GLIMPSES OF EAST AFRICA AND ZANZIBAR 



In 1872 there occurred the well-remembered 

 hurricane, which destroyed most of the buildings 

 on the island and up-rooted the trees ; it also de- 

 stroyed Barghash's navy, which was a great loss. 



Five years after he became Sultan he paid a 

 visit to England, on the invitation of the British 

 Government, and then he must have seen much to 

 astonish him, for the great idea in asking him to 

 come was to let him know of the richness and 

 splendour of his ally. On his way he saw the 

 Channel Squadron, and he was taken to Aldershot 

 and Woolwich Arsenal and several of the finest 

 cities of England. His amusement consisted of 

 visits to the Royal Family, some theatres, and the 

 British Museum, to say nothing of many other 

 parties got up by the nobility and politicians of the 

 land. In fact he was f^ted wherever he went, for 

 over a month. 



After this, he and his suite, including Dr. Kirk 

 and his Prime Minister, returned, with much to tell, 

 I have no doubt, to the more stay-at-home Arabs. 



In 1877 the grand army of the Sultan was 

 formed. Lieutenant Lloyd Matthews (later Sir 

 Lloyd Matthews, K.C.M.G.) undertook to dinll 

 and control them, and four years later he was 

 officially put in command of them and the police, 

 under the local title of brigadier-general, having 

 retired from the British navy. 



Later on in Barghash's reign, his possessions, 



242 



