successors never to cede, sell, or mortgage, or otherwise give for occupation, save to the British Government, the island of Socotra or any of its dependencies the neighbouring islands.

The area of the island of Socotra is about 1,000 square miles; its population, mostly Bedouin, about 5,000 souls. The revenues, which are collected in kind, amount to about 320 dollars.

The Sultan receives a salute of nine guns.

No. LXXXIII.

TRANSLATION of AGREEMENT with the SULTAN of SOCOTRA.

First the said Sultans do promise and agree to the British Government landing and storing on any part of the sea coast of the Island of Socotra any quantity of coals or other articles which may be sent now or hereafter from the British Government of India to be deposited on the Island.

Secondly, Captain Daniel Ross on the part of His Excellency the Right Honourable the Governor-General do promise that there shall be no interference with the laws and customs of the Island of Socotra or with the interior of the Island, or shall the inhabitants of such parts where the coals are deposited be ill-treated by the English vessels visiting the Island with the coals.

TRANSLATION of AGREEMENT entered into by the SULTAN of SOCOTRA.

Praise be to God alone!

The object of writing this lawful and honorable bond is that it is hereby covenanted and agreed between Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, on the one part, and Brigadier-General John William Schneider, the Governor of Aden, on behalf of the British Government, on the other part, that the said Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, does pledge and bind himself, his heirs and successors, never to cede, to sell, to mortgage, or otherwise give for occupation, save to the British Government, the Island of Socotra or any of its dependencies-the neighbouring islands.

In consideration of the above covenant, the said Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, has received from BrigadierGeneral John William Schneider, the Governor of Aden, on behalf of himself, his heirs, and successors, an immediate payment of $3,000 (three thousand), and he, his heirs and successors, shall further receive from the British Government a yearly subsidy of $360 (three hundred and sixty), it being understood

that this stipend imposes on the aforesaid Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, his heirs and successors, the obligation of rendering assistance to any vessel, whether belonging to the British or any other nation, that may be wrecked on the Island of Socotra, or on its dependencies-the neighbouring islands, and of protecting the crew, the passengers, and the cargo thereof, for which acts of friendship and good will towards the British Government a suitable reward will also be given to Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, and to his heirs and successors after him.

In token of the conclusion of this lawful and honorable bond Ali bin Abdulla bin Salem bin Saad bin Afreer, Sultan of Socotra, and BrigadierGeneral John William Schneider, the Governor of Aden, the former for himself, his heirs and successors, and the latter on behalf of the British Government, do each, in the presence of witnesses, affix their signatures on this twentysixth day of Zilhujjeh (A.H.) 1292, corresponding with the 23rd day of January (A.D.) 1876.

Ratified by His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India

at Calcutta on the first day of March 1876.

ZANZIBAR.

THE island of Zanzibar and the greater part of the eastern coast of Africa were conquered by the Portuguese in the beginning of the sixteenth century. Driven to despair by the tyranny of their rulers, the inhabitants of Mombassa, in 1698, invited the assistance of the Imam of Muscat, who expelled the Portuguese and put many of them to the sword. It was not till 1784, however, in the time of Ahmed bin Saced, that the Muscat Arabs established a permanent footing in the island of Zanzibar, and even for many years afterwards till the accession of Syud Saeed in 1807 the subjection of Zanzibar was little more than nominal.

In 1746 the people of Mombassa threw off allegiance to Muscat, elected Sheikh Ahmed as their Sultan, and maintained their independence till 1823, when fearing the aggression of Syud Saeed, Suleiman bin Ali El-Mazrui, the Sultan of Mombassa, with the consent of the people, put himself under British protection. On 7th February 1824 a Convention was concluded with him, by which the port of Mombassa and its dependencies, including the island of Pemba and the coast between Melinda and the river Pangani, were placed under the protectorate of Great Britain. This engagement, however, was not ratified and in 1828 the ruler of Muscat sent a force against Mombassa which surrendered to him.

The Zanzibar dominions extend from Toonger, the frontier of the Portuguese territory south of Cape Delgado, about 660 miles northward along the coast. In 1844 Syud Saeed of Muscat appointed his son, Syud Khalid, as his deputy and successor in Zanzibar, and his son, Syud Thoweynee, in Muscat. Syud Khalid died in 1854, and Syud Saeed appointed a younger son, Syud Majid, to succeed him.

On the death of Syud Saeed in 1856, his successor, Syud Thoweynee, laid claim to Zanzibar. He concluded an engagement, however, with his brother, Syud Majid, by which the latter was left in possession of the African dominions, subject to an annual payment of 40,000 crowns. A dispute soon arose regarding the nature of this payment and whether it implied the dependence of Zanzibar on Muscat. War was threatened, but both parties were persuaded to refer the question to the arbitration of the Governor-General of India and

to abide by his decision. A Commission was appointed to investigate the case. On the evidence obtained by this Commission, Lord Canning gave an award (No. LXXXV.), to which both parties agreed, viz., that Syud Majid should be declared ruler of Zanzibar and the African dominions of the late Syud Saeed and be subject to an annual payment, with arrears, of 40,000 crowns in perpetuity to Muscat, which payment was not to be considered as implying the dependence of Zanzibar on Muscat.

On the death of Syud Thoweynee and succession of Syud Salim in 1866 (see Muscat, p. 77), Sultan Majid protested against the continuance of the subsidy on the ground that the engagement was personal to Syud Thoweynee, and that Syud Salim as a parricide could not legally succeed his father. These arguments were untenable: the former because by the terms of the award each successor of Syud Thoweynee was entitled to claim the subsidy from Zanzibar, and the latter because Syud Salim was de facto ruler of Muscat and had been recognized as such by the British Government. Syud Majid was therefore required to pay up the subsidy with arrears; this he expressed his willingness to do through the medium of the British Government. Accordingly in May 1868 the arrears due to Muscat were paid into the Bombay treasury, and made over to Syud Salim after deducting the sums advanced to him in anticipation of the payment of the subsidy.

Syud Majid died in October 1870 and was succeeded by his brother, Syud Burghash, the present Sultan of Zanzibar. In 1859 Syud Burghash had openly rebelled against his brother, to whom the aid of British troops was given. He then surrendered and entered into a formal agreement with Syud Majid to quit Zanzibar, not to plot against him, and always to act according to the advice of the British Government. After some delay, during which he again endeavoured to resist his brother's authority, Syud Burghash proceeded to Bombay. He was subsequently permitted by Syud Majid to return to Zanzibar and remained there without attempting to weaken his brother's authority, though the latter steadily refused to be reconciled to him, until his accession to power.

By the arrangement now in force the payment of the subsidy to Syud Toorkee, the present ruler of Muscat, is guaranteed by the British Government, but the Sultan of Zanzibar has not been formally relieved of the obligation imposed upon him by Lord Canning's award.