Page 262 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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whether the breach was committed by the Chief himself or his subjects, and the
fines levied from the Chiefs were credited to Her Majesty's Government and
the Imperial Exchequer. The reason for the practice was that the British Gov-
ernment, which incurs all the expenses connected with the suppression of the
slave trade, was entitled to any recoveries which might be made by way of
penalty.
204. In 1900 the Chief of Bahrein inflicted a fine of Rs. loo on one of his
subjects, who was proved to have reduced
External A., September 1900, Nos. 27-29.
into slavery a person who had already
received a manumission certificate from the British Consulate at Busrah. Mr.
Gaskin asked for instructions as to the disposal of the fine and suggested
that it should be paid to the Chief of Bahrein on condition that the money was
not returned to the offending person. Colonel Kemball was of opinion that
this suggestion might be acted upon, and that in similar cases this procedure
should be followed as being likely to make the Chief more interested in the
suppression of slavery. The proposal was submitted to the Secretary of State
with the Government of India’s recommendation (despatch to the Secretary of
State, No. 122-Extcrnal, dated 23rd August 1900).
205. The Secretary of State approved and extended the proposal to meet the
cases of fines imposed by other Chiefs of
External A., February 1901, Nos. 27-28.
the Persian Gulf littoral (despatch No.
2-Political, dated 4th January 1900).
206. The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury agreed to this
subject on the condition as explained below
u If they may assume that fines like that levied by the Sheikh of Bahrein are fines
levied under local law by the local Chief on his own subjects, then on the understanding
that no legislative or conventional objection exists, their Lordships assent to the proposed
meihod of disposing of these fines. If, on the other hand, any slave trade fine is levied on
a British subject under extra-territorial jurisdiction, the proceeds should be credited to the
British Exchequer like any other fine levied under such jurisdiction.”
208. In September 1901 the Government of India left it to the discretion
External A., October 1901, Nos. 13-14. of the Resident whether to hand over
External A., December 1^01, Kos. 3-3-A. or not to the Chief of Shargah a fine of
Rs. 98 (70 reals) recovered by the Chief from one Ali bin Hoosein for having
bought a slave-girl at Ras-el-Khima. (Foreign Department letter No. 1629-E A.,
dated 24th September 1901). The Resident, however, did not think it
expedient to return the fine to the Chief and credited the amount to Her
Majesty's Government.
208. In April 1902 a female slave, named Fedo, took refuge in the Bahrein
agency. It was found that she had been
Externa] A., Juno 1902, No. 10.
imported by one Yusuf bin Mahomed, a
resident of Katar, and left in charge of Sayar bin Mahomed for sale. The
Chief inflicted a fine of 200 dollars to be paid in equal proportion by Yusuf and
Sayar. The latter paid his portion, and gave bond promising to pay the
other portion payable by Yusuf, in case he failed ‘to return within two months.
The Resident credited the amount recovered to Government in the accounts ot
his office and proposed to deal similarly with the other fine when it would be
recovered.

(iv) Abduction of seven Africans from Mellndi to Oman and steps taken tofcrase
them and punish the culprits, 1892-1897.
209. On the 14th May 1892 the Political Agent, Maskat, recei e
mation that a party of seven Africans in company with an Arab had a r
Mattrah from Mehndi on the east coast of Africa. An enquiry was * .
though the Africans said they were free and the Arab produced Pass®* f*
by officers of the Imperial British East Africa Company, there was s S
picion that the Africans had been induced to come to Oman, either a
with the object of eventually reducing them to slavery.