198
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,