IOR/R/15/1/143, ff 316-321

The letter is a covering letter, with enclosure, sent in continuation of a previous letter (folio 315) relating to the deployment of Government steamers in the Persian Gulf to assist in the suppression of the slave trade. The enclosure is letter no.276 of 1854 (folio 317) from Brigadier A. Clarke, Officiating Political Agent at Aden, to the Secretary to the Government at Bombay, dated 8 May 1854, and relates to the deployment of naval resources along the stretch of Arabian coast coming under the jurisdiction of the Aden Political Agency.

The letter contains a further enclosure, letter no.41 of 1854 (folios 317-21) from Commander Charles Montriou, Senior Naval Officer at Aden, to Clarke, dated 3 May 1854, and is a general assessment of the viability of suppressing the slave trade along the southeast Arabian coast by British naval vessels. Montriou raised a number of points including: the difficulties of identifying vessels carrying slaves, the lack of treaties signed between the British Government and the Arab chiefs; the likelihood of boat searches and seizures creating hostility against British and other European vessels. Montriou also provides details of the times of year boats sail to and from Africa to Arabia, those tribes along the southeast Arabian coast said to be involved in the import of slaves into Arabia, and the best times to make patrols. Montiou finishes be recommending that all boats sailing from ports on the African coast and arriving at Aden be searched for slaves.