Abstract: Covering letter with a number of enclosures:An extract of paragraph 2 from a despatch (f 7) from the Honourable Committee, dated 28 November 1850, which makes reference to a letter from Lord Palmerston of 27 November 1850 (f 8), relating to a conference held with the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires, on the suppression of the slave trade in the Portuguese dominions on the coast of East Africa;An extract of a letter (f 8) from Lord Palmerston, Foreign Office, London, to Sir John Hobhouse, dated 27 November 1850, relating to the extension of an agreement made in 1847 between British and Portuguese government ministers, for British cruisers to patrol the coastal waters of the Portuguese dominions in East Africa where no Portuguese authorities are yet established, for slave trading activity;A protocol of a conference relating to the slave trade on the east coast of Africa (ff 9-10), held at the Foreign Office on the 19 November 1850. The protocol outlines an agreement between British and Portuguese government ministers, for British cruisers to patrol the coastal waters of the Portuguese dominions in East Africa where no Portuguese authorities are yet established, for slave trading activity;A letter (ff 11-12) from Edward Stanley of Alderley, to John Parker, First Secretary to the Admiralty, dated 23 November 1850. The letter encloses a copy of the Protocol of Conference (ff 13-15) held between His Lordship Viscount Palmerston and the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires, recording the renewal of the protocol for a further three years;Copy of the Protocol of Conference, held at the Foreign Office on the 12 August 1847. The original wording of the protocol states that Britain felt that 'great facilities' for slave trading existed along unpoliced stretches of the Portuguese East African coast, and an agreement made between the two countries permitted British naval vessels to 'pursue and capture' those vessels suspected of trading in slaves. The original agreement was made for a period of three years (1847-50).Physical description: 10 folios
Abstract: The file consists of a selection of correspondence sent from the Political Department of the Bombay Government to the Resident in the Persian Gulf during 1838; Samuel Hennell took up the position of Resident during that year. The subject matter covered includes the kidnapping of slaves from the Burburra [Berbera] coast; a British military expedition to the Persian Gulf; and the seizure of a boat belonging to Porbandar by the Mahara [Al-Maharah] Arabs of Wadi.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The item level references for the file utilise the folio numbers.Pagination: The file also contains an original pagination sequence written in ink; these numbers are located in the top outermost corner of each page.
Abstract: The journal of the East India Company ship
Buteby Captain Maitland Commander. The journal contains:‘A List of Officers Seamen & c. on Board the Ship’ (ff 2-4) and ‘A List of the Hon:ble Companies Soldiers for Madrass’ (ff 5-6)The journal also includes daily entries for the voyage (dates given are those of arrival) from Blackwall to Gravesend (9 January 1767), the Downs (3 March 1767), Isle of Wight (10 March 1767), Island of Madeira (26 March 1767), Island of Palma [Las Palmas de Gran Canaria] (30 March 1767), Island of Antonio [Ilha de Santo Antão] (9 April 1767) and Rio de Janeiro (6 June 1767)The entries for the voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Cape L’Agullas [Cape Agulhas] (3 August 1767), Bassas d’India [Bassas da India] (29 August 1767), Island of Mayotta [Mayotte] (9 September 1767), Island of Comero [Comoros] (13 September 1767) and Bombay [Mumbai] (14 October 1767)The entries for the voyage from Bombay to Tellicherry [Thalassery] (15 December 1767) and Callicut [Kozhikode] (22 December 1767)The entries for the voyage from Callicut to Cannanore [Kannur] (28 December 1767), Tellicherry (30 December 1767), Alguarda Fort [Fort Aguada] (7 January 1768) and Bombay (12 January 1768)The entries for the voyage from Bombay to Surat (20 February 1768), Island of Socratora [Socotra] (22 April 1768), Cape Guardafoy [Guardafui] (24 April 1768), Cape St Peters (26 April 1768), Cape St Anthony (30 April 1768), Babelmandel [Bab al-Mandab Strait] (1 May 1768) and Mocha (2 May 1768)The entries for the voyage from Mocha to the Island of Babelmandel [Jazirat Mayyun] (24 August 1768), Cape Aden (25 August 1768) and Bombay (9 September 1768) andThe entries for the voyage from Bombay to Fort Victoria (8 December 1768), Cape Basses (24 December 1768), Cape Delgada (3 January 1769), Mosambique [Mozambique] (6 January 1769), Cape Corientes [Cape Correntes] (17 January 1769), Table Land (7 February 1769), St Helena (22 February 1769), Island of Assension [Ascension Island] (20 March 1769), Margate (29 May 1769), Gravesend (31 May 1769) and Blackwall (15 June 1769).The journal contains daily entries in six columns: H [Hour]; Courses, K [Knots]; F [Fathoms]; Winds & etc.; and Week Day, Calendar Date and Observations. The entries consist of remarks only when the ship is at anchor. The journal provides navigational information, notes on the sightings of other vessels, and observations made during the voyages. The Captain mentions various forms of corporal punishment meted out to the soldiers, and a number of clashes with fleets of ‘Cooley boats’ (vessels operated by Kolis) in north-western India. He also mentions taking on board Arabian horses and bags of freight treasure at Mocha in Yemen.Physical description: The foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 1, and terminates at f 152; it is part of a larger physical volume of different shelfmarks in which this shelfmark has been given its own separate foliation sequence, i.e. non-consecutive; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: Taylor reports that a number of boats from Soor [Sur] and Muscat, have tried to land 50 to 60 slaves in the region, first at Mohammerah [Khorramshahr], and then at a village called Perajie, for import into Ottoman territory.Physical description: 1 folio
Abstract: Hennell writes of his frustrations of Persia not being a signatory to any maritime slave trade suppression treaties with Great Britain, offering his own remarks on the subject to Sheil. He states that the best option for preventing slaves reaching Persia is to cut off the supply from Zanzibar and Muscat, with the assistance of those dominions' rulers.Physical description: 2 folios
Abstract: Covering letter to an enclosure: a translated extract of a letter from Moollah Houssein [Mullā Husayn], the British agent at Sharjah, to Hennell, dated 28 May 1851. In his report, Houssein states that he knows all those boats on the Trucial coast departing for Africa, and describes the methods they employ in bringing slaves back from Africa, including landing at Soor [Sur] to monitor the situation, and landing further up the Batinah coast at night to drop slaves off, from which they are transported by land to the towns of the Trucial coast.Physical description: 2 folios
Abstract: Hennell acknowledges receipt of Porter's previous letter, expressing regret that Lt Leeds' report suggests that all the vessels arriving back on the Batinah Coast from Zanzibar with slaves had arrived prior to the arrival of the Honourable Company's schooner
Constance.Physical description: 1 folio
Abstract: Covering letter, enclosing a copy of correspondence (not included in the file) from Commodore J. P. Porter, Commanding Indian Naval Squadron, itself enclosing an extract from a letter written by the Officer Commanding the Honourable Company schooner
Constance, reporting the return to the Batinah Coast of Arab vessels to and from Zanzibar. Hennell notes that the existing maritime treaties between the Arab coast rulers and the British Government do not cover slaves being landed and sold in the Arab territories, and that the profits that can be made by Arab slave traders outweigh the risks they take of British capture.Physical description: 1 folio
Abstract: Hennell informs Sheil that amongst those vessels deployed in the slave trade by inhabitants of the Arab coast, was a bugla [boat] from a Persian port ('Mogoo'), which landed 60 slaves on the Persian coast.Physical description: 1 folio
Abstract: Letter enclosing a translated communication from the British Agent at Sharjah (Mullā Husayn), reporting in detail on the slaves imported into the Arab coast of the Gulf this season. Hennell writes that the Agent has knowledge of 495 slaves being imported, but fears the number may be much more. The enclosure contains detailed information of individual slave traders, their boats, the number of slaves transported, and where they were landed.Physical description: 3 folios
Abstract: Hennell states that the British Agent at Sharjah (Mullā Husayn) reports in a late communication that 75 slaves were landed at Mogoo on the Persian Coast, and not 60 as previously stated (f 22). Hussein also reports that a bugla [boat] belonging to a Persian subject from Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] has returned from the African coast with 45 slaves.Physical description: 1 folio
Abstract: Hennell writes in reference to Lt Leeds' letter which reports of two slaves being taken on board the Honourable Company's schooner
Constance. Hennell writes that, under the maritime treaties signed with the Arab rulers, there is no authority to interfere with slaves boarding ships, and as such it is not recommended to receive slaves on board British vessels. Hennell also recommends the two slaves mentioned by Leeds be forwarded to Bombay. Also included is a note on the use of interpreters on board British vessels.Physical description: 1 folio