HC Deb 29 November 1888 vol 331 cc502-3
MR. A. E. PEASE (York)

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any confirmation of the announcement in The Times of November 17, to the following effect:— The Belgian steamer Brabo, taking 100 slaves intended for the Congo, was boarded off the Zanzibar coast to-day (November 16) by a party from H.M.S. Griffon, and two slaves were taken from her who swore that they had been forcibly kidnapped. She was then allowed to proceed. Had she been arrested, the primâ facie evidence against her was very strong. There is a great scandal about this incident, especially as all the arrangements were made through a former Belgian Consul; if so, whether the labourers who were not taken off the vessel were slaves, who had been transferred from their masters to the persons who hired them for transport to the Congo; whether it was the duty of the commander of H.M.S. Griffon to arrest the vessel, in order that she might be adjudicated upon in Belgium, according to the terms of Slave Trade Treaties with that country; and, whether Her Majesty's Government intend to take any steps in the matter?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)

Information has been received by telegraph that Her Majesty's ship Griffon boarded the Belgian steamer Brabo, carrying a cargo of contract labourers engaged on behalf of the Congo Free States, and took out of her two men who declared that they had been embarked against their will. The ship then proceeded on her voyage. No further details are known; but the ship was not liable to capture under the Treaty as being engaged in the traffic of slaves, or being fitted out for purposes of slave-trading. The Belgian Minister has communicated copies of the labour contracts, which contain every requisite provision against compulsion. Accordingly, instructions have been sent that the two men shall be handed over to the Belgian Consul.

MR. A. E. PEASE

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he could inform the House how many slaves a vessel might have on board in order to come under the designation of being a ship carrying slaves?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

replied that no limit had been, or could be, stated. A vessel engaged in slave trading within the terms of the Treaty would be condemned; but there was no ground for supposing the Brabo so engaged in any sense.