Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

APPENDIX. 313
'
where tlie slaves found on board are very few
in number, are unconfined, and appear to be on
board for the purpose of loading or working the
ship, or attending upon the master or the passengers,
and there is no other evidence that the
vessel is engaged in or equipped for the slavetrade.'
"
710. " I may take it as your view that the
action of this circular to which you have referred
has been more or less to impede the squadron
in the capture of slaves ?"— " If you put it in the
future tense it will have that effect very largely,
I think. I should like to quote, as illustrating
my views on that point, a portion of my annual
Eeport of
22nd January, 1870 (it is in the Correspondence
for the year 1870) :
'
On the 6th
November, their Lordships issued " Instructions
for the Guidance of Naval Officers employed in
the Suppression of the Slave-trade."
Those instructions
forbid the detaining of vessels having
slaves on board, if
there are attendant circumstances
showing that the slaves are not being
transported for the purpose of being sold as
slaves ;
and there is added, as an example of the
nature of those circumstances, "Where the
slaves found on board are very few in
number,
are unconfined, and appear to be on board for
the purpose of loading or working the ship, or
attending upon the master or the passengers,
T