Page 681 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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SLAVE TRADE.

we never can prevent: the slaves will be disguised and concealed in a
thousand ways, so that it will be impossible for us to detect them; and
I doubt whether more harm than good might not be done to the cause-
of humanity by stopping boats, and searching them for slaves, because
it would in all cases occasion such disgust and offence as would involve
a great risk of a renewal of hostilities.
“ I do not believe that any of the parties to the Treaty do carry off
slaves,# all those they possess being purchased at Muskat and other
places. But at all events it would be difficult, even in the former case,
to delect them,—in the latter next to impossible; and with all our
efforts we shall find it impracticable to put a stop to a traffic which is
sanctioned by their religion and by immemorial custom, unless it were
relinquished bv the common consent of the ivholc of the Chiefs of this
Gulf.”
Finally, the Bombay Government thus declared, in its letter No. 393,.
dated 26th March 1823f :—
“ The Article relating to the Slave Trade does certainly not bear the-
construction that has hitherto been put on it. It evidently only alludes-
to descents made on the Coast of Africa for the purpose of making
slaves. This is justly declared to be plunder and piracy,—terms which-
it would have been an abuse of language to. apply to. any trade,,
however detestable, as long as it was peacefully conducted. In this
sense the Article must be understood, but every infringement of it, when*
clearly established, must be resented as a case of piracy would be.”
On the 29th August 1S22 a Treaty! was concluded with His Highness
the Imaum of Muskat by Captain Moresby, of His Majesty’s ship.
Menai, under the instructions of the Government of the Isle of France.
A letter was received from His Highness the Imaum of Muskat at
Zanzibar in July 1837, complaining of the aggressions committed byr

* The Joasraees have been accused of stealing and carrying off slaves from the African,
Coast, but the crime was not proven. They are nevertheless supposed to have been frequently
guilty of it.
t Again, the opinion of the Right Honorable the Governor General in Council, as conveyed:
in the 9th paragraph of a letter from the Secretary to the- Government of India, dated 22nd>
March 1841:—“ That with regard to those cliieftains who entered into engagements with Sir
W. G. Keir in 1820, it would not be prudent or right abruptly, and until by friendly com--
munications a sufficient ground shall have been laid for such a course, to deelare all trading im
slaves to be piracy and plunder, and to attempt to enforce Article IX. according to the
English version of the Treaty, which indeed has been found not to correspond with the native­
wording ; and considering that it has not in consequence been acted upon for the last twenty
years, the force of that Article must be considered as in a great measure suspended.”
Suffice it to say, that not one single seizure 1ms been made under its provisions, although
twenty-four years have elapsed since the date of its formation, and the trade continues tat
flourish.
X. A copy of which is annexed.

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