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The slave trade treaties of 1873 signed by the Sultans of Maskat and
Zanzibar prohibits natives of Indian States under British protection from possess*,
ing slaves and from acquiring any fresh slaves. r
6. With a view to the effectual suppression of the slave trade, the Govern­
ment of India considered it desirable .
Political A., Juna 1873, No. 487,
" That all subjects of the British Government and of Native States in India who
within the Maskat territories may commit offences against the slave-trade law, should be
amenable to the jurisdiction of the Political Agent at Maskat. 3 c
With this object the Political Resident was thus addressed
Jurisdiction over British subjects is already provided for by the Treaty of 1839 and
Her Majesty's Order in Council, dated 4th November 1867. But as regards the subjects
of Native States, who, like the Kutchees, appear to be greatly implicated, indirectly at
least, in the slave-trade, the Political Agent's jurisdiction would appear to be defective
without the express consent of His Highness the Sultan.
w His Excellency in Council accordingly thinks it desirable that you should obtain from
His Highness a formal agreement to the efFcct that subjects of Native States cf India who
may commit offences within the Maskat dominions shall be amenable to the Political
Agent's Court in the same way as British subjects, if the Political Agent in any particular
case thinks fit to exercise such jurisdiction
7. Syud Turki was addressed in accordance with these instructions, and on
the 1st July the Political Resident wrote that Turki had signed and sealed the
following agreement:—
" Whereas it is desirable that all subjects of Native State in India residing in Maskat
territories should be amenable to the jurisdiction of the Political Agent and Council at
Maskat, and it would appear that such jurisdiction is at present defective without the es-
press consent of His Highness the Sultan. It is hereby formally declared and consented to
by His Highness Syud Turki bin Said on behalf of himself, his heirs and successors, that
subjects of Native States of India who may commit offences within the Ma>kat dominions
shall be amenable to the Political Agent and Councils Court in the same way as British
subjects whenever, in any particular case, the Political Agent thinks fit to exercise such
jurisdiction, and that the words “ British subjects *' in all Treaties between the English
Government and the Maskat State shall include subjects of Native Indian States."
7«A. Cases having occurred in which it appeared that the High Court of
Bombay had not jurisdiction over certain
Political A., April 1874, No. 150.
persons resident in Zanzibar but subjects
of Princes or States of India, the following notification was issued on the 1st
April 1874:—
“ Whereas the Governor General in Council has. within the dominions of His High­
ness the Sultan of Zanzibar, jurisdiction to try and punish British subjects and the subjects
of Princes and States of India in alliance with Her Majesty for the offences of the
description referred to in Sections 367, 370 and 37! of the Indian Penal Code, and for
abetting the commission of the same, and whereas the said Governor in Council has
power to delegate the said jurisdiction, and it is expedient to delegate the same in part
to a British officer at' Zanzibar.
" The Governor-General in Council accordingly is pleased hereby to delegate to the
Political Agent at Zanzibar for the time being for the trial of persons of the said classes
committing or abetting the commission of offences of the said descriptions, the powers of
Deputy Commissioner under section 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and to obtain
that every sentence passed in the exercise to such powers shall be valid without such
confirmation being required as is prescribed in certain cases by the said section 36.
u Any person aggrieved by any order passed by the Political Agent in the exercise
of the powers hereby conferred on him, may forward an appeal in writing to the Governor-
General io Council within six months from the date of such order.
*‘The Governor-General in Council reserves to himself in all cases tried under this
notification and coming before him, whether an appeal or otherwise, the fullest powers
conferred upon any Court of Appeal, superintendence or revision by the Criminal Procedure
Code." *
8. In 1876 the British Parliament passed an Act (39 and 40 Viet., C. 4$)
for more effectually punishing offences against the laws relating to the slave
trade, providing that a subject of Her Majesty or any Prince or State in India in
alliance with Her Majesty committing offences under sections 367, 370 and 37*
of the Indian Penal Code upon the high seas or in any part of Asia or Afnca
to be specified by an Order in Council, shall be dealt with as if the same haa