IOR/R/15/1/143, ff 333-341

The letter and its enclosures relate to the importation of slaves into Persia by the vessel Mahmoodee, and the efforts made by the Persian Commissioner for the Suppression of the Slave Trade, Meerza Mahmood Khan, to secure their release.

The following enclosures are included with Kemball’s letter:

1. A letter (folios 334 and 336) from William Taylour Thomson, His Majesty’s Chargé D’Affaires at the Court of Persia, Tehran, to Kemball, dated 10 January 1854. Thomson’s letter discusses two letters relating to the importation of slaves on the Mahmoodee. Thomson states that both letters are vizirial letters, one to the Prince Governor of Fars, and the other to Kahn. The latter of these letters is included in the file (in Persian with no English translation, folio 335), and contains instructions to Khan to procure the slaves imported on the Mahmoodee, in conformity of the stipulations of the Slave Trade Convention. Thomson writes that the letter from the Prince Governor (enclosed with earlier correspondence of 20 October 1853) is a warning to Khan that he will be removed from his post should he continue to be remiss in his duties.

2. Letter no.54 of 1854 (folios 337-38) from Kemball to Thomson, dated 13 February 1854. Kemball writes that the vizirial letters have failed to obtain the freedom of the slaves imported on the Mahmoodee. Kemball includes two letters sent by him to Khan, dated 30 January 1854 (folio 339) and 3 February 1854 (folio 340). In the first letter Kemball enquires what progress had been made in inducing Hajee Abdul Mahomed to surrender slaves imported on the Mahmoodee. Kemball’s second letter acknowledges receipt of Khan’s reply to this enquiry (not included in the volume) which states the lack of success encountered by Khan in retrieving the slaves. Also enclosed with Kemball’s letter to Thomson is the translation of a letter (folio 341) from Hajee Mahomed Shereef, a merchant of Bushire, addressed to Kemball, dated 19 October 1853. Shereef confirms that his son consigned to him his pregnant concubine, imported from Hodeideh [al-Ḥudaydah] on the Mahmoodee, but that a male slave was not delivered.