Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/542

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THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — EAST AFRICA

which they are the accused or defendants. By a declaration signed December 16, 1892, the Sultan has delegated to the British Agent and Consul-General his right to try all cases in which a British subject is plaintiff or accuser, and the defendant or accused is a Zanzibar subject or the subject of a non-Christian state without a treaty. The British Court has also jurisdiction over all slaves originally freed by her Majesty's Agent and Consul General, but as the legal status of slavery was abolished on the 6th April, 1897, the relations between master and slave are no longer recognised by the Tribunals. Most of the civil cases are brought into the British Court, from which there is an appeal to the Bombay High Court. To it also pertains admiralty jurisdiction with reference to the slave trade, and it is a naval prize court, by virtue of the Zanzibar (Prize) Order in Council, 1888.

Finance and Commerce.

The revenue of the Sultan was mainly derived from customs dues and taxes on produce, chiefly cloves. Under the new arrangement with England the Sultan's privy purse, which will be kept separate from the general revenue of the country, has been fixed at about 120,000 rupees annually, and the remainder of the revenue will be devoted to the charges for police, harbour improvements, and public works. All the public expenditure must receive the sanction of the Sultan and the British Agent and Consul-General.

There is a regular army of about 900 men, including police, under the command of General Raikes.

In 1896 the imports amounted to 1,275,470Z., and in 1897 to 1,399,078Z. ; in 1896 the exports amounted to 1,158,806^., and in 1897 to 1,189,668Z. The figures include the trade between the port of Zanzibar and other ports in the Sultan's dominions. The chief imports and exports and distribution of trade were as follows in the last two years : —

Imports

Imports

Exports

Exports

(1896)

(1897)

(1896)

(1897)

£

£

£,

£

Cloves ....

85,695

91,942

102,045

92,416

Rice

85,293

103,410

59,738

62,098

I'iece goods

349,484

346,451

336,299

322,741

Ivory

126,429

108,592

127,109

134,007

Coal

53,167

70,428

—

—

Copra, &c.

37,734

42,933

64,802

65,814

Groceries

54,961

64,353

—

—

Rubber

16,609

31,028

17,569

29,470

From or to —

United Kingdom

118,022

159,894

129,199

162,422

British India.

385,537

401,263

118,739

97,803

British East Africa.

45,016

43,548

111,946

106,267

Germany ....

64,597

91,726

41,647

34,591

German East Africa.

202,813

227,029

413,492

412,209

France ....

17,566

25,341

78,256

76,341

Zanzibar and Pemba

134,331

143,687

67,424

81,161

In the year 1897, 150 vessels of 245,368 tons (other than coasting vessels) entered the port, including 48 vessels of 75,039 tons British,