"أوراق أخرى تتعلق بتجارة الرقيق على الساحل الشرقي من أفريقيا والنظام المتبع لكبحها" [و‎‎٦‎٧] (٥٠/١)

Further Papers respecting the Slave Trade on the East Coast of
Africa, and the System pursued for its Suppression.
No. 1.
The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Otway.—(Received April 5.)
Si r? Admiralty, March SI, \S69.
1 AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit herewith,
for the information of the Earl of Clarendon, a copy of a letter from Commodore Sir
Leopold Heath, and of its inclosure, reporting on the state of the Slave Trade on the East
Coast of Africa during the year 1868.
With reference to the statement of the Commodore that the proceedings hitherto
adopted for the suppression of the Slave Trade have proved complete failures, I am to
request you will inform Lord Clarendon that, while my Lords will be prepared to take
such steps for carrying out the policy of endeavouring to suppress the Slave Tradeon the
East Coast of Africa as his Lordship may advise, they hope that, if it be determined to
employ a larger force for this purpose, political measures will be taken which may render
the employment of that force thoroughly effective.
Their Lordships doubt whether a mere increase of the squadron would result m
material benefit to the object in view.
I am, &c.
(Signed) W. G. ROMAINE.
p,S. Some photographs which accompanied the Commodore's letter are transmitted
herewith, and it is requested they may be returned when done with.
Sir,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Commodore Sir L. Heath to the Secretary to the Admiralty.
" Octavia," at Bombay, March 1, 1869.
IN accordance with the 7th paragraph at page 16 of the Slave Trade Instructions, I
forward for the information of their Lordships, the following Report for the year 1868.
2 Their Lordships will remember that at the end of the previous year Her Majesty's
ship " Penguin " was the only vessel in the squadron available for service against the Slave
Trade the remaining ships having been withdrawn to join in the Abyssinian Expedition.
The fall of Magdala, however, happened at the very beginning of the slaving season, and I
was enabled whilst the troops were on their return march, to dispatch three vessels on
short cruizes, which resulted in the destruction of nine dhows and the liberation of 244
slaves ; the vessels returning to Annesley Bay in ample time for the re-embarkation of the
^3 The expeditionary force having been embarked by the middle of June, the whole
souadron (" Vigilant," which was found rotten, excepted) again became available for its
usual work and 1 am glad to be able to submit the following abstract of captures, &c.,
showino- an' amount of success far exceeding the average of recent years ;—
Total number of dhows captured
Total tonnage of captured dhows
Total number of slaves liberated
66
7,233 -47
1,097
I