The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-06-26 00:00:00

TEr, SEYYID OF ZANZIBAR AT THE
CRYSTAL PALACE.

The Seyyid went to the Crybtal Palace on Saturday
and earlier in the day he was addressed by a deputation,
upon the subject which, of all those connected with
his rule, interests the public of Great Britain most
deeply (remarks The Times, from which the following
interesting particulars of the visit are taken).
The concurrent testimony of those who have the best
means of information is that since the treaty of 1873
Seyyid Bargkash has loyally carried out his engage-
ments to repress the slave trade. Dr. Badger said on
Saturday to the deputation of the Anti-Slavery
Society that the Seyyid had re-taken more slaves than
the British cruisers had. The Anti-Slavery Society
pointed out that, in spite of his admitted co-operation,
the slave trade has continued to flourish, though it
goes on by new routes, chiefly overland, and without
enriching our ally. He has lost £lO,OOO a. year by the
closing of the slave-market at Zanzibar, but along the
shores of which he is the nominal ruler cgravans of
starved and over-driven negro women and lads continue
to be hurried.

Among the members of the deputation were Sir J.
Kennaway, Mr. Lichard, Mr. Duncan M'Laren, and
Mr. J. Corbett, members of the House of Commons;
and Sir C. Wingfield, Mr. Samuel Gurney, Mr. H.
Ashworth, Mr. E. Sturge, Mr. R. Alsop, Mr. W.
Allen, the Rev. J. 0. Whitehouse, the Rev. A.
Buzacott. Dr. Kirk, and Dr. Badger, with Mr.
Clement Hill, were present, together with the principal
Arab chieftains who have accompanied the Seyyid.
After the deputation had been presented, and the
Seyyid had shaken hands with 'several of its members,
the following address was read by the Rev. A.
Buzacott, secretary of the Society. It had already
been translated to the Seyyid, but was now again
translated to him by Dr. Badger, in the presence of
the deputation:—

"Highness,—The members of the British and Foreign Anti
-
Slavery Society, founded many years ago for the purpose of
promoting the extinction of slavery and the slave trade
throughout the world, hail the visit of your Highness to this
country with great satisfaction, and desire to unite with
their fellow countrymen in offering to you their most cordial
welcome.

"They rejoice to be able to congratulate and to thank your
Highness for having entered into the Treaty of 1873 with
Great Britain, by which you have engaged to put an end to
the slave trade both in Zanzibar and throughout your
dominions on the east coast of Africa.

"The Anti-Slavery Committee has watched the effect of
the Treaty with the deepest interest, and although its
execution has been followed by an iifcrease of the slave
trade, by land routes in the interior of Africa, they rejoice
to know that your Highness has honourably fulfilled your
treaty obligations, though attended by large pecuniary
sacrifices on your part.
"It has often been observed, in various parts of the
world, by the Committee that the profits of the slave trade
and of slavery are very large for a time, but that they are
never found to form the basis of the permanent prosperity of
any country.

"The true and lasting prosperity of any people can only be
established by a course of conduct in accordance with the
principles of religion, justice, and humanity. .
- - - - -

_ _
" The Committee would take the liberty of calling the at-
tention of your Highness to the complaint which reaches
them from travellers passing through districts desolated by
the slave trade.

"These gentlemen report that the chief perpetrators of
these atrocities are often men whose expeditions are or-
ganised and equipped at your Highness's capital city of Zan-
zibar, and who in all cases draw their supplies from its mar-
kets. The Committee feel that it will be In accordance with
your Highness's enlightened policy to exert the power which
is in your hands to control the nefarious and cruel transac-
tions of these men.

"By your recent acts you have done much in the right
direction, and your Highness, as we conceive, has only to
take measures to bring about the complete extinction of
slavery, and to open the ports and rivers of your dominions
to all lawful commerce, in order to insure a prosperity
among your people and a flourishing state of yourzesources
such as your country has never yet known.
"By delivering your country from the enormous and com-
plicated evils of the slave trade and slavery, you gain lasting
honour to your name and reign.

"In conclusion, we would record our earnest desire that,
through the blessing of the Most High, your reign may be
peaceable and prosperous, and that all your people may be
happy and free.'

Dr. Badger then read the following translation
which he had prepared of the Seyyid's reply :

"To the Members of the British and Foreign Anti Slavery
Society.—May God preserve them, Amen !—We thank you
for the expression of your cordial welcome, and we are most
happy to have met you. As regards the abolition of the
slave trade throughout our dominion, we shall endeavour,
God willing, always to fulfil our treaty engagements with
Great Britain. Nevertheless, as you must be aware, a traffic
of very long standing, having ramifications through a vast
extent of country, cannot be eradicated at once, and we feel
assured that your society and the generous British people
will appreciate the great difficulties which we have to con-
tend with in this matter, and the loss which has accrued to
our islands through the same.

"Still we are doing our best, and are intent on causing our
people to carry it out, owing to our anxious desire to execute
the wishes of the exalted (British) Government, in conse-
quence of its uniform kindness and the gracious interest
which it has manifested in us. Again we heartily thank you, •
and we shall always reciprocate your kindnesp.

"Written in the preserved City of Londonl4lo of Jamlder-
'L-Alnval, A.ll. 1292 (June 19, 1875).
"BARGHASH-BIN-SAID."

The signature wan written by the Seyyid in the pre-
sence of the deputation an witnesses. After some re-
marks from Dr. Badger, in which he said that Dr.
Kirk, Mr. Hill, and himself, being acenainted with
the country, well knew the difficulties the Seyyid had
in any substantial interference with the slave trade in
the vast interior which is nominally undei his autho-
rity. Sir J. Kennaway expressed thanks for the recep-
tion, among so many engagements. "That is your
kindness, your benevolenee, ' was the reply; and with
similar compliments the deputation withdrew.
The Seyyid afterwards drove to Sir Bartle Frere's,
at Wimbledon, where he stayed two hours, a large
number of ladies and gentlemen being presented to
him. From Wimbledon he came on with his party to
the Crystal Palace. The inferior persons of the suite
had arrived before with the carpet and vessel for
prayer, and had been delighted with the Wiirtemberg
stuffed animals and "the sea," as they called the
Aquariums, though a little disappointed that there
was no dancing. The Seyyid's party, driving up to
the Alexandra Gate with postilions and in three car-
riages, were received by the chairman of the Crystal
Palace Company, Mr. Thomas Hughes; Mr. Bicknell,
deputy chairman ; Dr. Read, Mr. Ogilvy, Mr. lonides,
and Mr. Thomson, directors; and Mr. Wilkinson,
the general manager, and Major Flood Page,
the secretary of the company. The Engineers'
band, under Mr. Sawerthal, played the Corona-
tion March, 400 of the Greenwich Naval School boys
made a way along the nave, and between two rows,
many deep, of ladies and gentlemen, the Seyyid
marched down to the dais prepared for him in the
centre transept. Here he stood up and was loudly
cheered. He remained while Mr. Manns directed a
concert in which three bands, the great organ, and two
choirs, in all 2,500 performers, took part The Seyyid,
from his dais, could see the centre trasept filled with
summer bonnets, the nave on each side being crowded,
The red Arab flag and the banners of all nations hung
from the galleries, and there was still some sun, al-
though it was half-past seven, which fell upon the
gables of Shakespeare's house. Directly in front was
the Handel orchestra, its white and blue relieved by
the dresses of the chorus and the crimson uniform of
the Royal Engineers; and above the Handel organ
there was emblazoned in Arabic characters the Sey-
yid's own appropriate motto, "He, who openeth the
way." It is needless to say that Seyyid Barghash was
pleased with this union of colour and sound, and he
rose again after the first piece of music and waved his
hands from his eyes and forehead towards the orchestra.
After the prayer from Rossini's Afosesin Egypt had been
encored, a sharp roll of drums marked the beginning
of "God save the QueAti," which was excellently given
by all the bands and choirs, the Seyyid and all the
people standing. Then came the display of the great
fountains. The Royal Artillery band played in the
grounds under Mr. Smyth. Lord and Lady Dudley
and the principal officials of the Palace were presented
to his Highness. The Seyyid retired for a long interval
of prayer. Afterwards he was entertained at dinner
in the Queen's Corridor by the chairman and directors,
together with the five secular nobles and the priest who
were with him, Dr. and Mrs. Badger, Dr. and Mrs.
Kirk, Captain Burton (whose work on Zanzibar we
have already quoted) and Mrs. Burton, Mr. Hill, and
other ladies and gentlemen. Prayer and ablution after
meat delayed the beginning of the fireworks; but, when
they were reached, the clear night, the wind, which
kept the smoke away from the Palace, and, not least,
the great skill with which the fireworks were pre-
pared, combined to produce a perfect effect.
had ne words," the SeyyidAsaid, on leaving, "to ex-
press his sense of the great success, and he had never
seen anything like the sight of that evening in his
life." Among other things, the well-dressed crowds
impressed him very much, as he saw them swarming
in the gardens lit up by the rnagesium lights. He
said he was sure there were 35,000, although it appears
from the returns that the number was about 20,000. It
was the simultaneous discharge of 50 coloured shells
which first startled the Arab visitors out of their re-
serve, and when the coloured stars began to leap from
the brink to the centre of the fountain lakes and from
one side to the other, the strongest exclamation of sur-
prise which a Mohomedan can use was heard, "There is
• no God but Allah 1" The park and the fountains were
made visible in red, green, and silvery white, and by an
arrangement of fans, which alternately hid and revealed
the rays of light from some fires beneath the terrace,
curious shadows were thrown upon the moving clouds
of smoke. At length attention became fixed upon
the new set piece of St. Mark's, Venice. Then came
the device in honour of the Seyyid. His motto or
monogram, which had already been displayed above the
Handel orchestra, was now traced in fire, and clearly
to be read. It consists of the Arabic words ")(a Fattah,'
written backwards and forwards. It was designed from
an ancient model brought over to this country by the late
Mr. F. Ayrton, and executed by Messrs. H. S. King and
Co., who have registered it, for the special use of His
Highness. Al-Fattah is one of the 99 beautiful names
applied by Moslems to God, one. of which they gene-
rally write and invoke at the beginning of their letters.
The word means, literally, "The Opener," or "The
Conqueror," but the thought conveyed by the invoca-
tion is "Oh Thou who openest the way for Thy people,
open the way for us." His Highness could scarcely
believe that this monogram, as emblazoned over the
great organ, had been prepared since his acceptance of
the invitation of the Crystal Palace authorities. Still
more surprised was he when he saw it displayed in the
fireworks. In fact, his wonder was unbounded, and
he rose spontaneously from his seat to admire it, and,

!made visible by the light it gave, returned the greet-
ings of the spectators. Then turning to Dr. Badger,
he said, "0 Faldh "(the nearest Arabic equivalent for
Doctor of Civil Law), "this is your handiwork."
Afterwards the Seyyid asked if these pyrotechnical
displays could not be repeated at Zanzibar, and Mr.
Brock, the pyrotechnical artist, was presented to his
Highness and congratulated upon the effects he had
produced. He has already exhibited his fireworks on
the Bosphorus, and was equally ready to send out his
men to East Africa. The fireworks ended with a final
girandole of 2,000 coloured rockets, and the Seyyid
then rose, and, descending from the Queen's corridor,
proceeded up the north nave to his carriage. When
the party reached the northernmost part of the nave
they turned off into the Alhambra Court, which they
very much, and they began narrowly examin-
ing the Arabic inscriptions on the walls. 11 was half-
past ten when the Seyyid left the Palace.

THE VISIT TO WINDSOR CASTLE. -
On Monday, the Seyyid went by special train to
Windsor, where he was received by the Queen.
was not technically a State visit, and the European
gentlemen who accompanied his Highness were there-
fore in their ordinary dress ; but the Seyyid was
received on Winrisor platform by Colonel Gardiner,
one of the Royal Equerries in Waiting; and a Guard
of Honour of the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Crichton, with the drum
and fife band, presented arms. The Mayor of Wind-
sor, in his gold chain, was also present, and so were a
number of spectators, by whom the Seyyid was cheered.
The royal carriages were in waiting, andothe Seyyid's
party were conducted in them to the principal en-
trance of the Castle at the beginning of the Long
Walk, and they then drove into the Quadrangle. A
second Guard of Honour of the same battalion of
Grenadier Guards, and under Lieutenant-Colonel
Buller, presented arms as the Seyyid passed through
George I V.'s gateway into the Quadrangle. The re-
gimental band from town was stationed here, and re-
ceived the Seyyid with musical honours.
Her Majesty received the Seyyid in the Corridor,
and conducted him to the White Drawing-room. He
was presented to the Queen by the Earl of Derby.
The Queen was accompanied by the Princess Louise
and Princess Beatrice, and attended by Lord Hertford,
the Duchess of Roxburghe, and the Maids of Honour,
Major-General Ponsonby, Sir T. M. Biddulph, the
Lord, Groom, and Equerries in Waiting, and the
Master of the Hourehold. With the Seyyid of Zan-
zibar were Seyyid Hammood bin Hamid, Seyyid
Hamid bin Salyman, Seyyid Mohamad bin Hamid,
Seyyid Nasir bin Said, Shiekh Hamid bin Salyman,
Tarya Toyan. He was also accompanied by Sir Bartle
Frere, Dr. Kirk, and Mr. Clement Hill. After an
interview of about a quarter of an hour, the
Seyyid withdrew to apartments where refresh-
ments had been prepared for him, and was
conducted with his party round the Castle. He
expressed great pleasure from his visit. Next, after a
long interval, to his reception by the Queen, the
Seyyid was impressed by the beautiful and seldom-
shown collections of ancient armour and by the
marble of the Wolsey Chapel. It was intended at
one time to drive to Virginia Water, but the rainy
weather prevented the accomplishments of this plan.
The Seyyid had a second interview with Her Majesty,
at which he took his leave and returned to town by a
special train.

teen. _ILI

A correspondent has sent to the Pall Mall Gazette
the following as the Sultan's impressions of his visit
to Windsor Castle. He said,—
"I have now seen with my eyes what I have so long
desired to see, her Majesty the Queen of England. My father,
who has been taken to the mercy of the Merciful, used often
to talk to us of the Queen Victoria; but he died without see-
ing her. I now tell you why I have so often said that it was
the summit of my ambition to see the face of her Majesty.
It was this; I have met many Englishmen in my time,
not only of the Royal navy and army, but also civilians,
merchants, and travellers, and I wondered why they all
spoke of their Sovereign, not in a formal way as did the
people of other nations, but with enthusiasm and affection.
This made me mentally to liken her to that mountain of load-
stone mentioned in the 'Thousand and One Nights,' which
drew the nails out of the sides of the ships which passed
that way. Even so did the hearts of the Englishmen I have
hitherto met seem to be drawn as by a magnet to her
Majesty. I come to England and find the same hearty
loyalty pervading all classes. You saw the thou-
sands the other evening at the Crystal Palace all stand
up when the music played the Queen's Hymn. No
one tells them to stand, but they stand up of their
own accord from affection to her. And no wonder; for verily
she is the centre of all the glory, all the greatnees, all the
prosperity of this grand empire. And she is a woman, too !
Praise be to the Sovereign Creator who endows whom he will
with fitness to rule and with qualities to attract loyalty and
affection I fancied that I should have been overwhelmed
when I had the high honour of seeing the face of the Queen.
I was, indeed, wonderstruck with all the sumptuousness
which surrounded her ; but hers is the simple majesty
which captivates, not that which bewilders. Nevertheless,
she was majestic in her simplicity, and my heart wept for
her when I saw the two Princesses, her Royal daughters, by
her side, and remembered that her beloved Consort had been
taken to the mercy of God. May that great God bless her
and her Royal offspring, and the mighty people over whom
she rules ! I can say no more, for words fail me to express
what my heart feels. A thousand times I say, God bless
her 1"

Accompanied by several of his suite, he also on
Monday visited the Duke of Cambridge at Gloucester-
house. He was very pleased with his reception. His
comments upon his Royal Highness the Field-
Marshal Commanding-in-Chief and on the Royal
Family have been published to the following effect in
the 'Pall Mall Gazette :

Did you not note his manly bearing?' the Seyyid said of
the Duke of Cambridge. 'He looked every inch a soldier,
but he has besides a tender heart, for he showed me the
portraits of his sister's children and seemed very proud of
them. His Royal Highness also took me into his study and
told me that it was there he worked. Fancy one of the Royal
Family taking upon himself so many cares! This it is which
surprises me most. Our chiefs live quietly in their chambas
(plantations), but here the members of the Royal Family
take part in all that concerns the welfare of the kingdom. No
wonder that the people almost adore them. And then,
again, their devotion and loyalty to the Queen! What must
Her Gracious Majesty be so to gain the affection of all
classes? Would to God we all, chiefs and people, were like
the English! And it is for this that God prospers them.
You know our proverb, "As is the commander so are the
soldiers ;" and I am sure that his Royal Highness is every
inch a soldier and a man.' His Highness used the correspond-
ing Arabic word in an intensitive form, meaning everything
that is noble and good."