'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' [‎49] (57/126)

1
49
and profiled lnmself thereby. It being impossible to fix the number of slaves
t wasVvTd P e 0 n r > iT the , Chief ^ responsible with any exactitude, while
it was evident that it could not be small, it was taken at forty, and a fine of
slaves whom 5 hf^ Up °, n j' 1 ^ a deduction on account of nine
effJctpH hU n P ed and 1 dehvered - Th ese, together with another who
were set free! eSCaPe ' Were ^ 0,1 b0ard and carried t0 BLlshire ' wher e they
J 6 -. No confirmation of the allegations of the Chief of Abu Thabi regarding
fo^thifomim? J> ports 0 ' ' han ^'s own in the trade by sea in slaves wal
forthcoming. It was feared, however, that the other towns were not exempt
hTBann^ 150 " 3 / f ^ ^ 10 and the existence of a tra de overland from
thLlr t l. CO f Maskat was generally admitted; the opportunity was
thp .r Th" , ^ ddres 1 s a senou ® warning to the various Chiefs in the course of
t K ™ r ; . Th e trade in slaves overland was beyond our reach, but if means could
und to put an effectual stop to the importation from Africa to Sur whence
s aves were carried to the Batineh, and thence distributed by sea and' land to
cious^vil ^ UP ^ ' a heaVy bl0W W0Uld be StrUCk at the r00t of this atro "
• uPu The u re was 1 no P roof 0 J the allegation against the Shargah Agent, which
at ! ¥ r T e 1 b . een onI y the restlIt of the latter's having recently brought the Chief
of Abu 1 habi to account.
There was the strongest reason to believe that Sur—low down on the Mas
kat Coast—was the source of supplying the demand for slaves throughout the
rersian UulL 1 here was undoubtedly a considerable importation to that place
whence slaves were carried to the Batineh, and distributed to the Arab, and even
^ a ian coast - The presence of a gun-boat off the south-east corner of
the Arabian coast, during the slaves running season, seemed to the Resident the
most effectual mode of striking at the root of the evil.
78. In May 1896, Captain Beville, 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 Maskat, in the absence
Gulf Administration Report for 1896-97. ^ an_V war vessel, personally effected the
eapture of an Arab dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. with 28 slaves
on board (see paragraphs 173-76 below). Captures were also made by the
Lapwing and Sphinx ; the two vessels seized by the latter being under French
colours, the regularity and validity of which seemed open to doubt, were made
over to the French Vice-Consul.
79. Several minor slave transactions of a local and unimportant character came
to light. In one of these a small party of Baluch slaves, for the most part boys,
who had probably been kidnapped, were shipped at Wadam on the Batineh
coast—a place of evil repute in this connection—for Lingah. An adult of the
party there made his escape, and the remainder were carried to Debay, where two
more after escaping fell into the hands of the Arabs of Khan, a dependency of
Shargah. These were recovered and sent to Maskat, where on the clue furnished
by Feroz's evidence proceedings were taken resulting in the conviction of a large
number of slave-dealers. An attempt at re-enslavement of a liberated slave on
the Persian coast was reported he was recovered after some months at, Lingah,
and handed over to the Commander of H. M. S. Sphinx.
80. Six slaves who, after effecting their escape from Shargah, had managed
to reach the telegraph station at Jask, were brought to Bushire, and being there
liberated were conveyed to Maskat at their own desire.
81. A more serious case was the kidnapping of 17 men on the South Arabian
coast by an armed party of the Yal Saad, who carried them by boat to the
Batineh coast and thence sent them by land to the Pirate coast or the interior.
This act was committed in February 1896, but the facts did not come to light
till the beginning of the year 1897, on the information of one of the slaves who
had escaped. The Shaikh of the Yal Saad who was directly implicated was
imprisoned by the Sultan, and later died in confinement. Only one other of
the party was traced in the possession of the Bedouin, and as it was impossible
to obtain his freedom without ransom, the disbursement of the sum required was
sanctioned by Government.
8 . The history of slave trade after this becomes much complicated with the
French Flag question dealt with in the Maskat Precis^ i8g2'igo$*
C643FD