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transpired at an interview between the Political Agent and the Sultan on the and of De­
cember last (particulars of which are quoted in
" During tho conversation, HU Highness en. margin), that His Highness's sympathies are
fi'J b.S|h".‘.” 1SI.JT |n with those of his people, and that
their territory on the East African Coast, remark* he would not Willingly endanger Ills popularity
ingihatil it were true their doing so would draw with his subjects, and weaken his hold over the
to them the hearts of all Arab,.* tribal Chiefs, by taking active steps for the
suppression of slavery in his dominions.
5. We therefore concur with Colonel Ross that some inducement would have to be
held out to the Sultan if it were decided to press him to undertake measures for abolishing
slavery within Oman, and we are of opinion that the only form in which such an induce­
ment could, at the present time, be offered is that of an assurance of support in the event
of his position being endangered by compliance with any demands of the British Govern­
ment relating to slavery. We think that such an assurance had better be avoided, and
in any case we could not, in view of the instructions contained in Lord Kimberley’s Des­
patch No. 25 (Political), dated the 31st March 1886, take such action without previously
referring to Your Lordship.
65. The Secretary of State concurred in the views of the Government of
India (despatch No. 13-Secret, dated the
Secret E., July 1891, Nos. 99*100.
17th April 1891).
66. In a demi-official letter, dated 21st February 1891, Colonel Mockler
suggested that one of the most fea­
Secret E., July 1891, N01. 390-394-
sible and effectual steps that could be taken
to put an end to the importation of slaves from the African coast into Oman
would, in conjunction with a return to the “slave cruising ” by a sufficient number
of gun-boats, be for Government to issue an order or proclamation forbidding for
(say) two years any Omani boats (badans and zeimahs) from proceeding to
Zanzibar or the East Africa Coasts under the penalty of being summarily des­
troyed if caught beyond a certain distance from the Oman coasts by our cruisers,
whether slaves or not. He also suggested a system of license signed by the
Sultan and countersigned by the Political Agent being given to larger vessels for
carrying passengers to Africa.
67. The Government of India thought that the probable result of adopting
these suggestions would be to put an end to legitimate as well as illegitimate com­
merce, and that so stringent a measure for merely checking abuses in the passen­
ger traffic carried on by the Oman boats, would, on the one hand, be unneces­
sary, and, on the other, difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. The further diffi­
culty was whether if Her Majesty’s ships proceeded in the manner proposed their
action, if challenged, could be supported by law (despatch to the Secretary
of State, No. 97-Secret—External, dated 16th June 1891.)

(iv) Importation of slaves on the Arab and Batineh Coasts, 1892-94.

68. There was discovered a good deal of activity in slave trade on the
Batineh and the Pirate coasts in 1892, and
Secret E.t March 1893. Nos. 3-27.
in November of that year, Colonel Talbot
visited the latter coast in the Sphinx, the Cossack and Lawrence accompany­
ing :—
(x) At Khor Fakan.—One Salim-ul-Badi, a dealer on slaves, was reported
to have brought 33 slaves from Zanzibar on a Suri boat to Ras-ul-
Khima, and to have then taken them to Khor Fakan, where they
were disposed of.
The Resident inflicted on the Chief of Ras-ul-Khima the usual fine of
70 dollars for each of the slaves imported with some reduction, as
the main responsibility rested on the slave dealer and the Sheikh
of Khor Fakan (a cousin and feudatory of the Chief of Ras-ul-
Khima).
At Himriyehs—At this place five slaves had been lately landed, and the
Chief of Shargah was made to recover 350 dollars from the princi­
pal men of Hemriyeh, whose Chief had absconded.