Page 63 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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such passes to subjects of Native States of India by the British Consuls was
objected to as unauthorized by the Government of India, only the Governor
Proceeding*, Pol. A , December 1808, No*. 403-112. G Oil oral Or the G0V0m0r8 of PrOVIDCdS bo*
Merchant Bbipj.ing Account*. i»g authorized to grant them under Act X
of 181-1 and Act XI of 1850. It was however finally decided that the Acts
did not apply to East Africa. Provincial boat passes giving thermit to the
uso of the British Merchant flag were issued accordingly to vessels, wholly
owned by British Indians or subjects of British Indian protected States. This
practice has apparently continued up to dato [see also memorandum of Sir
J. Kirk in Sec. E., Scptembor 1000, Nos. 5-5G (No. 0, Enclosure 5, Sub-en­
closure Gj.J
217. The Eroncb authorities at Mayotte and Nossibe • began about the
year I860 to issue French registers to
* French Colonics in tho I’omaro Island*. vessels of Arabs trading regularly with
Political A., December 1803, No*. 809-810. these islands and having a dwelling on
shore, which entitled them to fly the
French flag on their vessels, which protected them from all interference from
British cruisers, even when carrying a slave cargo (See Colouel Playfair’s
report, September 18G3).
218. The Arabs sought the French flag all the more eagerly as affording
them more protection than did even the British flag to British Indian subjects
or subjects of Indian Native States, since through the British flag generally
afforded presumption that the vessel flying it was not a slave trading one,
it did not save them from search by British vessels, while the French
flag saved the vessels flying it from every interference from British cruisers as
also from French cruisers, which were boldom seen in Indian waters. On the
other hand, the French authorities were no less eager to extend the use of this
flag as a means of extension of their influence over a body of active traders in
East Africa and Arabia.
219. When reporting in his No. B. 1—30, dated 10th April 1869, the
destruction of 16 slaving dhows by the Nymphe the Officiating Political
Agent, Zanzibar, Dr. Kirk, wrote:—
" Captain Meade tells mo that to the south almost every dhow is now uoder the French
flag; that when la6t year orly live dhows with French Hag wr-ro 6een by the Bytnvhe during
her cruise in the 6ame ports, this year there are fifty j and tnat so well do iho natives know
th* jeah-usy with which Fiance protect- her rights, that dhow owners told him plainly that he
hud no right to touch them if even they had a cargo of slaves, politely showing their papers at
the 6ame time. These papers he found in all cases drawn up regularly. There is uo doubt
that vtry soon the French flag will be the only one in use on this coast, giving as it does
perfeot protection alike to the honest traders and the regular slavr-rs”.
220. In sending on the paper to the Secretary of State, the Government
of India drew attention to this remark
Political A., June 1869, No*. 76—78.
(despatch No. 183, dated 10th June 1869.)
221. Regarding the improper use of
Secret, Jane, No*. 224—223.
this flag Sir Bartlo Frere wrote in 1873—
,f Nothing is further from my wish than to throw Her Majesty's Government into a
controversy with that of France as to the wisdom or good intentions with which the regulationt
for the issuing of the French flag were framed. I would wish ouly to imnress on Her
Majesty’s Government that those regulations have, in my opinion, and in the opinion of those
who are perhaps better qualified than myself to judge in such a manner, failed in their object.
Ae at times on this coast the Biitish flae is sometimes unfortunately used when the dhow
which bear* it carries slaves, so unquestionably the French flag occasionally cover slave-
tiado. But toh'at is the difference. While our cruisers examine every dhow under British colours
which they come across, they pass the French flog by unquestioned. And can we doubt that
the ounning trader, Arab or Indian, will prefer the flag which offers immunity from search
as the one undnr which he will carry on the greater part of his contraband traffic. There is
one remedy for this, and one only’. It is one which I proceed to put an end to the abuse
of the Turkish flug in North Eastern African waters, and one which applies equally in the
present case. Let the French Government be urged to negotiate with ns a short treaty or
Sic !□ origin*!. engagement giving our cruisers power to examine
, _ but not destroy (dhows?) (merchant vessels) under
their flag t'oding between the east coast of Africa, tho adjacent islands, Madagascar and eastern