'Précis on slave trade in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, 1873-1905 (With a Retrospect into previous history from 1852) By J A Saldanha BA, LL B' [‎39] (47/126)

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4. The south-west trade winds set in at Zanzibar in April, and by the end of June
most of the Arab dhows have already left the African coast for their own country, either
as legitimate traders or slavers. From June to August the monsoon is at the height of its
strength, and as Arab craft are fair weather sailers and are not fitted to do battle with the
elements in their fury, very few are to be found at sea within this peiiod. In September
and October, however, the winds calm down and the dhows then remaining on the African
coast make their way up to Arabia. The voyage from Zanzibar to Soor occupies from
16 to 25 days, the distance being nearly 3 ,500 miles.
5. The slave-importing coast of Southern and Eastern Arabia extends from Moculla
t^ Basra, a distance of some 2,coo miles. Within this tract the chief slaving ports are in
Hadhramant—Moculla, Shehr, and Sihoot; in Oman—El-Ashkhareh. Soor, and the whole
Batineh from Burka to Murreyr; and in the Persian Gulf—the so-called pirate coast, the
Katr coast and Koweyt.
6. The Persian coast, I believe, receives but few Swahili negroes, the demand in that
country being chiefly for Abyssinian concubines and eunuchs imported from Jedda and
Hodeida.
7. To watch this long coast line effectively would, it is obvious, require a large fleet
of cruizers, and the experiment of Her Majesty's ship London has proved that a single
vessel with steam-launches stationed at the point of export—Zanzibar—is a more efficient
check on the slave trade than the endeavour to intercept slave dhows at sea.
8. From the evidence of the slaves recovered by Her Majesty's ship Dragoon
on the pirate coast and condemned in this Court, it appears that about 300 slaves were
successfully landed in the Batineh last season. If we add to this the number captured by
Her Majesty's ship Philomel, viz., 205, we have a total of about 500 known to have been
shipped. We may safely infer, I think, that this represents but a small portion of the
whole number brought to Arabia last year. I attach copy of the slaves' depositions.
9. To intercept slavers bound for Oman and the Gulf the best position for cruizers
would, in my opinion, be along a line drawn round Ras-el-Had from Cape Jask. Three
cruizers patrolling this line from April to July and again in September and October would
probably succeed in cutting off every slaver that came up, but if only two vessels are
available for this purpose, I think one should cruise to the north and the other to the
southward of Ras-el-Had.
No. 2, dated Zanzibar, 3rd March 1885,
From— S ir J. K irk, K.C .M.G., Her Majesty's Agent and Consui-General, Zanzibar,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to acknowledge your No. 49-E. of January 16th, with enclosures,
relating to the expressed intention of the people of Ras-el-Khymah to engage in the slave
trade.
During the past year slaves have been offered on the coast at nominal prices owing
to a general famine that has prevailed. The rains last season did not fall in sufficient
quantity over a vast extent of the east coast of Africa and the consequence has been death
and disease. The trade roads have been impassable from want of provisions for the
porters. In some parts whole tribes have migrated in search of food, while near the coast
fathers have sold their children or caught and sold neighbours for a few handfuls of grain.
Slaves have been offered in numbers on the coast opposite at 6 shillings a head.
Under such circumstances, it has been impossible to stop slave running, and large captures
have been made.
The danger now is that the dealers again accustomed to the traffic will be loath to
abandon it, and as a notion has got afloat among the Arabs from the north that we have
changed our policv and ceased to oppose the slave trade in consequence of reverses sus
tained, as they firmly believe, in the Soudan, I look forward to a determined attempt being
made this year to run slaves to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Many suspicious vessels have arrived, and His Highness Syud Barghash, with whom I
have spoken on the subject, has indicated where he thinks shipments will be attempted.
Any information that can be given of the place where slaves have been shipped and
the tribes to which they belong will be of much assistance. The famine has been most
severe among the Zaramo and Nyka tribes and these have been the slaves chiefly shipped
of late. ________
No. 571-E., dated Simla, 18th April 1885.
From—G. S. F orbes, Esq., Junior Under-Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Depart
ment,
To—The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
In continuation of the letter from this office. No. 47-E. of the 16th January 1885, I am
directed to forward, for your information, copy of
* No. 2, dated std March 18 5. a | e ^ er * f rom Her Majesty's Agent and Consul-
General, Zanzibar, regarding the recent increase in the slave traffic.