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Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

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INTRODUCTION.<br />

S<br />

could but view with alarm the tendency that<br />

appeared <strong>in</strong> India to allow those clauses <strong>in</strong> the<br />

treaties to be stretched almost to any extent<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>terpretation. Further, they learnt, with<br />

astonishment, that this trade was be<strong>in</strong>g openly<br />

carried on by British subjects (of India), and,<br />

moreover, that <strong>in</strong> case of any <strong>in</strong>terference with<br />

their <strong>in</strong>terests these people possessed the power<br />

of arous<strong>in</strong>g dangerous agitation <strong>in</strong> public op<strong>in</strong>ion<br />

<strong>in</strong> India. <strong>The</strong>se officers found that by giv<strong>in</strong>g<br />

offence to any of the petty local sovereigns, by<br />

<strong>in</strong>creased firmness and decision on their part <strong>in</strong><br />

draw<strong>in</strong>g the l<strong>in</strong>e as dist<strong>in</strong>ctly as it is portrayed<br />

<strong>in</strong> the treaties, that they were regarded as<br />

affect<strong>in</strong>g the political <strong>in</strong>terests of India and<br />

endanger<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

relations between that country<br />

ajid the parasites surround<strong>in</strong>g it. As an <strong>in</strong>stance<br />

of this, I may mention that an officer<br />

connected with one of our Admiralty Courts <strong>in</strong><br />

India once said to me, at a d<strong>in</strong>ner-table, " If we<br />

go on condemn<strong>in</strong>g these vessels for hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

only a few slaves on board, we shall be hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

our supplies cut off aga<strong>in</strong> from the <strong>in</strong>terior."<br />

<strong>The</strong> result of this state of th<strong>in</strong>gs has been<br />

B 2

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