AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2558, 1 December 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

An almost incredible story respecting a British naval commander in the Persian Gulf has been published. The story is that a black slave swam in the night to this officer's ship off Muscat, and stated that he had escaped from a dhow laden with men, women and children, from Zanzibar, then discharging her cargo at the back of Muscat. Be added that there were two more dhows laden with slaves coming in on the following morning, but carrying coals on their upper decks as a disguise. Of this unfortunately no notice whatever was taken, which is disgraceful enough in itself, and a distinct direliction of duty on the part of a British commander in those waters. But what is a thousand times worse, the commander coming on deck while the slave was being interrogated through an interpreter, is alleged to have ordered the poor wretch over there and then. Over lie went accordingly, and if he is alive at this moment, the Oriental slave dealer must be a very different person from what report has generally represented him. There can be no need for concealing the fact that the vessel in question is 11.M.5. Kingfisher, one of the ships on the East India station, specially commissioned for the suppression of the slave trade. It is to be hoped, therefore that we shall shortly hear that the commander of the Kiuglisher has given a full and satisfactory contradiction to these disgraceful charges; or, failing that, that he has been dismissed from a service every honorable tradition of which, if this story be true, he has shamefully violated.—Truth.