'Memorandum on Expenses of Zanzibar Consulate, &c.' [‎75r] (5/14)

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Correspondence,
July to September
1871.
Letter from
Foreign Office,
29th Aug. 1871.
A
more than one occasion, in the interests of the great
dependency under his charge, protested against any
appropriation of the revenues of India to such Im
perial objects as the suppression of the slave trade
and has even suggested the withdrawal of the Agent
altogether, as an officer whose services are but
little, if at all, required for purposes of a purely
Indian character. Lord Granville is aware that in
this opinion the Duke of Argyll has not concurred.
But he considers it to be his duty to limit the em
ployment of the Agent and the expenditure of the
Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. to such objects as may tend directly to the
promotion of the interests of India; and‘in this
view it will be apparent to his Lordship that all
instructions furnished to the officer selected by the
Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. or the Government of
India must emanate from those authorities, and
that the ultimate controlling authority must be
vested solely in the Secretary of State for India.”
About this time a Select Committee of the House
of Commons on East African Slave Trade pre
sented their Report (4th August 1871), recom
mending, amongst other things, that “ as the staff
44 of that establishment (at Zanzibar) would be
“ largely employed in the suppression of the slave
“ trade, the expense should be equally shared by
“ the Indian and Imperial Governments.”
Shortly after this Committee issued their Report,
the Foreign Office addressed a letter to the India
Office in the following terms,—
“ 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 any
action upon your letter of the 22 nd June last,
notifying that, in consequence of the repeated re
fusal 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 objects
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
meanwhile, and pending the reply of the Treasury,
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 matters
might still be prepared by this Department, and
forwarded, under flying seal Letters which could be freely opened before reaching their destination. , to the Secretary of
State for India, to be transmitted by him to Zan
zibar.
16384. B