‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎124r] (87/114)

79
ed Majid.
.nd
tose
subsequently in abeyance,
who ^ave them, and that
3s. How far he has reason to be
the tenor of a letter from Syed
follows:
ety receipt of your letter, for we
us as of a building each support-
? who would try to make differ-
will be for the best, and by the
;lear understanding. *****
el Pelly should be asked
; were with regard to the
grounds for believing that
to compromise the matter
Toorkee meditates compromising
provide that the arbitrament of
oret, October 1871, iVicu. 325-45.^
laration on the part of
sndence of zanzibar and
th June 1871, on the sub-
y to the capture of a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean.
»oted hatred and jealousy of local
ave trade. These officials, who
in these seas, never lose an
ght before the natives and the
i me a long letter, setting out
)prepsing the slave trade were
returned answer that I declined
is closed the correspondence.
i been active in trying to excite
Majesty^s Ship Wolverine, then
id him to resist our actions with
serting at the same time that
3 Paris on the 10th March 1862,
iscat. As 1 find no reference
er the French Consul has any
r of the French Consul, in order
n spontaneous and not asked for
ent of India to take any
to the Secretary of State,
certain enclosures, which
Political, A, October 1871,
idia what convention was
vide enclosure of Bombay
drew attention to a copy
nittee on the East African
red —" It seems to me to be
Government of the one or
Events in Zanzibar from the death of Syed Majid-
other power to question any act seeming to be at variance with its provisions."
The Secretary of State was asked by the Government of India to send a copy
of the correspondence which led to the interchange of this declaration, and
His Excellency the Viceroy remarked with regard to it—" This must be recol
lected in any question relating to Muscat." The declaration was as follows :
Ci Declaration between Great Britain and France, engaging reciprocally to respect the independence
of the Sultans of Muscat and Zanzibar.*—Signed at Paris, 10M March 1862.
" Her Majesty the Queen'of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and His
Majesty the Emperor of the French, taking into consideration the importance of maintaining
the independence of His Highness the Sultan of Muscat, and of His Highness the Sultan of
Zanzibar, have thought it right to engage reciprocally to respect the independence of these
Sovereigns.
" The undersigned. Her Britannic Majesty^s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiar
at the Court of France, and the Minister Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of His
Majesty the Emperor of the French, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare,
in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement.
"In witness whereof, the undersigned have signed the present Declaration, and have affixed
thereto the seals of their arms.
" Done at Paris, the \ Qth March 1862.
(l. s .) COWLEY.
(l . s.) E. THOUVENEL."
90. E inancial position of Z anzibar .—A valuable memorandum was
transmitted by Dr. Kirk in August 1871, showing the financial position of
Zanzibar at the time of Syed Majid's death, and the situation of Syed
Burgash, and also of some of the members of his family on whom, in case of
his death, the throne would probably devolve.
" By the peculiar constitution of the Zanzibar Government, confirmed by the practice
followed on the death of Syed Saeed, and again on the accession of Syed Burgash, there exists
no public or state treasury: the ships of war, merchant vessels, guns, arms, as well as houses,
plantations, &c., are all valued or sold, and the net proceeds divided amongst creditors
and heirs.
" On the death of Syed Saeed, a vast fortune was then left and divided amongst the sons,
daughters, &c., the elder members of the family receiving in full their shares, while Syed
Majid held in trust that of the younger brother's, to whom, from time to time, he made
advances, which he charged against the trust funds.
" Syed Burgash was one of those who received in full his share of the late Syed Saeed's
estate, but most of his patrimony was exhausted in consequence of the attempt made by him
to wrest the throne from his brother.
" At Syed Majid's death there was a debit to Jairam Sewajee of ^ 423,000, and the
unpaid-up shares still due to younger brothers amounted to $ 420,000, making the total liabi
lities on his estate $ 843,000.
" This estate included the ships, arms, guns, plantations, &c., &c., for which S^cd Majid
had paid or taken over on his father's death, and of which Syed Burgash has already received
his share.
" The sale and valuation (for such things as ships, arms, &c., were not sold by auction, but
valued) produced $ 610,000, of which Ludda, as agent for Jairam, received $ 808,700, and
Syed Burgash took up to the value of $ 391,004$, being in part a re-purchase from Ludda of
certain things.
* Signed also in the French language.