'Correspondence relating to the appointment of Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere's mission to Zanzibar, Nov 1872' [‎1r] (1/6)

confidential.
No. 1.
Earl Granville to the Sultan of Zanzibar.*
Sire,
Foreign Office, November 9, 1872.
THIS letter will be delivered to your Highness by Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere,
Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Knight Grand
Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, and a member of the
Council for India, who has been deputed by Her Majesty the Queen to proceed on a
Highness to join with them in framing measures which shall have for their object
the complete suppression of this cruel and destructive traffic.
Your Highness cannot but be aware of the deep interest taken by the Queen and
people of this country in the suppression of the Slave Trade, nor of the sacrifices which
have been made, both of valuable life and of treasure to attain this desired end.
Not more than twenty years ago the traffic in slaves was carried on by powerful
nations from the West Coast of Africa to a far greater extent than it now obtains on
the East Coast, w'hen as many as from 60,000 to 70,000 slaves were exported to countries
on the other side of the Atlantic in a single year.
Her Majesty’s Government and people of this country were determined that this
traffic should cease.
They therefore maintained a powerful squadron on the coast engaged entirely in
the suppression of the Traffic, and by remonstrating with the Governments of those
countries whose subjects were engaged in the Traffic, and by making Treaties with the
Governments in question binding them to use their best exertions to put a stop to the
Slave Trade, and to punish severely their subjects who might engage in it, the end which
Her Majesty’s Government had in view was attained, and they can now point to the West
Coast of Africa and say that where a few years since slaves were carried away in tens of
thousands, now not a single slave is exported, and in the place of this inhuman traffic
which was carried on only by means of wars undertaken in the interior with the sole object
of procuring, slaves, a flourishing legal trade has everywhere arisen which the native chiefs
and, all who were formerly engaged in shipping slaves now acknowledge is far more
profitable than man-stealing and man-selling.
What Her Majesty’s Government under most adverse circumstances have succeeded
in accomplishing on the West Coast of Africa, it is equally their object to effect on the
East Coast, and on the part of Her Majesty’s Government I have therefore to invite
your Highness frankly and cordially to join them in framing measures which shall
effectually put a stop to the illegal export of slaves from any part of your dominions.
Should your Highness, as Her Majesty’s Government confidently trust you will, join
with them frankly and cordially in carrying out efficient measures for putting an end to
the export of slaves from your dominions in Africa, your Highness may reckon on the
friendship and support of this country and of the Government of India; but should on the
other hand your Highness decline the terms which will be submitted to you by Her
Majesty’s Envoy, your Highness may be assured that, however much Her Majesty’s
Government may regret your decision, the objects which they have in view will none the
less be pursued.
Special Mission to your Highness, to make known to you the views of Her Majesty and
of Her Government on the question of the East African Slave Trade, and to invite your
I have, &c.
(Signed)
GRANVILLE.
* A similar letter was addressed to the Sultan of Muscat.
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