'Mr Rothery's report to the Treasury in respect to the Muscat subsidy and Zanzibar Agency Expenses' [‎99r] (4/10)

the staff at Zanzibar " would be largely employed
in the suppression of the Slave trade, the expense
" should be equally shared by the Indian and
Imperial Grovernments." Upon this the Eoreign
Office addressed the following appeal ad miseri-
cordiam to this Office, on the 23th August 1871
"I am directed by Earl Granville to request that
" you will state to the Secretary of State for India
" that his Lordship has waited for the Report of
^ the Select Committee of the House of Commons
upon the East African Slave Trade before taking
^ an y action upon your letter of the 22nd June last,
^ notifying that, in consequence of the repeated
" refusal of the Treasury to contribute towards the
" expenses of the Zanzibar Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , the duties of
" the Agent will be henceforward limited to such
phjects as may tend directly to promote the
^ interests of India, and the controlling authority
will be vested solely in the Government and
Secretary of State for India, from whom all
instructions must emanate.
The Committee of the House of Commons
" having now recommended a division of the ex
penses of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. between the Imperial and
Indian revenues, a further representation will be
" made to the Treasury on this point, but in the
fiieanwhile, and pending the veply of the Tveasuvy,
who, it is to be hoped, may be induced to reverse
" their former decision, I am to suggest that, with
{ a view to prevent embarrassment and confusion
" in the administration of Slave trade affairs at
Zanzibar, the instructions to Dr. Kirk upon these
<c matters might still be prepared by this Depart-
<£ ment, and forwarded, under flying seal Letters which could be freely opened before reaching their destination. , to the
' c Secretary of State for India, to be transmitted by
" him to Zanzibar."
To this, the Duke of Argyll replied on the 6th
September 1871 :—
" * * * In reply to your letter of 29th ultimo,
" I am directed to acquaint you that it is the wish
" of the Duke of Argyll that no sort of embarrass-
" ment to the public service should result from the
" present uncertainty with respect to the intentions
of the Lords of the Treasury with respect to the
" Zanzibar Establishment, and that his Grace will
" be happy to forward to the Agent and Consul at
" that place such instructions as Lord Granville
" may desire to transmit with respect to the East
" African Slave trade.' 5
The promised further remonstrance from the
Foreign Office to the Treasury was made on the
15th October 1871. The following paragraphs are
important:—
" The Lords of the Treasury must he aware of
" the heavy and important duties that devolve upon
" the Agent at Zanzibar as Judge of the Vice-
" Admiralty Court in the trial of Slave Trade
" cases, and they can appreciate as well as Lord
" Granville the serious mischief likely to ensue