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a. With reference to the last paragraph thereof, I am desired to request that you will
furnish any information at your disposal, which may be useful to Sir John Kirk, in
regard to the place or places from wheuce slaves have been shipped and the tribes'to
which they belong.
3. To save unnecessary delay the Government of India have no objection to your
communicating direct with Sir John Kirk, forwarding a copy of the correspondence to this
office for information.

No. 177, dated Bushire, 19th December 1885,
From-Colonel E. C. Ross, C.S.I., Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and Her Britannic
Majesty’s Consul-General for Fars,
To—H. M. Durand, Esq., C.S.I., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honor to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Viceroy in
From Commander H- Dowding, Senior Naval Council, copies of the marginally cited reports
Officer, dated nth N'ovomber 1885. on the subject of suppression of slave traffic
From Lieutenant-Cotoael Miles, No. 338, dated between Africa and Oman and the Persian Gulf
;th December 1885.
2. The only question raised, which appears to require any remark of mine, is Captain
Dowding's recommendation about the port of Sur. 1 agree with Colonel Miles that tt
would be inexpedient to exercise interference in that matter.
3. I shall furnish copies of their papers to Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs with reference to Colonel Miles' suggestions for' action on the Alrican
coast.

Dated H. M. S. Osprey at Basra, nth November 1885,
From—Commander H. W. Dowdino, Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf,
To—Colon*!. E. C. Ross, C.S.I., Political Resident in Persian Gulf and Her Britannic Majesty's
Consul-General for Fars. 7
I have the honor to forward herewith a numerical list of all dhows and their cargoes,
etc., that have passed Ras-cl-Had between the 31st August and 24th October 1885, being
the traffic season at the close of the monsoon. u
It is worthy of remark that only four dhows came over from Africa during this time.
On 30th September I visited the Kuriyan Muriyan Islands, finding five men, ten women
and children on Huilaniyah Island. The Chief is the same man who visited Bombay in
H. M. S. Juno. They still appear to be living a wretched existence amongst the rocks,
the children being so sickly that few survive to maturity. I presented them on leaving
with a month's food on the part of Her Majesty's Indian Government. It would be of great
assistance in future if telegrams from Zanzibar, relating to the departure of slavers,
included the name of the dhow and her captain, in order that if successful in landing their
slaves at Moculla or other unwatched parts of the coast, a primd facie case for the detention
of the dhow might be subsequently established. After two seasons' experience acquired
on this coast slave cruizing, I beg to state that in my opinion the most effective method
of dealing a blow to the slave trade is by the re-establishment of the' Sultan's power at
Sur, which at present remains merely nominal. The moral support of Her Majesty's
Government would probably answer all purposes to effect this, but the neighbouring tribes
being now so disintegrated, a repetition of such difficulties as those formerly experienced
by Her Majesty’s Indian Government in this neighbourhood would appear under any cir­
cumstances impossible. The strategic situation of Sur as an absolutely necessary resort
for slaves, on account of the wind, the sea-going qualities of dhows, fresh water, and the
Bcdoins’ predatory character on the coast, make it, in my opinion, a more important spot
to render impracticable for slaves than even Muscat itself. Many seasons pass now with­
out any interference at this port by Her Majesty's ships, and as no local pressure is brought
to bear, the risk of capture remains at present insufficient to deter a continuation of the
trade.

No- 338, dated Maskat, 7th December 1885.
From—Liiutenant-Colohbl S. B. Miles, Her Britannic Majesty's Political Agent and Consul,
Maskat,
To-Colonel E. C. Ross, C-S.I-, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and Her Britannic Maj.s-
ty’s Consul-General for Fars.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 109, dated
ember 1885, transmitting copy of a letter from Captain Dowding, Senior Naval Officer,
Persian Gulf Division, and requesting an expression of my opinion on the suggestion
contained therein.
i