§ THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYMy Lords, on the 11th of July of last year, I put a Question to the Lord President of the Council in these words—
Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government, on assuming the occupation and administration of Cyprus, to maintain or suppress, as has been done in Her Majesty's dominions in India, the system of slavery now existing in the Island?And to this Question I received the following Answer:—I have to state that Sir Garnet Wolseley leaves this country to-morrow for Cyprus; and when he arrives there it will be his duty to make full inquiry and investigation into all the institutions of the Island and everything connected with them. When that is done he will make a Report to Her Majesty's Government as to the state of things he has found in Cyprus; and having received such a Report from him, Her Majesty's Government will then be in a position to state the course they intend to take."—[3 Hansard, ccxli. 1224.]I venture to repeat the Question, because a whole year has elapsed and no Report from the Governor of Cyprus has as yet been laid on your Lordships' Table. Now, the Question is of importance, not only as touching Slavery in general, but as to the alleged fact that it is existing in Cyprus under British rule. I know perfectly well that no Slave Trade openly exists, and that no such thing as a slave market is to be found in any part of the Turkish Empire. That system has long been abolished. But the sale and purchase of slaves are still carried on extensively by private agents and in private houses; and, indeed, constituted as Turkish society is, Slavery is as necessary and indispensable to the Empire—especially among the wealthier classes—as is the Sultan himself. Now, as Cyprus was for centuries under Turkish rule, the probability is that a similar system prevails, and that it is fed by large importations of slaves from East Africa and the Red Sea—for which latter traffic Turkey is specially responsible, as it is mainly conducted at Jeddah, a port in the Red Sea belonging to the Sultan of Turkey. From all quarters there are imported, as I am informed, some 70,000 slaves every year. None are imported for prædial or agricultural purposes. The women are imported as 1398 servants for the harems, and the men for other duties, for which they are previously fitted by the most cruel and disgusting mutilations. There is also a large and equally disgusting traffic in white slaves in the very centre of Turkey itself. Circassian slavery was put down by the Russians; but the Circassians who immigrated into Turkey have maintained their old habits, and sell their sons and daughters to the highest bidders among the sensualists of Turkey. Now, this domestic Slavery may prevail in Cyprus. If Cyprus be still under Turkish law, it is highly probable—certainly possible. I trust, therefore, to learn from Her Majesty's Government whether, as Cyprus has now passed under British rule, they will not, following the precedent of the law enacted in India in 1843, decree the total and immediate abolition of Slavery, whether external or domestic.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, the promise referred to by my noble Friend who has just addressed the House was given by my noble Friend behind me (the Duke of Richmond and Gordon) last year during my absence from this country. I really did not know that such a Report had been promised, and it has never been drawn up by Sir Garnet Wolseley. With regard to a general Report on the subject, there would be no objection to its production if any had been sent home; but I have received the most distinct and categorical statements, both from Sir Garnet Wolseley and Colonel Biddulph, that involuntary servitude does not exist in Cyprus. It is stated so positively by persons who must know that I think there can be no doubt that the fact is as they state. If my noble Friend recalls to his mind for a moment the state of the legislation in the Turkish Empire, he will see that, wherever the Turkish law is honestly enforced, Slavery is not likely to exist. It is, unfortunately, a fact that the cases in which it is so enforced are very rare. The White Slave Trade to which my noble Friend has alluded was abolished by a Decree of the Sultan in 1854, and the Black Slave Trade was abolished in 1857. Every person who landed in the Turkish Empire after those dates in a state of slavery became free by the action of the law. My noble Friend has justly stated that Slavery in Turkey has been almost entirely confined 1399 to, or connected with, harem life. It is obvious that men treated in the manner which my noble Friend glanced at are not likely to be long-lived; and as there has been no legal importation of them since 1857, it is probable that there are not many of those slaves now in existence. As to the women, they are of little value when they become old; and as it has been the custom in many parts of Turkey, and I presume in Cyprus, to manumit slaves when they get old, and as all who were imported after 1857 became free, I do not think that, at the present time, there is any person suffering servitude in Cyprus. With respect to the rest of the Turkish Empire, I agree with my noble Friend that there is reason to fear that the state of things—especially at Jeddah—is deplorable. We have made the most earnest remonstrances to the Turkish Government to employ Governors who shall honestly carry out the Turkish laws, and put a stop to the horrible traffic which goes on across the Bed Sea. We have very nearly concluded a Convention which will give us a right of search at the Red Sea, and which, but for the present Ministerial crisis in Constantinople, would, I think, have been already signed. We shall spare no efforts to carry out the Convention, and put a stop to that which, I believe, is now the sole supply channel of Slavery in the Turkish Empire—or, at all events, the main one. With respect more particularly to Cyprus, I can only repeat the assurance that Slavery does not exist there. When I saw the Notice of my noble Friend on the Paper I thought he might have some facts which might show that the contrary is the case; and I am very glad to find that he has nothing of the kind. The oppressed in all parts of the world find their way to the noble Earl; and if there were the slightest indication given to us which should induce us to believe that any person is kept in servitude in Cyprus against his will, we should act without hesitation, and without delay. My noble Friend may be quite satisfied, however, that nothing of the kind exists.
§ THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYDoes the noble Marquess really say that there is no importation of slaves into Turkey at the present time?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYNo, there is an illegal importation to an 1400 enormous extent into Turkey; but it was absolutely prohibited by the Firman of 1857. This is only one of many instances which show that, if the Turkish law were properly carried out, matters would go on very fairly in that country; but the neglect of the Administration to carry out their own laws gives rise to the present evils.
§ THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYShould her Majesty's Government discover, upon further inquiry, that there is anything of the sort in Cyprus, will they proceed to introduce the Indian legislation, in order promptly to put it down?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYCertainly.