CAPTURE OF MOMBASA.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 328, 1 July 1875, Page 3

CAPTURE OF MOMBASA.

The following is an account of the recent capture of Mombasa and its restoration to the Sultan of Zanzibar, translated from an Arab local correspondent by the Pall Mall Gazette: —

As far back as the 30th of July last the Sultan sent Ilamad-bin-Sulaiman to Mombasa, with orders to remove Muhammad’Abdullah, the Hadhramauty, in whose charge he had placed the fort there, in consequence of his irregular proceedings. When the paper of his discharge was delivered to him he said that he would go and remove his followers. On entering the fort some words passed between him and the Baluchis who were stationed on the bastions, which ended in an interchange of shots, the Hadhramautis closing the doors against the Baluchis and opening lire upon them from above. The latter were soon obliged to surrender, whereupon they were disarmed, and most of them made prisoners. The mutineers then shut the gates and fortified themselves in the castle. Intelligence of these proceedings reaching the Sultan, his Highness overlooked them, in the hope that it was a sudden outburst which would soon subside. Therein he judge! rightly, .for shortly after the mutinous governor pleaded for forgiveness for himself and his companions, which his Highness accorded, but at the same time placed another Hadhramauty Governor in the fort, named Said-’Abdullah, with forty men. When Hamad-biu-Sulaiman returned to Zanzibar, Muhammad-’Ab-dullah sent his son with him, whom the Sultan treated with the greatest kindness, never alluding to the past outbl’ealc, and then permitted him to return to Mombasa. The Hadhramautis continued to hold the fort for two mouths after, but report after report reached his Highness of their tyranny and oppression, which seemed to increase more and more, insomuch that at length, in the month of December, the Sultan sent a detachment to the place consisting of 140 Arabs, and then another party of 120, to keep order in the district. The day after their arrival Mubammad-’Abdullah and his followers sallied from the fort and attacked the Arabs, the latter returning their fire. These sallies and engagements went on for six daj s, during which the Hadhramautis plundered whatever property they could lay hands on belonging to the Hindus, Banians, and Arabs. It should be borne in mind that their number greatly exceeded that of the Arab troops. When the Sultan was informed of all this he sent to Captain Prideaux, the Acting British Consul, and begged that he would supply him with a vessel wherein to despatch soldiers to Mombasa. That officer said at once that he would proceed thither in person. To this His Highness replied that there was no necessity, inasmuch as he believed that he had a force of his own sufficient for the occasion. However, Captain Prideaux said he would go, and take with him the 200 men of H.M.S. London, and that if he found that the Hadhramautis had killed any British subject he should at once act against them ; if they had not, he would hold a parley with them, and bring their chief to Zanzibar ; and, should he refuse to come, he would force him. Captain Prideaux accordingly sailed on the 16th of January, the Sultan sending at the same time a ship laden with his soldiers, guns, mortars, and so forth; and on the 21st he despatched his master of artillery and artillerymen in a vessel of his own. On the 13th Captain Prideaux arrived at Mombasa with her Majesty’s ships Nassau and Rifleman. His report, as sent to the Sultan subsequently by ’Aly-bin-Salih, states that on his arrival he had held a colloquy with Muhamrnad-’Abdullah, but as the latter would not listen to reason he proceeded to hostilities. That the insurgents did not hold out beyond two hours and a half, after which they asked for quarter, which was granted. That then the British seized the fort, together with the Sultan’s agent there, named Saif-bin-Sulaiman, and his confederates, and took them over to the Island of Pemba. Muhammad-’Abdullah and Salih-’Aly, whom the Sultan had associated with him, and two of their party, the Acting Consul had brought with him [to Zanzibar], having assured them of protection. To this the Sultan replied, “ Very well.” His Highness was then apprised that the Acting Consul would call upon him. The hour fixed by the Sultan was 3.30 of the following day; at the same time he expressed the hope that Muhammad-Abdullah would not be permitted to land till after the conference. Captain Prideaux waited upon his Highness at the hour named, and after lie had related to him what had been done, the Sultan said, “ All this is most kind of you, and the exalted British Government has placed us thereby under the greatest obligations." His

Highness then asked what was to be done with the arch-mutineers. The reply to this was—Let what they have suffered suffice. The Sultan, however, urged that these men had been soldiers in his service, and besides having been guilty of many atrocities had mutinied, and that unless they were adequately punished their bad example might prove dangerous to others; moreover, that he had many Hadhramautis in his service in other places who, by such lenity, would think nothing of rebelling as their countrymen had done. The Consul’s reply was—Let things be as they are, and should any attempt to do as they have done we will give a good account of them. The Sultan answered : So let it be ; nevertheless they must not on any account be allowed to land. This was acceded to, and on the Sunday following they were sent in a ship to the island [Pemba], His Highness then reminded the Acting Consul that there were many Arabs there, and pointed out to him the possibility of a collision betwixt them and the Hadhramautis. This also Captain Pridcaux undertook to attend to, and also to see that they were sent back to their own country at the opening of the monsoon. Meanwhile 1 have to tell you that these fellows, when they left the fort of Mombasa, took with them all the booty they had plundered there from the Arabs, Hindus, and Banians, and that the confederates of the arch-rebel Muhammad-’Abdullah, who are still at Pemba, constantly come over to Zanzibar to dispose of their ill-gotten spoil, selling what is worth one hundred dollars for ten, or for as much as they can readily get for it, seeing that whatever they can realise is clear gain to them. God only knows how this will end.