African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 293: Chapter 280 ”Progressive” Zanzibar Sultanate

October 17, 1870.

Zanzibar Island, Zhenqi Palace.

Zhenqi Palace stood at the western end of Stone City, forming part of the Sultan’s palace. This magnificent building had 40 thick columns, with 60 Black Slaves buried alive under each column.

Old Said passed away last year. With the support of the East African Kingdom, Young Said became the new ruler of the Zanzibar Sultanate. Young Said was very clear about his capabilities, which was merely to maintain the political status quo of the Zanzibar Sultanate.

”Minister Lemons, what does your country mean by this! We Zanzibarians rely on the slave trade to barely make ends meet. If the slave trade is abolished, to be honest, I personally don’t care, but the ministers and merchants below me will not agree. If I agree to your country’s conditions, I might as well step down.” Young Said complained to Lemons, the Minister representing East Africa in Zanzibar.

”Your Excellency Said, please do not misunderstand. It is not our East African Kingdom forcing Zanzibar to abolish the slave trade. This matter is essentially for the sake of Zanzibar.”

Using an Eastern teacup imported by the Zanzibar royal family from the Far East, Lemons took a sip of coffee and continued to analyze unhurriedly: ”Nowadays, the ban on the slave trade in Europe is becoming increasingly intense, especially by Britain and France, who are the enforcers. Our East African stance towards slaves is not greatly concerned, but we also cannot alter European public opinion. Your country should have felt, over the years, that the British have increased their inspections on the slave trade in the Indian Ocean.”

Young Said sighed and said, ”We know this, but the huge profits of the slave trade, the people below will not give up. It concerns the livelihood of tens of thousands of Zanzibarians. Even I, as a monarch, cannot change the thoughts of my subjects. If I go against the will of the people, my reign would come to an end!”

”Your Excellency Said, do not worry. All in all, East Africa is well aware of the national conditions of the Zanzibar Sultanate, and we won’t make things difficult for your country. For this matter, East Africa has prepared a plan for you,” Lemons said.

”Oh! I wonder what good strategy your country has?” Said asked curiously.

”Firstly, the slave trade cannot continue to exist. You should find a time to announce the abolition of the legality of the slave trade. Start by declaring the abolition of the slave system from the legal level of the Zanzibar Sultanate.”

”This matter can indeed be done, but is it just nominally doing so?”

”Of course not! Since we want to abolish the slave trade, naturally we must perform the full play. Of course, I am not saying to truly abolish the slave trade, but rather to make the methods of the slave trade more advanced and covert,” Lemons explained.

”I wonder how to operate this specifically!” Hearing that Lemons was not genuinely trying to make Zanzibar abolish the slave system, Young Said was slightly relieved.

”The first point has been mentioned before: abolish the slave system on a legal level so that legally, the Zanzibar regime doesn’t count as a slave state. Then it’s about repackaging the original slave trade. The slave trade is opposed by countries, but hiring workers is legal. All slave trade companies under the control of the Zanzibar Sultanate should turn the slave trade into legal labor export companies, emphasizing in foreign exchanges and commercial activities that ’local labor personnel’ go abroad to earn foreign currency.”

”If it’s just this, rest assured, Mr. Lemons, we can achieve it,” Young Said said.

Lemons shook his head and said, ”Things are not so simple. Since it’s labor export, the slave ships do not exist anymore. You must improve the living conditions of ’laborer’ transport ships. We don’t insist you do exceptionally well, at least make it look decent. Ensure these ’laborers’, before heading to the Middle East region, have relatively decent clothing and a certain activity space. They can’t be packed like goods in cramped cargo racks.”

Upon hearing this, Young Said felt troubled: ”Mr. Lemons, leaving other factors aside, just the expense for clothes isn’t a small amount, let alone giving slaves more space. The number of slaves on a ship would reduce, and the earnings would decrease. The slave traders will not agree.”

Lemons said, ”The clothes can be reused. Just provide a set of clothes from Zanzibar to the destination, take them off upon arrival, and they can be used next time. It won’t cost much. As for reduced slave carriage, earning less money is still better than being caught by other countries and unable to do business!”

”You are right about this, but the slave trade is a voluntary activity by merchants; they also need to account for costs. I fear many will not execute it well, especially our Zanzibar Sultanate’s system, which results in us not having much control over these merchants,” Young Said said.

In the Zanzibar Sultanate, it’s already good to collect a little tax from these slave traders. Moreover, in the slave trade, the Zanzibar Sultanate itself is involved, as the royal family is a beneficiary in the slave trade. In other words, the high-ups in the Zanzibar Sultanate are the biggest slave traders in the Indian Ocean.

Lemons chuckled and said, ”Your Excellency Said, as long as the Zanzibar Sultanate can supervise its nationals’ compliance, that’s enough. The slave trade is a lucrative industry; you haven’t earned little at all. Buying slaves some clothes doesn’t cost much. We East Africa can assist you, providing clothes produced by machinery, charging only a cost price.”

”That’s easy to say, but Zanzibar citizens are flexible; they can be Zanzibarians or Omani citizens, or even Ottoman citizens. It’s hard for us to define their identity, so how can we supervise?” Young Said asked.

”This matter is easy, learn from East Africa to establish a household registration system to confirm the identity of Zanzibar citizens. If they do not agree to become Zanzibar citizens, it’s okay. But if something happens, you can shift the blame to other countries, Oman, Ottoman, either will do. But let me make it clear; we will assist you in implementing this household registration system. Don’t think about being clever,” said Lemons.

”Household registration system?”

”Yes, provide residents with identity verification, which can effectively discern the behavior of your Zanzibar nationals at sea.”

”I estimate the ministers will not agree to execute it,” Young Said shook his head, not believing that his subordinates would accept this suggestion.

”Not implementing it is not an option; this is the will of the East African Kingdom. To ensure these plans proceed smoothly, the East African Kingdom will strengthen the military presence in the Zanzibar Sultanate. Also, due to the British ship seizure incident recently, we perceive that the current situation of the Zanzibar Sultanate is somewhat dangerous. For the strategic security of the East African Kingdom, the defense of the Zanzibar Sultanate will be incorporated into the East African Kingdom’s military defense system.”

Having said so much, East Africa’s real intention was also revealed. Zanzibar Island is crucial for the strategic security of the East African coast and naturally cannot be left outside the defense system of East Africa.

Young Said’s face was a bit unpleasant, but he held back. In fact, East Africa had always had a military presence in the Zanzibar Sultanate, right near the palace, with only a few hundred people, but Young Said wouldn’t gamble with his security.

”I wonder how your country plans to strengthen the military presence in Zanzibar?”

”The important ports and strategic locations on Zanzibar Island are included in this plan. We will increase the troop size to a scale of three thousand people, and the artillery fortifications will also be handled by the East African artillery forces,” Lemons read out East Africa’s decision.

”Well... alright! We fully accept the decision of the East African Kingdom.” In the end, Young Said couldn’t muster firmness.

Lemons cheerfully patted Young Said’s shoulder and said, ”You need not worry; East Africa strengthens Zanzibar’s defense mainly to cope with extraterritorial countries, not targeting the Zanzibar Sultanate itself. Previously, old Said was our East African old friend, and our East Africa still supports the reign of the Zanzibar royal family.”

Lemons gave Young Said a reassurance, which was also a verbal commitment that the Zanzibar Sultanate would continue to exist.

...

October 21, 1870.

After Lemons gave a ”friendly” persuasion to the domestic ministers of Zanzibar, the Zanzibar Sultanate agreed to all the demands of the East African Kingdom.

On the same day, the Zanzibar Sultanate issued legal regulations, thoroughly announcing the abolition of the slave system to the outside world. All slaves obtained free status, and simultaneously, the Zanzibar Sultanate ceased the slave trade, prohibiting both official and civil slave trade activities of the Zanzibar Sultanate.

At the same time, East Africa also began planning the defense work of the Zanzibar Sultanate, incorporating Zanzibar Island into the East African defense system, increasing the military presence on Zanzibar Island, and rebuilding the port’s defense structures.

As for the slaves of the Zanzibar Sultanate, after obtaining freedom, they signed employment agreements with their previous masters. Simultaneously, a large number of registered ”labor companies” appeared in the Zanzibar Sultanate the next day, ostensibly for providing labor to the Middle East and other regions.