THE TREASURY. 



275 



no margin available for improvements or public 

 works. At last the government, which by treaty- 

 is unjustly debarred from imposing export or 

 harbour dues, or even from increasing the im- 

 port duties, devised a modified system of land- 

 tax, charging 5 per cent, per annum on cloves, 

 and 2 pice (== f d.) on mature cocoa-trees whose 

 estimated average value is SI. This, if levied, 

 would produce about §40,000 per annum. 



Since that time prosperity has returned to 

 the Island. The return of imports by the Cus- 

 tom House rose from £245,981 in 1861-2 to 

 £133,693 in 1867-8. 1 One half of the trade was 

 in the hands of English subjects, and the Com- 

 mittee remarks that Zanzibar is the chief market 

 of the world for ivory and copal ; that the trade 

 in hides, oils, seeds, and dyes is on the increase, 

 whilst cotton, sugar, and indigo, to which may 

 be added cocoa, loom in the distance. 



1 Eeport of Select Committee appointed to inquire into 

 the whole question of the slave trade on the East coast of Africa. 



