Coll 34/3 'Slavery and Slave Trade: Red Sea and Arabia: Attitude of Ibn Saud' [‎199Ar] (406/886)

3
Enclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Hope-Gill
Royal Slaves : An Incident
fisi
i as:
AT about 8-30 on Sunday morning, the 20th July, the Acting Minister for
Foreign Affairs rang up to say that the four slaves whom we had manumitted and
had that same morning put on board the Italian boat, just due to sail for Massowa,
were Royal slaves who had recently escaped. He asked me to have them returned
at once under the agreement on this subject, and added that the ship would not be
allowed to sail until the slaves were taken off her.
2 I expressed surprise and incredulity, but said that I would at once
investigate and ring him up again shortly. As I rang off, M. Sollazzo came in
(somewhat grimly) and said that Fuad Bey had rung him up to say that the Italian
boat could not sail until four slaves put on board by us were debarked. He had
replied that the slaves, having been handed over by us, could only be returned to
us and at our request. He asked me to let him know in writing if we wanted them
so returned, and also asked what he should do if the authorities tried by force to
detain the ship, which was due to sail shortly. I said that I had just that moment
been speaking to Fuad Bey and was on the point of investigating the case. I thought
it was all a mistake, but would let him know the result as soon as possible. I also
thanked him for his loyalty to us. He then left.
3. Mr. Thacker had, meanwhile, examined the manumission file and prepared
for me a resume of the particulars of the four slaves in question. Two had taken
refuse here seven weeks before (2nd June), one over a fortnight (4th July), and the
fourth more than a week before (11th July). They had been questioned by Ismail
Effeudi and further examined bv Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. Ihsanullah, and had given, apparently,
satisfactory evidence as to the identity of their former masters. None of the slaves
seemed to have any connexion with the Royal Household. We had been unable to
get them away earlier owing to lack of shipping facilities to Massowa.
4. I therefore rang up Fuad Bey to give him these results, stressing the
different and considerable lengths of time these slaves had been here, and giving
the reasons why. He asked for the names of their supposed masters which I gave
him. He agreed that they could not be the slaves he sought, who had escaped three
or four days ago, but added he would ring up again shortly. mo-an
5. The Acting Governor of Jedda then came m (somewhat pallid) and bega
to ask for the debarkation of the four slaves. I explained t a w. -p j -n„ v
to Fuad Bey about them and that there had evidently been a I T lstake T? ® ^
just then rang up again to say that three of the slaves were c ear y o .Y , ’
but that the fourth, Mubarek, who had fled from Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman hot ,
was really the King’s property, having been g^en to H ,3 Majesty V a Previous
owner, and had been placed by the King in his Finance Minister s - ^
Bey did not demand his return, but asked His Majesty s Minister to consider the
position and return the slave if he thought right. office
6. I asked Fuad Bey to tell the Acting Governor, who w^till m my office,
that the matter was settled as far as the local authorities wer - j ^
so, and in my presence Sheikh Abdul Aziz rang up the Officer Commanding, Jedda,
and told him that the ship was free to leave. j -Rmr and told him
7. After due consideration. Sir Andrew Ryan rang up . ^ Ye fiavino-
that, in view of the facts that (a) there had been no secre authorities therm
taken refuge here; (b) he had been here seven weeks, (c) e embarkation for
selves had a fortnight ago issued the necessary pass for , ^enth
Massowa; (<f) it was now almost too late to entertain any j ^ was
hour, in fact; and (e) removal of the slave from an P m v j ew 0 f these
already embarked could only risk provoking ^rked if he were himself
considerations Sir Andrew could only have the Slav • i P ertificate declaring
fully covered by a formal promise to supply him with an official cert,iicate aecia g
this
^uvcicu uy luinicti wpre given, fie wouio Keep
slave to be the King’s property. If such a prom S which sir Andrew
slave here Dendinv telegraphic reference to the y . , ’ r 0 ,. 0 ™ nppnliar
slave here pending tele^^re^t^i-^^^^ ^i
felt to be essential in a case which naa Decol ‘ ie V’ym step’s out of consideration
character. While declaring his willingness to take p® 8 ® fy 1 - tprpats he s h 0 uld not
for the King, Sir Andrew urged that in His Majesty s own interests
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