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32. In December 1879 a party of Hadramis brought three Indian children
from Hyderabad (Deccan) to Sur in Oman
Political A., June 1879, No*. 136-149.
and there offered them for sale. A banian
trader at Sur heard of the matter, had the Hadramis detained, and communicat­
ed with the Sultan of Maskat. The latter then sent for both Hadramis and
children, and at the Political Agent’s request put the former into prison and made
the two elder children over to the Political Agent, the youngest being left in
charge of a woman who was then in possession of it.
33. On a report being made to the Resident in the Persian Gulf, he ordered
(1) that the Sultan should be thanked and informed that his action would be
reported to the Viceroy ; (2) that the proceedings of the banian trader and the
nakhoda of the boat who gave him information should be recognised; (3) that
the Sultan should be asked to detain the Hadramis (one a Yemen Arab, the other
a Cutchi goldsmith) until orders as to their disposal should arrive from India;
(4) that the children should be sent to the Commissioner of Police, Bombay.
34. The proceedings of the Resident were approved, but he was told that
Seyyid Turki should be left to deal with the Hadramis as he thought fit.
35. On the African Coast itself, the source of the Slave Trade, vigorous ope­
rations were conducted by the British Government; Her Majesty’s ship London
was specially commissioned for this purpose. A brief account of these operations
will be found on Chapter IX and X of Lyne’s Zanzibar. The London was
removed from the Zanzibar waters in 1883 after having, through her careful watch­
ing the African coast for ten years, practically put a stop to slave traffic with the
Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
(ii) Revival of slave traffic in 1884. Measures taken, 1885-86.
36. In the year 18S4 there was a marked increase of the slave traffic from
A., Political E., August 1884, Nos. 133-143, Africa to Oman, owing probably to the
Gull Administration Report (or 1884 85. removal of Her Majesty’s ship London from
Zanzibar.
In May Colonel Miles reported that he had information that attempts would
be made to run many cargoes of slaves from the African Coast, and His High­
ness Seyyid Turki in June issued a proclamation warning his subjects against
transgressing the orders prohibiting this traffic. In October, on information be­
ing received of the landing of several large cargoes of slaves on the Batineh Coast,
His Highness Seyyid Turki issued a fresh proclamation and addressed letters
to all the Trucial Chiefs of Oman, asking them to. seize all slaves brought by
Maskat people to their ports and to punish the importers.
37. In October 1884 the Government Agent at Sliargah. reported that 54
External A., February 188s. No*. 9*31. slaves had been landed at Debay, and that
External A., March 1S85, No*. 24-38. in spite of his protest the Chief of Debay
External A., April 1885, No*. 34-44.
had countenanced their sale at the place.
The Agent was instructed to demand the surrender of all freshly-imported
Africans, and a letter was addressed to the Chief of Debay and all the Trucial
Chiefs reminding them of their engagement to the British Government, and
desiring the surrender of all slaves landed in their districts. Subsequently,
Mr. Robertson, First Assistant Resident, proceeded to the Arab Coast in His
Majesty's ship Dragoon. The Chief of Debay was made to pay dollars 70
a head for slaves he failed to produce by way of fine. One slave boy was
recovered at Shargah, one at Bahrein, and one at Umm-el-Kawain.
38. On the Persian Coast near Lmgah an attempt was made to carry
off three Africans residing at Bassidore, but through the exertions of the Gov­
ernment Agent at Lingah the Chief of Moghoo obtained their release.
39 The Political Agent at Maskat recovered and released one African kid­
napped from Aden, and lour other men, considered to have been imported in
recent years, took refuge at the Maskat Consulate. It was thought due to the
peculiar circumstances of their case to recommend their release and the indem­
nification of the alleged owners.
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