'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎642] (686/733)

642
SLAVE TRADE.
Lino-ah carry on the traffic in question to a considerable extent, and as
these ports are subject to the authority of the Turkish and Persian
Governments, it would be useless attempting to enter into any negotia-
tions affecting this branch of their commerce, unless through our
Ministers at the Courts of Constantinople and Tehran.
The following review of our powers by the foregoing treaties, which
form the only restrictions to the Slave Trade, will prove how little cal
culated these are, from being so very partially directed, to suppress or
even check the Slave Trade in these quarters, although they should
have the fullest effect in excluding it from the entire shores of India,
including the newly acquired possessions. The Restrictive Slave
Trade Line from Delgado to Pussem leaves a track or road suffi
ciently large for the safe and convenient navigation of the vessels
engaged in the traffic ; and circumstances of distress, or other unavoid
able cause, moreover, exempt the vessel* found beyond it from the
penalties laid down by the Treaty. This line, too, affects only the boats
of Muskat, and the ports situated between Ras-ool-Khyma and Aboo-
thabee inclusive. Those of the ports on the Coast of Persia and
Turkey, such as Lingah, Congoon, Aseeloo, Koweit, and Bussora, are
bound by no engagements whatever, or restricted to no particular limits.
The agreement concluded in April 1838, although it provides against
kidnapping on the part of those chiefs subscribing, or their subjects,
does not in the letter preclude them from purchasing slaves from others
who have kidnapped them, and the difficulties which on the one hand
offer to the cruisers in making the distinction, and discovering the
actual men-stealers, and on the other the facilities to the latter in
escaping detection (for a very large portion of the slaves have been
kidnapped—that is, as prisoners of war, have been sold by those into
whose hands they have fallen), may be conceived.
Article III. of the Treaty of 1839 precluded the parties subscribing
fiom the sale or purchase of Somalees in toto,f that tribe, from profess-
* No cruisers have hitherto been ever assigned to watch the boundary line laid down in
Aiticle II., nor, in consequence, also, has any seizure been 3 r et made under its provisions. In
an\ case of seizin e, however, another obstacle would appear to present itself to the legal
infliction of the penalty specified, in the great difficulty of establishing by proof, such as would
e required in a couit of la«, that the slaves, men, women, and children, are intended for sale,
n on u to sub\eit the statement of the commander or owner that such are their own, or the
ues, concubines, oi personal attendants, male or female, of the other free men on board, or
that the males are slaves employed in the navigation of the vessel, and forming a part of
its crew. 0 1
t In cases v\lierL, fiom insurmountable difficulties and lengthened delays, little hopes exist
, , . 111110 ^ ie siuieu ^ er of the \essels or persons of those who have been convicted of em-
tli ^ 01 86 r' 1 " ^ onia ^ ee s ^ a ^ es » ^ was recommended " that the excuse urged bv their chief of
me absence of the delinquents should not be admitted, but that he should be held responsible