CO537-6046 — Page 183

be overlooked.. In time some politically lost ground might be regained if they were developed.

The Future

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28. Zanzibar is an excellent example of a very small country which cannot live entirely unto itself but where internal sclf- government can be established rapidly. The common interest docs not depend upon the maintenance of British rule as it does in Aden. Though colonial rulo destroyed Arab rule it levelled out community differences and raised the status of the African. There is a reasonable percentage of literacy. It would be in the material and moral interests of Zanziber and politically serviceable to us if it were made into a self governing protected state.

29. The basis of the present Order in Council and the dual system of courts should be changed and the stato reconstructed on the basis of Zanzibar nationality whatever the racial origin of the citizens, True foreigners would be subject to Zanzibar juris- diction.

30. There is nothing to prevent the introduction of municipal forms of local government on the British model as no traces of indigenous institutions remain. There should also bo little difficulty in introducing a system of direct slectoral representation into local and central levels of government.

31. Reconstruction will be aided by the wisdom of the present ·

·Sultan, and by the time his successor comes to the throne he ought to be in the position of a constitutional monarch.

32.

The Resident should be paid by H.M.G. in the United Kingdom. The Legislative Council should become elective quickly and British cxecutive officers replaced by suitable Zanzibaris. Even an Arab chief secretary could probably be found. The Resident might be given enough influence and power to ensure the confidence of the public cspecially the commercial community, but there should be no trouble if he ceases to be the effective ruler. It should be remembered that prior to 1890 the Consuls General were able to cxercise all the influence necessary to protect trade.

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33. Zanzibar economy has not been referred to, but although the cloves are soriously threatened the Sultanate could contemplate this kind of self government which would be much more economical.

34.

Within the set up contemplated cultural possibilitios ought to be developed and the link with the Konya Protectorate strengthened culturally.

Islamic culture could be developed locally with no harm to other cultures, but Aden offers better opportunities as a centre of Arab culture.

III. Mauritius present position.

35. Mauritius has a very mixed population. Pure French, pure African (including Madagascar and West Africa), Afro-European, Hindu and Muslim Indians (far more of the former), and Chinese. Of these the Indian element predominates.

36. Although most of the inhabitants adhere to oriental religions, Roman Catholicism and the French language and culture were in my time legally and effectively dominant and the small, white population the effective rulers. Racial "conflict" was chiefly black v. white, with the Chinese holding aloof and aloof also to every local activity except commerce. The Indians wore only boginning to emerge and though they tended to side with the black element had not their French sympathies.

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