IOR/F/4/2614/164851

The item consists of copies and extracts of correspondence and resolutions cited in, or enclosed with, an extract of a Political Letter from the Government of Bombay to the East India Company Court of Directors, 9 June 1855. The enclosures are dated 23 December 1853-30 December 1854.

The item contains letters to the Government of Bombay from the Colonial Office, Cape of Good Hope, and Major Atkins Hamerton, HM Consul and Company Agent in the dominions of the Imaum of Muskat [Imām of Muscat]. The letters are in response to the Government requesting information about suspected 'slave trade' [trade in enslaved people] activity near the Ugamee Lake [Ngami Lake]. Hamerton's letter provides details of his knowledge on the subject and on the Zambezee [Zambezi, also rendered in text as Zambugu and Zombazee] river, noting previous attempts to gain knowledge of the river by Prussians assisted by the British.

The Government of Bombay order a copy of Hamerton's letter to be sent to Henry Wilson Reeves of the Bombay Civil Service, who had initially requested the information from the Government.

The title page of the item contains the following references: 'Bombay Political Department', Draft Number '1199 [18]55', 'Collection No.4', and 'Examiner's Office'. Originally, the Collection number was given as '4 of No. 52 of 1855.' but this has been crossed out.