Page 183 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part V—Chap. XXXVI. 161
but tho Imaum may perhaps consoat, and Rama binJanbir together with the Sheikh of
Bushiro will always be r«.ady to co-operate. If tho expedition should actually be undertaken
it will inevitably lead to a ronowal of disorders to a certain extent.
58. The provision respecting slaves is the only remaining nrticlo of the treaty on which it
is necessary to report, and it is with much hesitation that I venturo upon this subject. That
tho traffic continues to a considerable degree cannot ho doubted, sinco there is on open slavo
market both at Man:»t and at Bahrein, and also I boli<*voin the Persian ports, but I was deterred
from holding any personal communication with tho Chiefs on this point by a doubt that has
occurred to mo in rogard to tho precise moanin'' of tho nrticlo of tho treaty, which I cannot find
explaining in any instructions from Government.
57. Tho words aro tho “ carrying off of slaves, men, women and children, from the coast
of Africa or elsewhere, and the transporting them in vessels, is plunder and piraoy, and the
friondly Arabs shall do nothing of this nnturo.” Now it strikes me that this sentence may bo
understood to forbid only tho carrying off of men, women and children ns slaves, and the trans­
porting them in vessols token so earned off, although tho words will also bear the more com­
prehensive sense of forbidding the oarrying off of slaves and also tho transporting of slaves,
however procured, in vessels ; but even this rao6t extended ncc*-y tation cannot bo construed in
tho forbidding tho purchase of slaves and tho transport of them over-land unless indeed the
last clau60, which provides that tho friendly Arabs shall do nothing of this nature, embraces
everything.
58. I am informed that the Arabic eentenco bears the same meaning a9 the English one,
and may bo interpreted to forbid only tho making of slaves and tho transporting in vossuls of
slaves so made, not the purchase or the transport of them if purchased; but that it will also
boar tho more extended si gnification.
69. I am unable positively to say in what scn«c tho words aro understood by tho parties
to this treaty, and my uncertainty of tho views of Government prevented mo from putting the
question diiectly; but when I consider the practice of all Mahomodan nations, tho positive
refusal of the Imaum of Muscat to relinquish their traffic, and particularly tho tenor of Captain
Morscby's negotiations with Ilis Highness, I cannot suppose that tho Arab Chiefs hold them­
selves bound by the treaty not to purcha-e slaves in tho markot at Mascat or any other place,
and to carry to sell them to their neighbours wherothey se« that our ally the Imaum continues
to pursue the traffic in spite of our rouionstrauccs and probably brings them for salo to these
ports.
60. But in whatever sense the words of the treaty may bo understood by the other party, I
am convinced that our utmost endeavours to abolish tho slavo trade amon.-st tho parties to the
treaty will bo ineffectual, as l'»n» as tho other pawors of tho Gulf persist in it. We may
perhaps put a stop to the carrying off of j-lav^s, but their purchase and trausport we never can
prevent. Tho tdaves 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 bo done
to tho cause of humanity, by st >pping boats and searching them for slaves, because it would
in all cases occasion such disgust and offence as would iuvolvc a great risk of renewal of
hostilities.
61. I do not believe that any of the parties to tho treaty do carry off slaves, all those they
possess being purchased at Mascat and other places, but at all events . it would be difficult
even in the former case to detect them, in the latter next to impossible, and with all our efforts
we shall hnd it impossible to put a stop to a tralfio which is sanctioned by their religion and by
immcraorablc custom, unless it were relinquished by tho common consent of the whole of the
Chiefs of tho Gulf.
62. Convinced as I am of the ineffio icy of this article of the treaty, which ha* not yet
been acted upon, and cf the danger of attempting to carry it into effect, I am compelled with |
much reluctance to recommend that it should not be enforced except in very glaring cases, or
at least that its sense should b* considered as confined to the carrying off of slaves, and uot
including their purchase or transport.
63. It is gratifying to humanity to know that slaves are not only extremely well treated
and protected by their Arab masters, but that they even enjoy a very considerable degree
of power and influence; I remarked that they were everywhere the stoutest and well fed men,
and that they seemed happy and comfortable. I must not however omit to mention an
exception which occurred at Bahrein, whore two slaves sought refuge on board the Sernate
from the cruelty,.a* they said, of their masters ; they were not however received, and we had
no means of ascertaining the merit* of tho case. Much as it is to be desired that this horrid
traffic should be abandoned throughout tho world, we must I fear confess that the cruol treatment
of slaves has been tho reproach rather of English than of Eastern nations.
84. I am not prepared to ofFer any further suggestions on the execution of the othor
articles of tho treaty, boyond those submitted in my letter of tho 10th January. It will be
hardly possible to get the Chiefs to be very regular with their papers, but when the first Registry
has been completed, I do not anticipate much difficulty. There is however one point on which
I beg leave to solicit the instructions of Govcrnmout, whioh is the extent to which wo are to
interfore to prevent aggression by Chiefs who are not parties to the treaty, on vessels bearing
our Registers. You will perccivo from the 17th paragraph of my letter that Sultau bin Sug*>ur
construes tho latter part of tho X article of the Treaty into an engagement of protection