THE SPECIAL COMMISSION, ETC. 



269 



to the Foreign Office. The Protectorate of Zanzibar is a native state 

 theoretically administered bv the Sultan and the ministers whom he 

 appoints. The representative of the British Government at Zanzibar is 

 at the present moment also Commissioner and Consul-General for East 

 Africa, a portion of the coast-lands of the East African Protectorate 

 being regarded as part of the Sultan of Zanzibar's dominions, and 

 administered to some extent in his name. This coast Province of 

 Sayyidieh is still subject to the inconvenient and harassing treaty rights 

 of other European Powers, rights which were unfortunately not got rid 

 of (as they should have been) when the British Government assumed a 



200. THE SS. iriLLIAM MACKIXXOH 



Protectorate over Zanzibar. Negotiations for the aliolition of these special 

 treaty fights are in progress with Germany and France, but have not, 

 I^ believe, been yet brought to a successfid issue. Consequently a small 

 portion of the East Africa Protectorate is being administered urder rather 

 exceptional conditions as though it were a portion of the territories ruled 

 by the Sultan of Zanzibar. 



In addition to these three p]ast African Protectorates may be mentioned 

 Somaliland, a territory immediately opposite Aden, which consists of a con- 

 siderable slice of the Northern Somali coast-lands. To any one able to take 

 an unprejudiced and large-minded view of the present situation in East 

 Africa, it must appear highly desirable that all of these four Protectorates — 



