CORRESPONDENCE.
SOME DIFFICULTIES OF ANTI-SLAVERY.
[TO THE EDITOR OP THZ " EIPEOZAT013:]
Stn,—At frequently recurring periods correspondence appears in the Press on the subject of the slave traffic on the East African littoral. When the enormous sums expended by this country are remembered, not only for the extirpation of this hideous business, but in subsidies to make it worth the while of native potentates to discountenance its continuance, a plain man may well be excused for wondering whether we get our money's worth. As far as the inland trade in slaves is con- cerned, the difficulties in the way of enforcing our wishes will be universally recognised, nor will much wonder be expressed that the growth of freedom is so slow. But when we are con- fronted with the steady continuance of oversea freightage of human beings, in spite of all our efforts to end it, notwith- standing our fine array of vessels devoted to the good work, our superior energy, navigation, and humanity, we are bound to show grievous disappointment, as well as feel tempted to. believe that there is a screw loose somewhere.
A familiar illustration of Bunyan's may serve somewhat aptly to enforce attention to one of the chief causes of our failure to suppress the slave trade not only in East Africa but in Polynesia. We all remember the unextinguishable fire secretly fed by a constant supply of oil, so that in spite of all the water poured upon it the blaze mounted merrily. It is the case of the slave trade in a nutshell. While we alone of European nations are endeavouring faithfully to carry out the resolutions agreed to by all of them, we have not only no assistance from any other country, but active though veiled opposition from Frenchmen in powerful positions. One would not say from France, since it would be obviously unjust thus to accuse a nation, a great and generous nation, because of the ill-deeds of some of her misrepresentatives abroad. Never- theless it is hardly realised at home how great is the annoyance experienced by naval officers when after a long, hard chase in the fall blaze of a merciless vertical sun a dhow is caught, and at the moment of running alongside a filthy Tricolour is flaunted amid the sardonic grins of the wolvish Arabs forming her crew. The groans of the tortured miserables, suffering unspeakable horrors in the Black Hole below, are plainly audible; Jack unpacks his heart with words, but his hands are tied. It should be possible to discover the secret sources of such dishonourable, detestable bartering of what should be the most precious thing to a high-spirited people,—the tegis of their flag.
Without such assistance the difficulties in the way of our seamen are greater than can be easily realised by comfortable• citizens at home. To see a steam-launch return to the guard- ship at Zanzibar after several days' absence, spent in exploring creeks reeking with pestilential vapours, the patient crews exposed by day to a blazing furnace, by night to a vapour-bath• of poisonous dews, until they resemble closely the miserable creatures they have been seeking to save, is to realise faintly the horrible conditions of this service to mankind. But to• find a dhow some 30ft. long and of the shallowest draught packed with a hundred mockeries of the human form laid side by side like sardines in a tin, dead and living mingled in one unspeakable stench, makes these brave fellows forget their own• miseries in the joy of their success.
Unfortunately such captures are rare, and are becoming rarer, for since the immense coast-line of Madagascar has fallen under French domination the area infested by Arab- dhows engaged in slaving under French colours has largely increased. Our squadron is necessarily limited in numbers, but if it were twice as numerous it could do no better work unless the right of search were conceded by France and the presence of slaves on board a dhow held to be sufficient reason for her capture, no matter what flag she flew.
Nor is it in Africa alone that the same problem awaits solution : how to suppress the slave trade in the face of secret European assistance. For in Polynesia the French convict centre at Noumea, New Caledonia, has long been infamous as the headquarters of the kidnapper," blackbirder," labour trader, or slaver, whose operations, call them by what name we will, consist simply of stealing human beings and selling them for what they will fetch in the market.
It is not possible to deny that the energetic action of our Government, backed up by the drastic sentences meted out by Colonial officials to offenders brought before them, has done much to cleanse the Pacific of the white scoundrels who infested it. Many of them closed their unclean career within the walls of Darlinghurst Gaol on the scaffold, many more exchanged their freedom to prey upon their fellow-creatures among the fairest scenes of creation for lifelong seclusion within the same prison. But many more found it both con- venient and profitable to register their vessels at Noumea, themselves as French citizens, so that thenceforward the gleam of St. George's ensign at the peak of a trim schooner or smart gunboat only raised a sarcastic grin upon their bronzed faces, instead of an awkward sensation of stiffness about the neck. All so beautifully simple too! No idiotic papers to fill up, no lazy scoundrel of an interpreter to carry for the purpose of explaining to the natives the nature of their contract! No need to make believe very much that Lhey were carrying on a legitimate, respectable passenger business. No : simply to procure a load of "labour" by any means found necessary, and to sail with it to Noumea. On the passage, should any inquisitive British man-of-war heave in sight, up with the Tricolour and smile to see "Andrew" sheer off disgustedly, knowing exactly how the case stands.
Arriving at Noumea, each naked Kanaka receives a shirt, and a tin label which is suspended round the neck. Thus adorned the crowd is marched up to the market and there disposed of openly without any attempt to conceal the fact that the whole proceedings are in defiance of international agreement, as well as a flagrant example of national dis- honour. It is sometimes said, bat unjustly, that the coolie traffic between the East and West Indies is quite as bad as the trade in Africans and Polynesians. No doubt many features of the transmission of coolies might very well be amended, but when the worst is said the truth remains that every precaution is taken to acquaint a by no means stupid class of people with all the conditions of their emigration. The vessels in which they are carried are carefully over- hauled, their food is minutely surveyed, and every care taken of their health. Above all, there is no secrecy. Everything is as public as it can be made. The result is by no means unsatisfactory. To compare, therefore, the East Indian .coolie trade with the vile traffic in real slaves carried on in East Africa and Polynesia is an abuse of language, and goes far to prove the exceeding badness of the latter case.—
a am, Sir, &c., X.
Previous page
