‘Précis of correspondence relating to Zanzibar affairs from 1856 to 1872. Prepared by Captain P D Henderson, attached to the Foreign Department’ [‎134v] (108/114)

Slave Trade.
" In this view, His Excellency in Council desires that you will at once address the Political
Agent in Kutch on the subject. The Agent should point out to the Rao the inequity and
cruelty of this traffic, and he should inform him that the British Government, which, by the
• See page 67, Reeord. of the Bom- « 1863, had evidently used
bay Government, No. XV. its autnoiity to prevent the importation of slaves into that
principality, will by no means permit any of his subjects,
when residents or domiciled in foreign parts, to engage in the slave-trade, on the pretence that
they have acquired a right to do so either by residing at Zanzibar or by neglectino- or refusino- to
register themselves before the British Consul at that place. All traders or othersrsubjects ofthe
Rao, who are proceedin<r to Zanzibar, or who are actually residing there, should be warned that
though mere domestic slavery by Kutchees may be tolerated for the present, the British Govern
ment will take steps to interfere with any prosecution of the traffic in human beings
and that no claims for loss or compensation, in the event of the release of any number & of
captives, sold or being hurried into slavery, will be listened to for a moment.
" The Bombay Government is further requested similarly to address Mr. Churchill the
Consul and Agent at Zanzibar, to the same effect, and to authorize him to interfere actively
and authoritatively, and by all the means at his disposal, to put down slave-dealing when
earned on or attempted by Kutchees. His Excellency in Council observes that the results^f the
otter to the subjects of Kutch to register themselves before the British Consul, though undoulftedlv
well meant, appears to have been unfortunate, as it would seem that the Kutchees, not registered
have conceived the notion that they are emancipated from all control or interference, and
that the Sultan himself favors 'these pretentions. Mr. Churchill should be instructed to
inform the Sultan that the Government of India by no means recognizes any such claims
and the traders from Kutch should be plainly told that, though the retention by them of
domestic slaves in their households may, for a time, be tolerated, all attempts at purchasing-
selling or trafficking in slaves, will be summarily put down, and that this Government
vMil not entertain any claims for redress or compensation.
". H . is Eicelleney in Council is also constrained to say that he can hy no means endorse
\r!iTlT S^u hy tYBombay Government in the 3rd paragraph of your letter, dated 31st
March last viz., that slavery is no cr.me either in the country, in which these Kutchees reside,
7,nJk,r I f t" 1 W u t T" 6 ' • T 7anha PpiIy be no crime against the laws of
Zanzibar, but it would certainly be a crime if committed in the territories of the Rao of Kutch
and it would be one which, if it occurred on the coast of India, or in any part ofthe dominions
the paramount power." 0 ' ^ W0Uld be ^ with effect *^ and by
at were reported to the Secretary of State by despatch
Iso. 207, dated oth December 1868, and opportunity was taken to ask for an
ear y reply to a previous despatch, No. 81, dated 14th May 1868 (vide
paragraph 40 m which the desirabilty of placing the Agent at Zanzibar
under the Indian Government had been urged.~(P 0 ^a/, A, December 186S
^os. 4o-ol ; and Political, A, January 1869, Nos. 294-95.) *
rv, 1 ? 1 n VlEWS G ™™ nt of I ndia as to domestic slavery —Mr
Churchill on receiving the above instructions, called on all British Indian
subjects to state the number of slaves in their possession, and said that as it
bv S fh f 1C f V distinguish between domestic slaves and those possessed
by them for the purpose of engaging in the slave traffic, he intended to limit
the number which they might have in their Dossos^inn in A™ . +i i-
to the circumstances of the owner Passion to two or three according
riiercupon the Bombay Government told Mr. Churchill that
were t^L™ ^^eTsed ^^ilLh Mkif sul^^^
tl f 1 he co ? 1(1 be Reported, and as (2) the Sultan had written strongv tn
remonstrate against such action towards an Indian whn w a V i ^ lon S 1 y to
tion. and as (3) he had rejoined denying that- ' Under hlS t )rotec -
under the Sultan's protec«on, W wcreWs 0 subjec\ 0 s." Jny Cn tlle s,ave tra<le bai l placed themselves