British
Legation, Washington, April 6,
1872. (Received April 8.)
[Inclosure 1.]
Agreement between Great Britain and Muscat
for the suppression of slave-trade. Signed at Zanzibar
October 2, 1845.
Agreement between Her Majesty the Queen of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Highness,
Saeid Saeid bin Sultan, the Sultan of Muscat, for the
termination of the export of slaves from the African dominions
of His Highness the Sultan of Muscat.
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, being earnestly desirous that the export of slaves from
the African dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muscat
should cease, and His Highness the Sultan of Muscat, in
deference to the wishes of Her Majesty and of the British
nation, and in furtherance of the dictates of humanity, which
have heretofore induced him to enter into engagements with Great
Britain to restrict the export of slaves from his dominions,
being willing to put an end to that trade; and Her Majesty the
Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and
His Highness the Sultan of Muscat, having resolved to record
with due form and solemnity this further restriction of the
export of slaves, and Her Majesty having given due authority to
Captain Hamerton, her representative at the court of the Sultan
of Muscat, to conclude an agreement with His Highness
accordingly, His Highness Saeid Saeid bin Sultan, for himself,
his heirs an successors, and Captain Hamerton, on behalf of the
Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, her
heirs and successors, have agreed upon and concluded the
following articles:
- Article I. His Highness the
Sultan of Muscat hereby engages to prohibit, under the
severest penalties, the export of slaves from his
African dominions, and to issue orders to his officers
to prevent and suppress such trade.
- Article II. His Highness the
Sultan of Muscat further engages to prohibit, under the
severest penalties, the importation of slaves from any
part of Africa into his possessions in Asia, and to use
his utmost influence with all the chiefs of Arabia, the
Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf, in like manner to prevent
the introduction of slaves from Africa into their
respective territories.
- Article III. His Highness
the Sultan of Muscat grants to the ships of Her
Majesty’s navy, as well as to those of the East India
Company, permission to seize and confiscate any vessels
the property of His Highness or of his subjects carrying
on slave-trade, excepting only such as are engaged in
the transport of slaves from one part to another of his
own dominious in Africa, between the port of Lamos to
the north, and its dependencies, the northern limit of
which is the north point of Kuzhoo Island, in 1° 57ʹ
south latitude, and the port of Keelwa to the south, and
its dependencies, the southern limit of which is Songa
Manara, or Pagoda Point, in 9° 2ʹ south latitude,
including the islands of Zanzibar, Pembao, and
Monfea.
- Article IV. This agreement
to commence and have effect from the 1st day of January,
1847, of the year of Christ, and 15th day of the month
of Mohunum, 1283 of the Hegira.
Done at Zanzibar this 2d day of October, 1845, of the year of
Christ, and 29th day of Ramzan, 1261 of the Hegira.
SAEID SAEID BIN SULTAN
, [
l. s.]
Imaun of
Muscat.
ATKINS HAMERTON, Captain,
On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, her heirs
and successors.
