§ MR. ALFRED PEASE (York)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is aware that considerable laxity exists in allowing persons, under the name of "servants," to enter the port of Tanjier in British steamers, and also to be carried from that place for sale in the Red Sea ports; and, whether he will give such instructions to the British Minister at Tanjier to make representations to the Moorish Government, so as to induce it to take such steps as will arrest this form of the slave trade?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)No such information has reached Her Majesty's Government; but they will be glad, if the hon. Member will furnish the information on which his Question is based, to instruct Her Majesty's Minister at Tangier to make all proper inquiries, and, if necessary, to address a representation to the Moorish Government on the subject.
§ MR. ALFRED PEASE (York)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to a case, which has been noticed by the London press, of Fattah, a negro who it is stated had been working at the port of Tanjier for the last two years, and was seized on Sunday evening the 7th March (instant), and thrown into the Tanjier dungeon by the Governor, on the plea that a former master (Hddj Hamu El-Lulisheri, now a state prisoner at Fey), from whose cruelty he escaped in 1878, claimed him as part of his estate; whether he is aware that this negro was purchased ten years ago in Constantinople, carried to Gibraltar on board a British steamer, and thence transhipped to Morocco, when he fell into the hands of Hddj Hamu El-Lulisheri, the man now lying in Fey prison; whether he is aware that, although repeated and earnest representations were made, both to the Portuguese Minister, and by the Correspondent of British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society to the British Minister, Sir John Hay, 100 and, in spite of the fact that such an arrest was contrary to Moslem law, the Moorish authorities sent Fattahoff to Fey, manacled, and with a heavy iron chain round his neck; and, whether he will communicate with Sir John Hay, and secure, if possible, the immediate release and restoration to freedom of this man?
§ MR. BRYCEThe attention of the Foreign Office has not been called to the case. If my hon. Friend will state the source of his information, inquiry will be made forthwith.