moresby in 1822 the
Imaum was induced to become a party in December of the same year.
Under the sanction of Government, it. was subsequently intimated to
the several chiefs subscribing to the treaties, that instructions had been
issued to the British Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muskat, that on all occasions
where suspicion might arise of any of their vessels touching at Muskat
having Somalees on board, he should without delay obtain the sanction
* The warmest commendation of the Honorable the Governor in Council was communicated
to the Resident, Captain Hennell, for his valuable exertions in obtaining such extensive
concessions, whereby Government had it in its power effectually to exclude this nefarious
trade on the long line of coast extending from Bombay to Cape Paperia. A very considerable
traffic in slaves had long been known to have been carried on, more particularly from Africa
with the Portuguese settlement of Diu, with the port of Mandvee an Kutch, and with those in
Sind.
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