Instructions for the Guidance of the Captains and Commanding Officers

Scarce government issued work containing instructions to the Royal Navy regarding the suppression of the slave trade, the Acts of Parliament relating to the prevention of the slave trade, and the individual treaties struck with various nations in regard to the prevention of illicit slavery. Contains instructions on searching and detaining vessels, procedures in port, and dealing with fugitive slaves.

Reproduces the treaties between the individual Sheikhs of the Arabian Gulf and Great Britain between 1820 and 1847. The agreements are signed by 'Sheikh Shakbool' (Tahnun bin Shakhbut), Sheikh of the Bani Yas and ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1818 to 1833, 'Sultan bin Sugger', (Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi) Sheikh of Sharjah and the tribes of Ras Al Khaimah, and the 'Sheikh of Dubey' (Maktum bin Bati), the Sheikh who would declare independence of Dubai from Abu Dhabi in 1833 and found the Maktoum dynasty. There are also agreements with Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Muhammad bin Khalifah bin Subma, of Bahrain, in 1847. Other countries include Oman (Muscat), Yemen (Mukalla and Shihr), Iran (Tehran), Zanzibar, Somalia and Abyssinia.

Scarce. The imprint suggests only 500 copies were printed but the authority slip in volume two indicates only 250 were issued. Only three copies in UK institutions (King's College, Leeds, and the National Maritime Museum), and not in BL.

First edition; 2 vols, 8vo (24.5 x 16 cm); small shelf label to upper board of vol.ii and written in manuscript to front endpaper and title; contemporary half black polished calf gilt, wavy cloth boards, gilt lettering to spine, all edges speckled red, a little rubbed but else remarkably preserved; xiv, 259; [vi], 205 pp.